Who will raise the voice for the family? Who will defend the rights of all liberty? Why are we here? Where are we going? Why is the family so important?
Just as this song by the Goodman Family reminds us, we must come to remember our potential as children of a loving heavenly father, and raise high the standard of the family in these latter-days. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the changes that have been made to the Church Policies Reguarding Ordinances done for the children of people who are LGBT.
Just as this song by the Goodman Family reminds us, we must come to remember our potential as children of a loving heavenly father, and raise high the standard of the family in these latter-days. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the changes that have been made to the Church Policies Reguarding Ordinances done for the children of people who are LGBT.
In An Excerpt from an article written by Tad Walch, We are Reminded of the following:
Elder Christofferson and other church leaders have said repeatedly that Mormons may express political support for same-sex marriage without consequence to their church membership. The updated policy does not alter that.
The church also continues to support the Utah Compromise and all similar efforts to provide legal protection for LGBT people in housing and employment.
LDS leaders also have repeatedly said, as can be found on the official church website mormonsandgays.org, that nobody should be more loving and compassionate than Mormons, who should be "in the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion and outreach." Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Twelve said LDS families also are instructed not exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle.
Gays affirmed the church's right to maintain its religious doctrine but described the announcement of the policies as painful.
"I've felt a deep sadness," said John Gustav-Wrathall, a member of the board of directors of Affirmation, a support group for LGBT Mormons and former Mormons and their families, friends and church leaders. After praying Friday he felt a profound peace and love envelop him and his husband, but he still was trying to "understand why the new handbook is going to treat children the way it does."
The handbook policy requires children of same-sex parents who want to join the church or serve missions to disavow same-sex marriage. Some have misread the policy to say they must disavow their parents.
"I've known a number of gay parents who have supported their children on missions, who have supported their children in being active in the church, in going to seminary," Gustav-Wrathall said. "After having supported their missionary kids, to learn their kids have been told to disavow them is extremely painful."
Some characterized the new policies as a step back or a retrenchment at the end of a year when church leaders announced their unequivocal support for legislation protecting LGBT people from discrimination in housing and employment in January and joined the celebration in March when the Utah Compromise did just that. Then last month, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve called for an end to the culture wars.
"I disagree with the idea this is a retrenchment," Gustav-Wrathall said. "I honestly believe the church has moved forward in terms of its engagement with us as human beings, as members of families, as members of wards. There is a deeper, more profound understanding. There has been more explicit talk from the highest levels of the church about love and about acceptance and about listening. My perception is that members of the church are taking that seriously."
The bottom line, he said, is that LDS doctrine is changed by revelation, not by church leaders.
"As painful as this is, it may actually be a good thing, because it's clarifying what the nature of the problem is. There is a common belief among some gay Mormons that bishops will just stop excommunicating people for this and gradually the church will edge its way to a general acceptance and understanding. I've always felt it couldn't be resolved that way. What this has done has made the fundamental gap between our experiences and the doctrine much more visible. It's not something we can really avoid or ignore."
Elder Christofferson said it is mandatory for church leaders to be loving and to maintain standards.
"We're not going to yield on our efforts to help people find what brings happiness, but we know that sin does not," he said. "And so we're going to stand firm there, because we don't want to mislead people. There's no kindness in misdirecting people and leading them into any misunderstanding about what is true, what is right, what is wrong, what leads to Christ and what leads away from Christ."
The church also continues to support the Utah Compromise and all similar efforts to provide legal protection for LGBT people in housing and employment.
LDS leaders also have repeatedly said, as can be found on the official church website mormonsandgays.org, that nobody should be more loving and compassionate than Mormons, who should be "in the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion and outreach." Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Twelve said LDS families also are instructed not exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle.
Gays affirmed the church's right to maintain its religious doctrine but described the announcement of the policies as painful.
"I've felt a deep sadness," said John Gustav-Wrathall, a member of the board of directors of Affirmation, a support group for LGBT Mormons and former Mormons and their families, friends and church leaders. After praying Friday he felt a profound peace and love envelop him and his husband, but he still was trying to "understand why the new handbook is going to treat children the way it does."
The handbook policy requires children of same-sex parents who want to join the church or serve missions to disavow same-sex marriage. Some have misread the policy to say they must disavow their parents.
"I've known a number of gay parents who have supported their children on missions, who have supported their children in being active in the church, in going to seminary," Gustav-Wrathall said. "After having supported their missionary kids, to learn their kids have been told to disavow them is extremely painful."
Some characterized the new policies as a step back or a retrenchment at the end of a year when church leaders announced their unequivocal support for legislation protecting LGBT people from discrimination in housing and employment in January and joined the celebration in March when the Utah Compromise did just that. Then last month, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve called for an end to the culture wars.
"I disagree with the idea this is a retrenchment," Gustav-Wrathall said. "I honestly believe the church has moved forward in terms of its engagement with us as human beings, as members of families, as members of wards. There is a deeper, more profound understanding. There has been more explicit talk from the highest levels of the church about love and about acceptance and about listening. My perception is that members of the church are taking that seriously."
The bottom line, he said, is that LDS doctrine is changed by revelation, not by church leaders.
"As painful as this is, it may actually be a good thing, because it's clarifying what the nature of the problem is. There is a common belief among some gay Mormons that bishops will just stop excommunicating people for this and gradually the church will edge its way to a general acceptance and understanding. I've always felt it couldn't be resolved that way. What this has done has made the fundamental gap between our experiences and the doctrine much more visible. It's not something we can really avoid or ignore."
Elder Christofferson said it is mandatory for church leaders to be loving and to maintain standards.
"We're not going to yield on our efforts to help people find what brings happiness, but we know that sin does not," he said. "And so we're going to stand firm there, because we don't want to mislead people. There's no kindness in misdirecting people and leading them into any misunderstanding about what is true, what is right, what is wrong, what leads to Christ and what leads away from Christ."
We must not allow the worlds point of view to sway us from what we know in our hearts to be true. As we stand for truth and Righteousness, we will move forward with fortitude and faith.
"If we fail to raise the standard, how can the family last? Come preserve your own, in the strength of god, and home.
Remember our homes, the safeguard of peace, remember the children who look to you to keep tomorrow free. Remember god.
Remember his love; He calls to us- Remember."
I Leave you all with my testimony, that we can be kind, and loving representatives of Jesus Christ, and Help other around us remember the importance of the Family, Love, and Respect each others God-given agency.
Live True. Remember-
Sister Megan Chapple
"If we fail to raise the standard, how can the family last? Come preserve your own, in the strength of god, and home.
Remember our homes, the safeguard of peace, remember the children who look to you to keep tomorrow free. Remember god.
Remember his love; He calls to us- Remember."
I Leave you all with my testimony, that we can be kind, and loving representatives of Jesus Christ, and Help other around us remember the importance of the Family, Love, and Respect each others God-given agency.
Live True. Remember-
Sister Megan Chapple
MMMmmm.....Hot chocolate at a Members home - So awesome!
Picture along the drive from Port Angeles, to Forks
Sorry this isn't the best picture, but it's the best one I've got!
This is a picture for Linda Reichl's Baptism this past weekend. So happy to be a part of her journey in following the example of Jesus Christ.
This is a picture for Linda Reichl's Baptism this past weekend. So happy to be a part of her journey in following the example of Jesus Christ.