Take a stand

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has asked once again for its members to take a stand for marriage. This time for those in California to vote for Prop 8 which will repeal the current marriage law and make it so that a marriage will only be between a man and a woman. If you live outside of California you are to get a hold of family and friends there and encourage them to vote for it. I will support that and email my family in California. This is an issue where no man can sit on the fence any longer. The local news had an interview with a family here in Utah who is LDS and has gay children. They feel they are being torn by this issue. I don't understand this. Although more extreme, how is it different than how a parent should react if their child gets caught stealing, or decides to live with someone out of wedlock? As a parent you should reprimand the child, but still love them. How is that hard? If my child decides to live with her boyfriend, I will let her know how I feel, I would be worried that she is not living the principles that she has been taught therefore not be able to have the full benefits of membership, but I would still love her. In my mind you can love a wayward child, while still living the gospel of Jesus Christ to the fullest. There is no one forcing me to choose between my church and my child. I hear so many people say that the church should change it's rules. I say no! Very much NO!!! God will not change the rules just because he has a child who is having problems passing his test here on earth. I am sure He is more heart broken than we can imagine. I say this as a parent who loves her children with all that she is and knows that what I feel for my children is a minute fraction of what our Father in Heaven feels for us. I know that this is a difficult situation for many, but we need to remember that gender is essential to our premortal, mortal and post mortal lives. I hope that the Lord will bless those whose lives this personally affects will rely on Him and be granted the peace of mind that they need at this time.