Do you wonder if you’re ever going to make it? This article explores individual commitment to change and provides perspectives to help
understand what it takes to succeed. It also provides a brief discussion
of what it means to “change,” steps involved in making a decision to change,
and why it’s important.
Introduction: The Dilemma We’re In
The following humorous poem was read at the Evergreen conference 5 years
ago by Neil Whitehead:
THE PIT
A person with same-sex attraction fell into a pit and couldn't get himself
out.
A religious fundamentalist came along, and said: "You deserve your pit."
A psychologist came along and said: "Accept your pit, that way you'll be
happy."
A religious liberal came along and said: "Your pit is God's beautiful gift
to you."
A gay activist came along and said: "Fight for the right to stay in your
pit."
An empathist came along and said: "I really feel for you in that pit."
A researcher came along and said: "What an interesting pit."
A politician came along and said: "Discrimination against pits is illegal."
A charismatic Christian came along and said: “Just confess you're not in
that pit."
Respectable people came along and said: "We don't associate with
pit-dwellers."
His mother came along and said: "It's your father's fault you're in that
pit."
His father came along and said: "It's your mother's fault you're in that
pit."
His wife came along and said: "It's all my fault you're in that pit."
But Jesus, seeing the man, loved him, and reaching into the pit put his arms
around him and pulled him out.
Note: Neil and Briar Whitehead made a presentation "My Genes
Made Me Do It: A Scientific look at Sexual Orientation" at the 9th Annual
Evergreen conference on September 11, 1999. During the presentation, Neil
read the following poem entitled "The Pit." The poem was adapted and
developed by Briar Whitehead, from a poem, source unknown, and originally
quoted in "Pain is Inevitable but Misery is Optional," a book by Barbara
Johnson (Word Publishing, 1990).
What does “change” mean?
When I talk about “change,” I’m not talking about learning to suppress
feelings and control behavior through willpower. I believe the goal is to
resolve the issues that created the homosexual attractions in the first
place and now continue to sustain them. A transition out of SSA might
include the following:
- reducing or eliminating homosexual desires.
- eliminating homosexual behavior.
- developing a secure sense of self and male/female identity.
Let’s talk about each of these 3 points for a minute…
Reducing or eliminating homosexual desires
As people begin to resolve their SSA, they note that their sexual
attractions toward the same gender tend to decrease.
Extremes: For some, the attractions go away and they are no longer
sexually attracted to the same gender at all. Others may continue to be
attracted almost as strongly as before, but they can learn to cope with the
attractions without being overwhelmed by them.
Most fall somewhere in the middle. The attractions decrease, but they
still experience some feelings of attractions from time to time. But they
are able to deal with them with a minimum of anxiety. The attractions no
longer dominate their lives or their behavior. Over time, the feelings
diminish both in number and intensity until it becomes easy to dismiss these
fleeting thoughts, much like they do any other unwanted thought that enters
their minds. The desires are “reduced from a major issue into a minor one, a
problem that does not dominate their lives or keep them from experiencing
healthy friendships, healthy marriage, and peace of mind. If it is still a
problem to them, it’s only one of many; they don’t struggle with it daily
and they seldom give it serious thought.”
Eliminating homosexual behavior
With a greater understanding of your issues, you can recognize that you
can choose to avoid homosexual activity and are able to control your
actions. The comforting news is that as you resolve deeper issues, you will
find that your compulsions to act out diminish and in many cases disappear.
As time passes, homosexual behavior becomes less and less appealing.
If you have been heavily involved in sexual behavior for a number of
years, you may have a greater struggle overcoming habits and sexual
addictions. But if you are sincerely motivated and make a significant
effort, you can overcome these addictions.
Developing a secure sense of self and male/female identity
Part of your attraction to the same gender may be rooted in a distorted
view of yourself and others. If you have accepted a “gay” identity, you can
change that perception and accept yourself as a son or daughter of God who
has eternal potential. With increased levels of self-acceptance, your
feelings of self-worth and masculinity/femininity will increase, you will
begin to see your value in relation to other men/women, and stop comparing
yourself with other men/women. As you become more pro-active rather than
reactive, you will be able to develop increasingly healthy relationships
with the same gender and sexual attractions to them will decrease.
It may be helpful to talk for just a minute about the
World’s view of “Homosexuality”
Homosexuality seems to be an overwhelming problem to many people because
they include in it a whole life of problems. But remember that everyone
deals with issues of self-worth, relationships, intimacy, lust, comparing
themselves with others, and a whole host of problems that are part of a
lifelong process of growing, overcoming, and improving. These issues of
personal growth and development are part of the larger plan of eternal
progression. Changes we begin to make in this life will continue into the
next. Therefore, whatever progress we can make in the short term or long
term, we should begin it now.
Why change?
Possible Reasons:
- I want to change my sexual orientation from gay to straight, or at
least to somewhere in between.
- I can’t be both gay and Mormon.
- I don’t want to disappoint my parents/family/spouse/children.
- I have a commitment to my parents/family/spouse/children.
- I don’t want to disappoint the Lord.
- I want to live a full, heterosexual life.
Many people find themselves straddling the fence. It is written that a
house divided against itself cannot stand. For sanity’s sake, at some point
in everyone’s life, they must come down from straddling the fence—come down
on one side or another. My older brother came down on the side of choosing
to be gay. Although he once had a strong testimony of the gospel, he now
claims to be agnostic. He says that if some day he finds out that God really
is there and the Church really is true—he will deal with it then. Some of
you here today are still straddling the fence. Many of you have come down on
the side of making the choice for righteousness and are either quite
comfortable with where you are, or maybe you’re still struggling in some
respects.
Categories of people
Over the years with Evergreen, I’ve met hundreds and hundreds of people
and talked with them enough to know somewhat of their situation. Some I have
gotten to know very well and consider them among my closest personal
friends. Most of the people I’ve met fit in one of three categories:
1. Those who attend only a few meetings, then drop out. They learn a little
about the philosophy of change, but do not pursue it because they don’t
believe that change is possible for them, they decide they don’t want to
change, they are not ready for change, or they did not find the support they
got helpful to them.
2. Others go to support groups because they enjoy the friendships they
build with others who likewise struggle with SSA. It is a great relief for
them to find other LDS people who understand their value system and
empathize with their situation. But for them, it is a social meeting and
they lack the commitment to do much beyond showing up at meetings. They may
attend because of feelings of guilt. They know they should change but they
are not willing to put forth the effort to change. Without much commitment,
they participate on a superficial level to pacify their conscience and
appease their family.
3. The third group consists of people with a love of God and a testimony
burning in their heart. They understand the plan of salvation and recognize
SSA as one of many challenges people must face in life. They are committed
to overcome this challenge and do whatever they must to succeed. They do
these key things:
- Feed their souls by being anxiously engaged in scripture study and
church attendance.
- Spend considerable time alone with God, thinking, pondering, and
praying.
- Reflect on their life, keep a journal, and recognize God’s hand in
their progress.
- Read and study about SSA to understand it and develop a plan to
overcome its challenges.
- Reach out and build important relationships with the same gender.
- Make the most of individual therapy, guided group therapy, and
carefully-chosen support groups.
Of those who make this kind of commitment, most are able to resolve their
problems and make significant, long-lasting changes in their lives.
Let’s look at some good reasons to change
Why give up unbridled lust and sexual sin?
1. Because it robs you of the Spirit and, therefore, makes you weak. The
Spirit makes you strong. You need to be strong. If you are caught up in the
throes of Internet pornography, for example, how can you proactively meet
the needs of your family or others? How can you solve your own problems?
2. It robs you of your confidence in, love for, and excitement about the
things of God. How can a man who is always thinking about other men in
sexual ways, feel excited about church meetings on Sunday, feel anxious to
be the best home teacher he can be, and be eager to fulfill his church
callings? Yes, you can fake it – and many do. But how can you be motivated
to share the gospel with a friend? How can you do any of this with
integrity? Do you see how this compromises your ability to grow and progress
in the gospel?
3. It robs you of God’s love. As Gerald May put it in his book Addiction
and Grace, “It makes idolaters of us all, because it forces us to worship
objects of attachment, preventing us from truly, freely being able to love
God and one another.” The deepest damage is that sexual addictions “displace
and supplant God’s love as the source and object of our deepest true
desire.”
SSA is one of Satan’s most clever tricks to make us impotent in spiritual
things—to make us impotent as leaders, as priesthood bearers, as eternal
families under the covenant. The work of the Evil One in all this is that he
keeps us servants of our lusts and spiritual handicaps—all which usually
brew in silence. Add to this the fact that many of us are busier than ever
and we have potentially explosive situations just waiting to happen. We may
also suffer from the doing-and-accomplishing syndrome. [Like someone said
yesterday: “I’m a Human Doing rather than a Human Being.”] Most of us don’t
take the time to take care of our personal spiritual needs. Most of us are
terrible at doing that. Just consider what J. C. Ryle had to say 130 years
ago about the need for tending to one’s personal spiritual needs:
Let me counsel every true servant of Christ to examine his own heart
frequently and carefully before God…. When the great plague of London was at
its height, people took note of the smallest symptoms that appeared on their
bodies in a way that they never noticed them before. A spot here, a spot
there, which in time of health, men thought nothing of, received close
attention when the plague was decimating families and striking down one
after another! We ought to watch our hearts with double watchfulness. We
ought to give more time to meditation, self-examination and reflection. It
is a hurrying, bustling age; if we would keep from falling, we must take
time for being frequently alone with God. (Churches Beware!, pages 76-77.)
That was in the 1874. “Hurrying, bustling age.”
Steps to consider as you make these important life decisions.
Step 1: Define your personal values
The first step in this process is to determine your personal beliefs and
core values. Spend a considerable amount of time thinking about your inner
values and writing them down. Don’t just accept the beliefs of your family
or society, but identify what matters most to you. It means getting in touch
with your inner self and clarifying for yourself what you believe to be
true. It means identifying your own beliefs as separate from those of
others. Question your testimony. Do you believe things because others around
you believed them or do you believe them of yourself? Once you discover for
yourself what is eternally true and internalize those values, you can make
choices and not waste time trying to change what is everlastingly true or
arguing that it has no right to be true.
Now, there is a liability in this process. Once you determine what is
personally valuable, you cannot blame anyone else or hold a grudge because
someone forced you to do something. Obtaining self-clarity empowers you to
do things because you want to do them. You no longer perform out of duty, or
respect, or fear. Discipline comes from within and you have the will and
integrity to subordinate desires and impulses to the values you determine
are important. It is a process of creating a deeper conscience and awareness
of the values that govern your behavior. Look to yourself and no one else,
and you can become the master of yourself.
Step 2: Discern truth from error
Eternal truth stands on its own and is not subject to our opinions. There
are not several versions of truth that we may choose to fit our personal
situations. God has a plan for the salvation of all His children. Elder M.
Russell Ballard reminded us, “If we are anchored to the correct
understanding of who we are, why we are here on this earth, and where we can
go after this mortal life, Satan cannot threaten our happiness through any
form of temptation. If we are determined to live by Heavenly Father’s plan,
we will use our God-given moral agency to make decisions based on revealed
truth, not on the opinions of others or on the current thinking of the
world. Those who understand our Heavenly Father’s eternal plan for the joy
and happiness of his children will be better prepared to make good choices.
If we truly believe that we are his children and are here on earth to learn
to live, by faith, the teachings and the commandments of God, we will make
the choices that will qualify us to one day return to live in His presence.”
Step 3: Consider your options
If you are straddling the fence as we mentioned earlier, sooner or later
you have to come down on one side or the other. You can’t have your family
and the Church, and at the same time, seek sexual gratification on the
outside. Living a double life—living a lie—is a life of desperation and
unfulfilling relationships both at home and on the outside. There are really
only two options:
Two options:
1. One option is to come down off the fence on the side of homosexuality.
This includes the fantasy of finding Mr. Right and living happily ever
after. Hawaii flea market t-shirts: “I finally found Mr. Right. And his
boyfriend is pretty nice, too.” Sadly, many people seek this idyllic
condition of “Mr. Right,” but never find it, because it doesn’t exist.
2. The other option is to accept the eternal plan of salvation. This means
devoting yourself to God, your family, and eternal truths. Why spend your
energies fighting what you know to be true? Decide to live the gospel plan
your loving Father in Heaven designed for your total happiness. President
Howard W. Hunter taught, “Christ’s way is not only the right way, but
ultimately the only way to hope and joy.” The sooner you align your life
with eternal truth, the sooner you can find true happiness. Surrender your
homosexual activities and fantasies, give up your refuge in pornography (if
that is a problem for you), and give up all else to follow Christ.
Step 4: Decide and commit
After prayerfully evaluating your options, make a decision and a firm
commitment to follow through, no matter how hard the way. If you believe you
can be free of unwanted sexual desires and behaviors and your life can be
happier because of it, you must make a solemn commitment to do whatever it
takes to achieve it. Make a once-and-for-all decision so that each time
you’re faced with a temptation you don’t sit and stew over which choice you
will make. If you’re mind is really made up—if you’re committed—there is no
more questioning or decision to be made in the face of temptation. You know
you’ll leave it alone.
Let’s talk about some things that may help your perspective
Faith that you’ll prevail in the end
Do the Best with What You Have
Story of the Divers. See Following Christ, pp. 34-35
Stockdale Paradox
See book From Good to Great, pp 83-87.
Have unwavering faith that you’ll not just survive, but prevail as a son
or daughter of God and return to his presence and at the same time be
relentlessly disciplined at confronting the brutal facts of your current
situation.
Desire of our Hearts
We are judged by our works and also the desire of our hearts. “For I, the
Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire
of their hearts" (D&C 137:9). See also Mosiah 5:13.
Elder Jay E. Jensen spoke at this conference in 1997 and said “I just
want to be good.”
“We can have eternal life if we want it, but only if there is nothing
else we want more” (Bruce C. Hafen, “The Atonement: All for All,” Ensign,
May 2004, 97).
Trust God
"It is not without a recognition of life's tempests but fully and
directly because of them that I testify of God's love and the Savior's power
to calm the storm. Always remember in that biblical story that He was out
there on the water also, that He faced the worst of it right along with the
newest and youngest and most fearful. Only one who has fought against those
ominous waves is justified in telling us--as well as the sea--to “be still.”
Only one who has taken the full brunt of such adversity could ever be
justified in telling us in such times to “be of good cheer" (Jeffrey R.
Holland, "An High Priest of Good Things To Come," Ensign, Nov. 1999,
36-37).
"You don’t need to tell God how big your storm is. Tell your storm how
big God is." Unknown
Keep an Eternal Perspective
“There are few things more important in this life than knowing your place
in mortality and your potential in eternity” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Gospel in
our Lives,” Ensign, May 2002, p. 35).
"You are here on earth for a divine purpose. It is not to be endlessly
entertained or to be constantly in full pursuit of pleasure. You are here to
be tried, to prove yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings
God has for you. . . . Some blessings will be delivered here in this life;
others will come beyond the veil. The Lord is intent on your personal growth
and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him
to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially
it be to your individual liking or not" (Richard G. Scott, "Finding Joy in
Life," Ensign, May 1996, 25).
Trust to God How Things Will Turn Out
Elder Dennis E. Simmons said the following about Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego: “They knew that they could trust God—even if things didn’t turn
out the way they hoped. They knew that faith is more than mental assent,
more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him.
Faith is believing that although we do not understand all things, He does.
Faith is knowing that although our power is limited, His is not. Faith in
Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him.” (Dennis E. Simmons, “But
If Not … ,” Ensign, May 2004, 73.)
“Our scriptures and our history are replete with accounts of God’s great
men and women who believed that He would deliver them, but if not, they
demonstrated that they would trust and be true. He has the power, but it’s
our test." (Dennis E. Simmons, “But If Not … ,” Ensign, May 2004,
73.)
“What does the Lord expect of us with respect to our challenges? He
expects us to do all we can do. He does the rest. Nephi said, “For we know
that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” We must have
the same faith as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Our God will deliver us
from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from
sickness and disease, but if not … . He will deliver us from loneliness,
depression, or fear, but if not. … ¨ Our God will deliver us from threats,
accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or
impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord. Our God
will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make
sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a
perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will
have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we
will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has.”
(Dennis E. Simmons, “But If Not … ,” Ensign, May 2004, 73.)
This is counsel for those who are not yet married: See True to the
Faith, pp 99-100.
Patience
"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious
nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all.
Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such
challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is
required.” –Thomas S. Monson (Ensign, Nov 95, p 59)
Our conference theme from the D&C reminds us to “Wait patiently on the
Lord,… and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together
for your good, and to my name’s glory, said the Lord.”
Never Give Up
“[You] must not give up. [You] must not become discouraged. [You] must
never surrender to the forces of evil. [You] can and must maintain the
standards for which this Church has stood since it was organized. There is a
better way than the way of the world. If it means standing alone, [you] must
do it. . . . ¨ [You] must get on [your] knees and plead with the Lord for
help and strength and direction. [You] must then stand on [your] feet and
move forward. I am absolutely confident that heaven will smile upon [you].
The Lord will hear and answer [your] prayers if [you] will commit
[yourself], giving [your] very best to this work.” Gordon B. Hinckley,
“Standing Strong and Immovable,” 20–21.
We do not go through mortality alone. But one of the tools of the
Adversary is for us to feel alone. It is part of his old plan to divide and
conquer. Elder L. Lionel Kendrick, spoke about this at the Evergreen
fireside in April of this year. Elder Kendrick spoke about seven ways the
Lord has not left us alone. These included:
- The Light of Christ or conscience, which is given to all as we come
into the world.
- People to strengthen us. They are not in our lives by accident, but
are placed here to help heal our wounded hearts and souls.
- The scriptures are a map, and like any map, they are only useful when
taken out and used. They must be pondered and searched, for that is how
and where answers are found.
- Personal revelation is a great key to knowing we are not alone. This
is accessed through personal prayer. This is Spirit speaking to spirit.
- The holy temple is a place where we gain strength, understanding, and
power.
- The priesthood. We receive counsel from our leaders, priesthood
blessings, and especially our patriarchal blessing, which we should review
often and prayerfully.
- Lastly, and most importantly, we have a personal Savior. He is always
with us; we are never alone. The Lord knows everything about us; nothing
is hid from him. He knows our thoughts and the intents of our hearts.
Christ knows all our temptations. We sometimes think that we are the only
ones that struggle and everyone else is perfect. This is another lie from
Satan in his attempt to divide and conquer. How many times have we said
that if people knew our deep, dark secret, they wouldn’t love us? Well,
Christ knows and he loves us in spite of it.
The Race
Author Unknown
Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn’t hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race
or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son,
and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.
The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire,
to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy’s desire.
One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd,
was running in the lead and thought “My dad will be so proud.”
But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought he’d win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace,
and midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.
As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn’t win it now.
Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.
But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win that race!”
He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that’s all,
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.
He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”
But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face
with a steady look that said again, “Get up and win that race!”
So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.
“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to run real fast!”
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten...
but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently. A tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running anymore! Three strikes I’m out! Why try?
I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought. “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.
“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “you haven’t lost at all,
for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
Get up!” the echo urged him on, “Get up and take your place!
You were not meant for failure here! Get up and win that race!”
So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit,
and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.
Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place,
head high and proud and happy -- no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place,
the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,
you would have thought he’d won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”
And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face,
the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face,
another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race!”
Elder Russell M. Nelson: “I respect those who quietly do their duty
though deepening trials come their way. And I admire those who strive to be
more worthy by overcoming a personal fault or who work to achieve a
difficult goal. I feel impressed to counsel those engaged in personal
challenges to do right. In particular, my heart reaches out to those who
feel discouraged by the magnitude of their struggle. Many shoulder heavy
burdens … which, on occasion, seem so difficult to bear. I have heard those
challenges termed impossible.”
He then talks about three themes in the scriptures that can help us overcome
life’s challenges. The first is the need for faith. He reminds us that the
Lord personally taught his disciples: “If ye have faith, nothing shall be
impossible.” The second is the need for focus. He said “Imagine, if you
will, a pair of powerful binoculars. Two separate optical systems are joined
together with a gear to focus two independent images into one
three-dimensional view. To apply this analogy, let the scene on the left
side of your binoculars represent your perception of your task. Let the
picture on the right side represent the Lord’s perspective of your task—the
portion of His plan He has entrusted to you. Now, connect your system to
His. By mental adjustment, fuse your focus. Something wonderful happens.
Your vision and His are now the same. You have developed an “eye single to
the glory of God.”
A third theme we find in the scriptures is strength and courage.
"You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be
easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember
that “with God nothing shall be impossible,” know that He is your Father.
You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your
worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors. ¨
You may take upon you the holy name of the Lord. You can qualify to speak in
the sacred name of God. It matters not that giants of tribulation torment
you. Your prayerful access to help is just as real as when David battled his
Goliath."
“Foster your faith. Fuse your focus with an eye single to the glory of God.
Be strong and courageous, and you will be given power and protection from on
high. “For I will go before your face,” the Lord declared. “I will be on
your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and
mine angels round about you, to bear you up. (Russell M. Nelson, “With God
Nothing Shall Be Impossible,” Ensign, May 1988, 33.)
Conclusion
Satan wants to make homosexuality seem exciting, enticing, and
fulfilling. But it’s all a counterfeit to what is truly joyful, loving, and
eternally fulfilling. Compare with what God offers us.
We are all brothers and sisters—children of a Heavenly Father who loves us
more than we can understand. Think of how much you love your own children,
or your brothers and sisters. As strong as you think that is, magnify that a
million times to God’s eternal love for us.
I love each one of you—and I haven’t even met all of you yet! I feel,
intensely, your pain and, at the same time, marvel at the strength and
courage you have. I know this is not easy…. But I want to see every one of
you in the celestial kingdom. We’re playing with our eternal lives here… the
decisions you make on this issue and your commitment to do whatever it
takes, is serious business.
Copyright 2005 by Century Publishing, PO Box 11307,
Salt Lake City, UT 84147. This document may be duplicated and shared
electronically for personal use as long as it is copied in its entirety.
This notice must appear on all copies. You may reach the author at
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