love is the answer.

I could write a long post about the recent LDS/LGBT+ debate. I could tell you where I stand and how strong my testimony is or is not in the church. But that is so far from the point.

The point is there are lots of people hurting. People feeling excluded, people on both sides getting judged. And we need to wake up and realize that all negativity, all the arguing, all the ignoring is the wrong approach. The ONLY right approach is to love and accept and to find compassion in your heart for others, for everyone involved. The only way we can build a better community, church, society is by listening and accepting what the other person has to say and how they feel.

I don't think that God want us to bear our testimonies from the rooftops right now. The prophet and church do not need us to stick up for them. God has asked us to do one really important thing and it comes before everything else-- LOVE ONE ANOTHER. To acknowledge another person who isn't living the way you are is not accepting sin. We don't need to feel uncomfortable for loving someone exactly the way they are. God knows our hearts and He will be the judge. The church is doing what they need to do. They don't need us to argue for them. They need us to reach out and love every single person you know. Every.single.person. End of story.

We need start apologizing, sincerely saying "I'm sorry." We need to try pick up broken pieces and to put them back together the best way we can. We need to shut up and stop justifying why we aren't being kind. We need to smile, to comfort, to stay calm, to support, to CARE. We need to do more than what we are doing... to love harder and deeper and to never give up on each other, even if it seems like we'll never agree. It will seem awkward at first to reach out. But it's the only answer. There IS a place for us where we can all get along and have fun together. Let's put down our pride, (not that kind of pride.) Let's leave our anger and frustration and self-righteousness at the door. Let's blast some good music and get to work loving each other better.