If I'm one that's afflicted with same-gender attraction, I should strive to see myself in a much broader context... seeing myself as a child of God with whatever my talents may be, whether intellect, or music, or athletics, or somebody that has a compassion to help people, to see myself in a larger setting and thus to see my life in that setting.
Lance B. WickmanOne way to read the Book of Mormon is as a book of encounters between fathers and sons. Some of those encounters were very positive and reinforcing on the part of the father of a son. Some were occasions where a father had to tell his son or his sons that the path that they were following was incorrect before the Lord.
Lance B. WickmanIn this life, such things as service in the Church, including missionary service, all of this is available to anyone who is true to covenants and commandments.
Lance B. WickmanThere's no denial that one's gender orientation is certainly a core characteristic of any person, but it's not the only one.
Lance B. WickmanFor openers, marriage is neither a matter of politics, nor is it a matter of social policy. Marriage is defined by the Lord Himself. It's the one institution that is ceremoniously performed by priesthood authority in the temple [and] transcends this world. It is of such profound importance... such a core doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of the very purpose of the creation of this earth. One hardly can get past the first page of Genesis without seeing that very clearly.
Lance B. WickmanMarriage is not an institution to be tampered with by mankind, and certainly not to be tampered with by those who are doing so simply for their own purposes.
Lance B. WickmanThere's an old maxim which is really true for every parent and that is, 'You haven't failed until you quit trying.' I think that means both in terms of taking appropriate opportunities to teach one's children the right way, but at all times making sure they know that over all things you'll love them.
Lance B. Wickman