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Letter from: Andrew Trefethen
Re: Local and National Religious Organizations Join with the
Gay/Lesbian Mormon Community in Responding to Recent Suicides
Dear Editor:
I feel fortunate that I serve in the Primary organization in our ward and have
the opportunity to hear songs that I use to replace bad thoughts that I
encounter or when I need support to make a choice. I need repetitive exposure to
learn and memorize. I don't sing the same sacrament type hymns often enough to
memorize but in Primary we sing many songs weekly. I mention this because when I
read this article my first thought came from a Primary song that has a phrase
"Follow the Prophet, Follow the Prophet."
We have counsel that suggests that we "choose whom we will serve." All of us may
have friends that are not following the mouthpiece of the Lord but that does not
exempt us from living righteous lives. We need to be supportive of the
repentance efforts of our friends and loved ones. Sometimes that support means
we have to be dogmatic about certain sins. A sin for any particular reason or
excuse is still a sin. Sin needs the repentance process to be overcome. Sins do
not become non-sins because small aspects of this worlds community wants them to
be socially acceptable. Lives and futures are changed and improved when an
irresponsible and harmful activity is recognized and thorough and proper
repentance is embraced.
It is a tragedy that any life is sacrificed and it is especially emotional when
one uses the sacrifice of their own life and salvation to "kick against the
pricks" and become a stumbling block to the spiritual growth of the struggling
spiritually young. A loving Father cannot except a sin and deviate his plan for
our return to live with him with the suicide or withdrawal from his church of
any of his children. Even Lucifer was allowed to make a bad choice but he was
not exempt from the will of God. I will not turn away from my journey of a
righteousness life and a return to my Father in Heaven because a child of mine
turns from the better part.
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