Comments on: Mother Bear By Candlelight http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58 Voicing our support for same-sex marriage, and our respectful opposition to California’s Proposition 8 Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Joshua Johanson http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58&cpage=1#comment-7717 Joshua Johanson Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:59:37 +0000 http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58#comment-7717 Thanks Scott. I had a similar story, but mine was before I was married. It is so liberating just to be open. I was surprised at how readily I was welcomed. As we shine our lights, we give others the courage to shine forth theirs. Continue being a light to all around you. Thanks Scott. I had a similar story, but mine was before I was married. It is so liberating just to be open. I was surprised at how readily I was welcomed. As we shine our lights, we give others the courage to shine forth theirs. Continue being a light to all around you.

]]> By: Scott http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58&cpage=1#comment-1191 Scott Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:13:51 +0000 http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58#comment-1191 <i>"I am ready to ask what we can do to make our Mormon families and communities more welcoming to our gay and lesbian children and brothers and sisters?"</i> Anything and everything we can think of... I'm a gay Mormon man married to a wonderful woman and active in the Church. On November 2nd I <a href="http://mormoninthecloset.blogspot.com/2008/11/testimony.html" rel="nofollow">came out to my ward in Testimony Meeting</a>. I had a couple of reasons for doing so. I wanted my friends and neighbors to know that they know a gay person, and that it's somebody who they have known and loved and worked with and (hopefully) respected and considered a good person. I also hoped that other gay members in the ward (there have to be at least one or two more, statistically) would realize that they're not alone, and that it's possible to be a gay Mormon and still be happy. So far, I've had a few people respond positively, letting me know that they've enjoyed my testimony. A few others seem to have gone out of their way to talk with me between meetings, which I choose to believe is their way of letting me know that they still consider me a friend. I haven't heard a single word of criticism or complaint, or a single negative reaction. There are likely at least a few who aren't comfortable with the idea of having a gay man in the ward, but so far at least they seem to be keeping their opinions to themselves. My wife and I enjoyed the candlelight vigil that evening, and our 12-year-old daughter accompanied us. It was wonderful to feel the love that permeated the library courtyard. I hope that someday every gay member of the Church will feel that same love and acceptance in every sacrament meeting in every meetinghouse. “I am ready to ask what we can do to make our Mormon families and communities more welcoming to our gay and lesbian children and brothers and sisters?”

Anything and everything we can think of…

I’m a gay Mormon man married to a wonderful woman and active in the Church. On November 2nd I came out to my ward in Testimony Meeting.

I had a couple of reasons for doing so. I wanted my friends and neighbors to know that they know a gay person, and that it’s somebody who they have known and loved and worked with and (hopefully) respected and considered a good person.

I also hoped that other gay members in the ward (there have to be at least one or two more, statistically) would realize that they’re not alone, and that it’s possible to be a gay Mormon and still be happy.

So far, I’ve had a few people respond positively, letting me know that they’ve enjoyed my testimony. A few others seem to have gone out of their way to talk with me between meetings, which I choose to believe is their way of letting me know that they still consider me a friend.

I haven’t heard a single word of criticism or complaint, or a single negative reaction. There are likely at least a few who aren’t comfortable with the idea of having a gay man in the ward, but so far at least they seem to be keeping their opinions to themselves.

My wife and I enjoyed the candlelight vigil that evening, and our 12-year-old daughter accompanied us. It was wonderful to feel the love that permeated the library courtyard. I hope that someday every gay member of the Church will feel that same love and acceptance in every sacrament meeting in every meetinghouse.

]]> By: Sheryl Beckett http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58&cpage=1#comment-1182 Sheryl Beckett Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:55:38 +0000 http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=58#comment-1182 Thank you, Joanna, for such a wonderful post. It is sad to have our protestors outside of our temples. And yet, what did the leaders expect after so emphaticaly asking the membership to do all they could to pass this amendment. I too am a Mormon who voted No on 8 and am truly stunned that rights were taken away from law-abiding, tax-paying citizens of this state. I too will be helping in whatever way I can. As we celebrated my son's b'day Sunday, we were not at church (my son is gay and when he accepted his gayness chose to not be active in church). I am curious to see what the atmosphere is this Sunday. Sheryl Thank you, Joanna, for such a wonderful post. It is sad to have our protestors outside of our temples. And yet, what did the leaders expect after so emphaticaly asking the membership to do all they could to pass this amendment.

I too am a Mormon who voted No on 8 and am truly stunned that rights were taken away from law-abiding, tax-paying citizens of this state. I too will be helping in whatever way I can.

As we celebrated my son’s b’day Sunday, we were not at church (my son is gay and when he accepted his gayness chose to not be active in church). I am curious to see what the atmosphere is this Sunday.

Sheryl

]]>