We knew that many people, both inside and outside of the Church, would be uncomfortable or even offended by the topic. We also knew that by sharing their story, Ty and Danielle Mansfield would be subjecting themselves to scrutiny and criticism—something they were fully prepared to do. But we strongly believed that by running this story, we could accomplish three goals:

Facilitate within the Mormon culture a conversation about SSA.

Increase understanding and compassion for those experiencing SSA.

Give hope and encouragement to Church members who themselves are struggling with SSA.

 

This article was not meant to stir up controversy for the sake of controversy. And it definitely isn’t suggesting that there is a “magic formula” for everyone dealing with this issue. Rather, it gives an honest look into the heart and mind of a man with same-sex attraction who also has a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and is doing everything in his power to live it. Since Ty had previously resigned himself to the fact that he would never marry in this life, I found it fascinating and touching to learn how Ty and Danielle’s love story unfolded and how they keep their marriage on solid ground. And judging from the responses we have received, it seems many of our readers did, too.