What else matters?

President Hinckley once shared the story of a young man who came to the US for training purposes and converted to the gospel.  However, when it was time to return to his home country, he knew his conversion would not be received well.  President Hinckley asked this man what would happen?

His face clouded, and he replied, “My family will be disappointed. They may cast me out and regard me as dead. As for my future and my career, all opportunity may be foreclosed against me.”

I asked, “Are you willing to pay so great a price for the gospel?”

His dark eyes, moistened by tears, shone from his handsome brown face as he answered, “It’s true, isn’t it?”

Ashamed at having asked the question, I responded, “Yes, it’s true.”

To which he replied, “Then what else matters?” (Ensign, July 1993)

Growing up gay oriented in the church has its challenges.  Why would I put up with the expectations of church leaders and family members?  Why would I give so much of myself to the church when I feared that most members and leaders could not understand me? 

Like the young man in the story above, I know it's true.  I can't deny what I know in my heart.  It's true.  What else matters.

I think this is the aspect that most researchers miss when studying gay oriented youth in the church.  Many of the youth have, like I had, a strong conviction of the truth of the gospel.  This conviction changes the perspective of the youth and seems to make the pressures due to the expectations of parents, friends, and leaders feel much more acute.  But a testimony of the gospel also provides hope and opportunities to serve others and develop healthy relationships with those around them.  Most importantly, staying true to the truth can invite the Spirit of God to dwell in our hearts, the comfortor, who testifies of God's love for us.

As a youth, I didn't ever want to ever lose that spirit, and so strove to make choices that would keep me active in the church.  I knew it was true.  What else matters?