Sunday, March 8

Everyone is Different. The Gospel is the Same.

I got back at this morning from National Products Expo West. We closed our booth a day early so we could come home and attend Church. With the combination of Anaheim traffic, driving East, and Daylight Saving Time, we got back at 8:50 this morning. I definitely missed the 7:30 priesthood leadership meeting. But I had time to shower and dress for Stake Conference - where I am now.

Some people wished us well at leaving the expo early. Others questioned if the show authorities had given us permission (they had). And yet others questioned why we cared so much about church. Ironically, the ones in the last category were invariably Christian or LDS themselves - and had already made plans to be at the expo Sunday.

Sometimes I forget how different my life really is. How different my experiences are. How different my assumptions and worldviews are... even in the world of the Church. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the combination of having been bipolar, autistic, and being attracted to guys. Maybe it's just the autism. I don't know. But sometimes I just feel... different.

Today one of the speakers spoke briefly about same-sex attraction. He has a close friend who's attracted to guys... and his comments reminded me again that my experience is different. Most people in my congregation don't really know what same-sex attraction really means. Nonetheless, they still have to figure out how to reconcile it with the tenets of The Plan of Salvation. They have to come to a knowledge of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ works for everyone - even though they may not even understand what happens in the lives of others.

That sounds hard.

I guess I just wanted to share my personal testimony today that the Gospel really does work for us. That God truly cares about all His children... and that the commandments were designed to help each of us come closer to Him and find true, lasting happiness. Following the path of the Gospel, 100%, will always bring greater happiness and blessings than any other alternative. 

Life is different for each of us. But, thankfully, we have a God who cares and is willing to help us find direction. Right now I'm asking Him for help in my life - trying to figure out how to build the future of my life. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know that if I'm willing to follow God, and I do all I can to keep His commandments, it will all work out.