Testimony of Dan
Given at the 2008 Annual Conference of Evergreen International
I am thankful that I was invited to share my thoughts and testimony with you this day.
Since I was asked to keep this short, I want to speak now to the heart of the matter that is my life—that is, why I have chosen the path that I am on, and why I do much of what I do (which concerns both my same-gender attractions, as well as much else).
The cornerstone of my faith and testimony is that God lives. He is real. God is the Creator of the Universe, and he is my Father and friend. He is most glorious and exalted beyond anything I can imagine. He is filled with love, mercy, and a perfect sense of justice. It is also my testimony and conviction that Jesus is my Savior and my best friend. I know that God and Christ are real. They are not fables, as some would say they are. There is more than this life—glory and perfect peace await us if we will follow God's commandments (which I also like to look at as Fatherly counsel). God wants me to choose him and follow his Son so that I can receive the same joy and peace as they do, and be with them forever. Along with this cornerstone of faith is my testimony that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's kingdom upon the earth, with his authority vested in this church, which is recognized in heaven. These elements of my faith (and the covenants I have made) are the framework around which I strive to live, although very imperfectly, with a constant need to repent. But thank God for forgiveness.
Through my faith, I have a hope of eternal life, based on my faithfulness to the covenants I have made with the Lord. This is the number one reason I have chosen not to pursue a homosexual lifestyle (although there are additional reasons I don't have time to mention). It is my conviction that engaging in homosexual behavior is not only morally incorrect, but would also be a source of pain, and a distraction from seeking after goals that can be eternal (including righteous and appropriate close friendships with other men).
Notwithstanding my convictions, my testimony, and my covenants, I am extremely imperfect. Sometimes I am very tempted in the area of same-gender attraction. But I am also very thankful for my supportive friends, my mother, and my bishop, and of course the Lord who has been so very merciful to me, and who has forgiven and comforted me many times beyond seventy times seven.
My prayer is that we all—myself included—will seek after the most important treasures and place faith in the love and Atonement of Jesus Christ.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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