We are devout, devoted, temple-recommending holding, tithing-paying, imperfect members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We love the Church. We love worshiping God there, serving others in our congregation and community, and learning to love, give, serve, and forgive.
The Church is our tribe. Some of our ancestors gave everything they had, including their lives, to follow the prophets and come to Zion. Others experienced peace and joy when they joined the Church one generation ago. We have seen ourselves, and others, transformed by the power of Christ’s Atonement.
Some of the imperfect teachers and leaders in the Church have showed us how to feel Jesus’ love, which has transformed our lives. Some have not.
After all, no one is perfect.
Some of us have seen miracles: the dying healed, and the broken-hearted comforted, the weight of sin and sorrow lifted by others who radiate godly love. We have seen miracles in our own lives as we have experienced the sanctifying power of God’s grace.
The standards of the Church have helped us avoid the heartbreak of addiction, adultery, and abuse. Jesus’ example has become the light and compass of our lives. We fail and falter often to follow Him as we should, but His unfailing love for us gives us hope and courage that we can be forgiven.
We seek not to criticize Church leaders to challenge them to become a little more Christ-like, just as we seek to do so ourselves.
We seek to be honest in our dealings.
We seek to protect and comfort children, abuse survivors, and the suffering.
We seek to help those in need, especially those who are destitute, forgotten, or despised.
We seek to bring everyone into our circle of love: those who are single, married, divorced, or widowed, straight, LGBT, women and men, people of all races, backgrounds, and beliefs.
We seek to be honest in our business dealings and as we speak to and about others.
We ask the Church to do the same.
We believe that all are alike unto God, including the children of those whose sexual orientation may differ from our own. We ask Church leaders to adopt policies and practices that invite all to come unto Christ.
We believe that children are precious in God’s sight. We ask Church leaders to protect the vulnerable in its congregations, including its children, and to stop defending perpetrators. No victim of sexual violence should be silenced or ridiculed.
We extend to Church leaders the same grace that we expect them to extend to those who speak up to protect children.