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Elder Ballard Answers Tough Questions About LGBTQ Civil Rights, Suicide, Pornography + More at BYU Devotional

Elder M. Russell Ballard met with BYU students at a campus devotional on Tuesday, answering tough questions that covered a variety of topics. “In the end, I was surprised to receive 767 questions,” he said. “They cover a variety of topics, including life at BYU, dating, doctrine, marriage, revelation, seeking perfection, and showing love to others.”

From the Church

Church issues statement on the Respect for Marriage Act

By Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church released the following statement with regards to the United States Congress Respect for Marriage Act.

LDS officials meet with gay-rights advocates

Representatives from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met Monday morning with leaders of the Soulforce Equality Ride, a national bus tour aimed at "promoting acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and allied people." LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter confirmed the meeting took place but didn't comment on the specifics.

Feature Stories

What can you say when a family member comes out as gay? 7 ideas from a Latter-day Saint mom

By Ashley Smith

“I never would have believed it, but I am seriously grateful that God has blessed me with a gay child.”

Latter-day Saint Life

Tan France of "Queer Eye" Praises Latter-day Saints, Cites President Hinckley

By Jamie Armstrong

Tan France, fashion expert for the wildly popular Netflix series Queer Eye, spoke to a sold-out audience in Salt Lake City on June 12. The purpose of the event was to discuss his New York Times best-selling memoir, Naturally Tan, but he also took the opportunity to encourage love and tolerance between the religious and LGBTQ communities.

Latter-day Saint Life

"You Can Be an LGBT Ally and a Faithful Member of the Church," Says Former YSA Bishop

“We all have crosses we’re carrying,” former YSA Bishop Richard Ostler said. “To understand someone’s cross, we’ve kind of got to go there with them, listen to their story, and then we’re fully able to mourn with them or comfort them or walk with them.”

Recommended by Us

What does it mean to walk in someone’s shoes? Gay Latter-day Saint shares his perspective

By Ben Schilaty

In 2014, I returned to Tucson after spending weeks at my parents’ house trying to figure out how to move forward. I had few answers, but one thing I knew was that I needed to stop hiding. I had decided not to force my experiences on anyone, but to be honest with people when my orientation came up organically. Dianna and I had carpooled to a young single adult activity on Mt. Lemmon, just north of Tucson, and as the two of us drove down the mountain I felt a prompting to come out to her. I mentioned our friend Laura whose nickname is Fun Laura. Dianna asked, “Does Fun Laura have a nickname for you?”

Latter-day Saint Life

Lesbian Mormon Shares a Powerful Message to Members of the Church: "I Want People to See My Face"

By LDS Living Staff

"Faces of USGA," a nonprofit photojournalism project that dedicates itself to spreading awareness of LGBTQ students on BYU campus, recently featured a lesbian student at BYU, one who simply calls herself a "Mormon girl." (USGA, or Understanding Same-Gender Attraction, is an unofficial student group at BYU.)

Latter-day Saint Life

From LGBTQ Concerns to Transparency, President Nelson Answers Difficult Questions at His First Press Conference

By Katie Lambert

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, President Russell M. Nelson answered questions from the media at his first press conference as the prophet of the Church. Along with his newly appointed counselors—President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring—President Nelson answered questions from local media outlets in Salt Lake City as well as from reporters calling from as far away as Brazil.

Latter-day Saint Life

Ask a Latter-day Saint therapist: Should I go to my daughter’s LGBTQ wedding?

By Jonathan Decker, LMFT

For daily gospel-based relationship insights, join Jonathan’s Facebook group. To submit a question for Jonathan, click here.