Grunt

What would happen if he didn't sustain the Bishop or Stake President.   If, during his Temple Recommend interview, he answered positively to everything except that, then explained why?

ETA:  Now I'm curious and need to start reading.   I've never encountered this.

I think a lot of it has to do with the ward, apparently. I've seen none of what you've discussed.  

I think a lot of it has to do with the ward, apparently. I've seen none of what you've discussed.  

I completely agree with this.  We could all do better loving people “generically”.  We have people who struggle with many things but it isn’t the center of their identity.  Being a child of God should be.  

Wait.....having an MBA makes me an academic?  Hot diggity dog!

Wait.....having an MBA makes me an academic?  Hot diggity dog!

I wrote a response to exactly this part. I deleted it before posting because I decided it didn't add much of value to the conversation. But this bothered me:
If he's trying to live an LDS lifestyle and keep his covenants, why is he allowing himself to crush on a friend? If he actually cares about his friend, why wouldn't he celebrate (at least privately) when his friend reveals his heterosexuality? I mean, that's good news, right? If this young man is actively pursuing (or "exploring") his homosexual impulses, why on earth is he representing Christ and serving a mission? What kind of active, believing, testimony-holding Latter-day Saint young woman would approvingly nod at the idea of a friend's homosexual crush, then express disappointment because she thought the two of them would be "cute together"? It's not that I doubt that a young LDS woman could be so callow and immature as to say such a thing. I know better. But that is just, I don't know, despicable.

Wait.....having an MBA makes me an academic?  Hot diggity dog!

Wait.....having an MBA makes me an academic?  Hot diggity dog!

The older I get the more I become convinced that one of the greatest evils in the world is thinking.
This child thinks he's wise, and has decided that his "wisdom" will benefit the world.
I've basically gotten to the point where, as smart and "wise" as I am, I'm full-on aware that I'm an foolish idiot.
Add to that the reality that libido basically pumps drugs into one's brain, and you've got a messed up child who's an idiot and a fool, and as good as on drugs (as all horny teenagers are) preaching his view of truth and wisdom to the world. Useful.
Well, that's the whole story of gaydom in my view. It's lunacy to look at it any way but a bunch of foolish idiots with chemically compromised brains preaching garbage that's worth less than nothing.
That is the why of commandments. That is they why of the Lord's boundaries. This stupid foolish compromised kid has no idea what he's talking about, and yet is locking himself into an eternal course. And on top of that he's preaching to others what his idea of "truth" on the matter is.
Sadly, this is common.
I, of course, think I understand things. But I'm "wise" enough to know I really don't. I have beliefs that are pretty firm. But debating from those beliefs isn't useful because, as I just said, I'm a foolish idiot.
But.... The Lord has given us standards. The Lord has given us boundaries. Within the Lord's standards and boundaries we can find happiness. Outside the Lord's standards and boundaries we never will. It's as simple as that.
Homosexuality, despite any view of the science or psychiatry of it, is not within the Lord's standards and boundaries. It never has been. It never will be. It, in any form, will never lead to peace and happiness.
Whether or not it's a choice isn't relevant to that. We all have natures that are outside the Lord's standards and boundaries. Everyone of us must put aside those things and traverse within the Lord's standards and boundaries in order to find happiness and peace.
Any view other than that is...well...foolish and stupid.
The path is narrow and few shall find it.

I only made it through chapter 6.  I have no idea where this was going.  And life is short.
While I believe this story is somewhat representative of many homosexuals navigating the life he describes, I don't believe this was truly autobiographical.  The style and flow and certain pieces that don't fit into a single person's experiences. Possible?  Yes.  Likely?  No.
I believe someone else wrote it.  Therefore, it could be the author's amalgamation of stories from multiple individuals. Regardless, I'll look at this story as it stands as a fully autobiographical piece.
I'm glad that it showed a very common reality that when those suffering from SSA come out to family and friends, there really isn't a lot of anger or hatred.  It is usually some form of acceptance (whether it is "we love you anyway" or "we'll try to help you through this" or or possibly "cool, dude") rather than rejection.
I had a problem with his exchange with Elder Rasband.  I find it difficult to believe the response was an accurate depiction.  We have been told in the Proclamation that 
It is important to note that in MULTIPLE articles on the topic, the Church has CLEARLY stated that "gender" in this sentence refers to biological sex at birth. 
(Yes, there are the extremely rare exceptions of intersex, Klinefelter Syndrome, etc.  But we at least start with the rule, then discuss the exceptions later.)
If exalted, SSA would be fundamentally incongruent with the nature of eternity and of eternal marriage.  Perhaps there is an argument for lower kingdoms (which I tend to disagree with). But to say we have no revelation on the fact for (at the very least) Eternal marriage?  Not buying that.

That's why it's important to speak up when fellow Saints start saying things that aren't in line with Christ's Church.  It's why I had a period where I was pretty upset with being bamboozled by wolves in sheep's clothing, even on here.  

I trust God knows what He's doing.  I'm not interested in demographic pandering just for the sake of it.
 
It certainly reads that way to me.
 

I completely agree with this.  We could all do better loving people “generically”.  We have people who struggle with many things but it isn’t the center of their identity.  Being a child of God should be.  

Not a fan.
I didn’t read after the first few sentences.
Missionaries should know the gospel and teach with the spirit.  Pretty sure this is not happening here.
I’m am terribly disturbed with the amount of gender confusion within the church.  
Tired of hearing stories of returned missionaries marrying their best friend starting a family, then finally recognizing they are gay and need to be true to themselves - then the divorce and family abandonment.  
The snowflake culture and accepting / loving everyone has gone way overboard.
Remember, the first commandment is more important than the second commandment.
If you don’t want to live a Celestial life then don’t.  Your choice.  God gave us free will.  But he also gave is Moral agency.  We are responsible for our actions and words.
If you don’t live a celestial life then don’t expect to receive a celestial reward.
When did we stray from teaching repentance to teaching acceptance?

I completely agree with this.  We could all do better loving people “generically”.  We have people who struggle with many things but it isn’t the center of their identity.  Being a child of God should be.  

BYU is cancer ridden and I continue to be surprised there has not been some serious chemotherapy.

Holy understatement, Batman!
Ethnic German family that had been in Czechoslovakia for some time, kicked out after WW2, then had to flee eastern Germany because his dad opposed Stalin— (oh—wait—maybe THAT’s why the proggies have soured on Uchtdorf!) . . . 
Given that West Germany’s second chancellor was the son of a shopkeeper and its third chancellor was the son of a factory clerk (not to mention the failed artist son of an illegitimate customs clerk who had been running the show in Germany a few years before), I’m going to assert with some level of confidence that mid-20th century German society wasn’t quite as rigid as you seem to suggest here.  It seems that we have no grounds for asserting that Uchtdorf’s “privilege” amounted to anything more than being middle class and ethnically German in a country that even today is 88% ethnically German.

Your point doesn't "stand" though, and the majority of the discussion/thinking has been that your point was way off and you were wrong.  You say you support them unreservedly, but you suggest there were better options.  This is what I was referring to in my previous posts.
This is Christ's restored Church.  I trust he knows what he's doing.

Your point doesn't "stand" though, and the majority of the discussion/thinking has been that your point was way off and you were wrong.  You say you support them unreservedly, but you suggest there were better options.  This is what I was referring to in my previous posts.
This is Christ's restored Church.  I trust he knows what he's doing.

For the record, I am not nearly smart enough to know that all this business is Satan's smoke screen.  Hugh Nibley (Approaching Zion, chapter 4) taught me that it was:
And thereafter, I was able to learn the principle.  Race, gender, sexuality, politics - Satan has led is a little way down his road and then presented us with what appear to be choices: well, either you're a bigot or your not, either you're racist or not, either love is love or it's not.  And in every case, Satan defines both "is" and "not", and neither of his definitions is God's.
Be brave, people!  Stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ and his restored Church and gospel.  It will only get harder, so start practicing your bravery now.  Resolve now to be persecuted for his name's sake.
"The Church is racist." = "all manner of evil against you falsely"
"The Church is sexist." = "all manner of evil against you falsely"
"The Church is hateful." = "all manner of evil against you falsely"
"The Church persecutes LGBTQ+ people" = "all manner of evil against you falsely"
"Church leaders are out of touch" = "all manner of evil against you falsely"
"Church leaders don't know what life is like elsewhere in the world / for people different from themselves" = "all manner of evil against you falsely"
....etc.
"Well, they're not saying evil against me, just the leaders of the Church, just some of our teachings, just..." - if you are a covenant member of Christ's Church, then yes, speaking evil against it or its leaders (whom you covenanted to sustain) is speaking even against you and you are obligated by covenant to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death..."  So be brave, and stand.

That's why it's important to speak up when fellow Saints start saying things that aren't in line with Christ's Church.  It's why I had a period where I was pretty upset with being bamboozled by wolves in sheep's clothing, even on here.  

That's why it's important to speak up when fellow Saints start saying things that aren't in line with Christ's Church.  It's why I had a period where I was pretty upset with being bamboozled by wolves in sheep's clothing, even on here.  

Why bring it up?  You're falling into Satan's trap.  The "minority" to whom you are talking may not know they've fallen into Satan's trap, but you ought to.  There is one race - the children of God.  That we look different from one another due to a multitude of physical differences is so irrelevant that, as already mentioned, Satan is laughing.
If someone you're teaching thinks the leaders of the Church can't lead them because differences, teach them to repent of their pride.  I mean seriously, it's as absurd as saying Elder Eyring can't understand me cause dude is just way too tall (compared to me), and President Nelson is just way too fit (compared to me), and Elder Soares' nose is just too dang big (compared to mine), and half of them don't even have to wear glasses all the time (compared to me), oh, and they're not women (compared to me)!!  How can they possibly lead the Lord's church when they're so dang different from me (who, after all, is so danged important that everyone in charge of any church I belong to ought to look and think and say and act exactly as I do cuz, I mean just look at me!  I'm practically perfect in every way.)?  Or to quote Jordan Peterson, "What the [heck] do you know anyway?"
The proper answer for someone who brings up race or culture or gender or whatever as a complaint against the leadership of the Church is not political correctness, or "look how we're changing to match social norms, don't worry, we'll catch up eventually."  The answer is Jesus Christ.  Teach people that he is in charge.  Teach people to have faith in him.  Invite the Holy Ghost, who can testify to all who are humble enough to hear.  Teach that Jesus Christ can guide even someone as unworthy as an upper-middle-class white man. (Loaves and fishes, people, loaves and fishes!!!!)
How sad when we can't even see through Satan's smoke screen well enough to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I trust God knows what He's doing.  I'm not interested in demographic pandering just for the sake of it.
 
It certainly reads that way to me.