My View Point

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I believe and support marriage is between a man and a woman.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “Two compelling doctrinal reasons help us to understand why eternal marriage is essential to the Father’s plan. “Reason 1: The natures of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation. …

“Reason 2: By divine design, both a man and a woman are needed to bring children into mortality and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children. …

“As men and women, as husbands and wives, and as Church leaders, one of our paramount responsibilities is to help young men and women learn about and prepare for righteous marriage through our personal example. As young women and men observe worthiness, loyalty, sacrifice, and the honoring of covenants in our marriages, then those youth will seek to emulate the same principles. … As we consider the importance of our personal example, do you and I discern areas where we need to improve?” (“Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan,” Liahona, June 2006, 51–52, 54; Ensign, June 2006, 83–84, 86).

The view point that marriage is between and man and woman is not the view of others. Sometimes it seems that my view on marriage is made fun of, especially in the very liberal area that I work and live in. However, Jesus Christ was a great example of how everyone should be even when they do not agree with the other… love them.

I am going to tell a story that I was able to watch with my own eyes…

This is a story of an LDS family that were very active in the church. The father was a Bishop and mom has been in leadership forever. This family had 3 daughters and 1 son. The children were very active in the church. They all are or have gone to BYU. However, one of the children struggled with same sex attraction.

This was very hard on the family. However, the children gathered around this child and didn’t change how they felt about this person. The father was struggling with the choices and life style that this child has chosen. The mother prayed and prayed what she should do for this child. She kept getting the answer to just love her.

As time went on this child got married to her partner. The family did not attend this child’s wedding.  The child came home but did not talk about her partner. The mother kept feeling that she just needed to love her.

Where this child was living some members of the ward started coming over with missionaries. The child and its spouse were invited to church. The ward love both of the people and did not judge them for not living the ways of the gospel.

The heart of the father was softened as well. The family was able to get together and be a family unit. The child and the spouse are no longer married. However, the family still loves both the child and the ex-spouse.

Sometimes it is hard to know why each person goes the trials that they go through. I know this might seem easier said than done. I have not had anyone in my family yet that has said they have same sex attraction. However, I hope that I can put aside my confusion and just love the person.  

Courtney and Rachelle are a great example of what can happen when you just love someone for them. If you have a chance I would highly suggest watching their story (I would have tissue around). You don’t have to love the sin but you do need to love the sinner. You never know what could happen.