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Regarding Evergreen: A Personal Testimonial

Given at the 20th Annual Evergreen Conference, September 19, 2009

The last time I was asked to share my testimony of Evergreen and how it has personally helped me, was years ago in a [non-Evergreen] conference like this one. Gay activists promised to disrupt that conference. To get into the meeting we had to cross a line of activists who where on the sidewalk outside the hall. They taunted with word, posters and cameras, taking pictures of all who entered.

The conference committee was aware of their plans–basically because of past experience in the prior year when the same thing happened but from inside the hall. For that reason, the conference committee planned ahead for any problems and hired off duty police to be onsite to protect our rights.

Upon arrival at the meeting, to my surprise, it just so happened that one of the police officers was in my ward, in my elders quorum with me, and I was his home teacher.

I still thought I could get up and share my testimony because he would be outside watching the protestors with the other police. However, when I stood to speak, there in the back of the auditorium he stood watching. Evidently, he wanted to see what these LDS same-sex attracted men, women, and their families could possibly be talking about.

I gathered my strength and my resolve and stood and announced to him and all others within hearing that I was one of those dealing with same-sex attraction and I had come to the conference and was proud to be working with those who wanted to change and were willing to do something about it. Especially, all the LDS men and women who came wanting to seek the Lord’s help in living gospel principles.

Today, again, I am even more proud of the work, effort and resolve of all those who come seeking help for themselves or those they love based on a love of the Lord and a desire to live His commandments.

I would like to share with you a deep belief that I have regarding how the Lord works and how He guided the connection between the Church and the organization now called Evergreen International.

Years ago, Evergreen was just a number of men who wanted to change and also wanted to be sure they were working within gospel principles. They started from nothing, almost, and gathered truth from the best books, organizations, social workers, therapists, bishops, and stake presidents. Yet, the church was hesitant to get involved in an unproven organization not under its umbrella, dealing with such a controversial issue. The question was, How does Evergreen get under that umbrella?

After years of hard work to stay on a track acceptable to the Church and the Lord, in far off Saudi Arabia lived a family of LDS Saints from a small town in Utah. They attended their LDS branch each Sunday and attended as any of us would as active, faithful saints. Seeing a single young LDS man attend Church each Sunday alone, they invited him to come to their home for dinner Sunday. It soon continued as a tradition. This young man felt so comfortable with them that he confided to him his problem with same-sex attraction. This family grew to love him and believe his sincere desire to live gospel principles. They had no idea how to help him nor did they know anyone who could help.

Upon returning to the states, they sought help and found Evergreen. After inquiring what they could do to help this man and after learning of the great resource in Evergreen, they volunteered to help in anyway they could. One day, this brother came to me and asked: “What can we do to help Evergreen?” I related our greatest need was to develop a relationship and trust with the Church so people all over the world could trust the source of the help offered. He said: “Well, I used to be the bishop of a man who is now a Seventy. I go to lunch with him on Friday once per month when he is in town. What should I ask him?” I replied that we needed money and a general authority to speak in one of our conferences. We knew this would establish the needed trust.

Next thing we knew, this Seventy asked the brethren if it would be possible to send a general authority to speak at an Evergreen Conference (based on his sincere trust in this family and their desire to help a good organization). Elder Marlin K. Jensen was assigned and became the first of many general authorities since assigned to speak to us. That was in 1996 at our sixth conference.

So, the connection was not here in Salt Lake City with a Salt Lake City group. It was an international response from our Father in Heaven in answer to prayers from LDS men women and families all over the world seeking help, facilitated by a brother seeking help and from an active LDS family in a far off land just doing what they should be doing, going to church each Sunday and loving and supporting their neighbor. I bear testimony that the Lord heard our prayers and answered them – not as we expected – but an answer and a blessing it has been and I saw the Lord work in our regard. He knows our pain and our needs.

Now, for those who feel helpless to deal with this problem and those who are working at it, yet feel failure at times. I share another testimony of the path we are on.

Whether you are a man or woman dealing with this issue, a parent, spouse or child of someone dealing with same-sex attraction, we all need to understand the atonement and the need for the atonement when dealing with sin and temptation. I personally have come to understand that Christ is the one and only perfect person to ever inhabit the earth. This means all the rest of us make mistakes, have weaknesses, sin and are of need of repentance and the gift of the Savior's love embodied in the atonement.

By becoming a parent, I have learned of Father’s love for all of His children. I recognize my kids are in a process of learning and growing. I expect only what they are capable. The Lord has promised to not give us more than we can handle.

My point. "Expect perfection" is our goal and work towards it. Reality says we all make mistakes and are weak sometimes. Those that quit lose the reward. You may not be perfect when you die but I believe the lord will be elated if you don’t EVER give up on trying and getting better each day till you have something else to work on! We must all find the reality of the Atonement’s blessing in our own life. This can only be attained by seeking the spirit, by holding to the rod and moving constantly in the direction of the Tree of Life. When we get off the path, we must get back on as soon as possible and commit to learn from our mistakes – becoming stronger each day. We must endure to the end and if we are not perfect at that day – we know what a blessing it is to have a Savior to help and bless us.

In closing, I would like to share a portion of a dedicatory prayer which I testify was inspired and humbly given when Evergreen International was formally incorporated with the state of Utah and the world in general. I also want to leave my testimony, not just of these experiences. I have been blessed to see the Lord’s hand extended many a time in behalf of those of us dealing with these issues. I know He knows our plight. He hears and answers our prayers. He is anxious to help but leaves us time to make mistakes and learn from them, feel the pain of temptation and sin and waits for us to take advantage of the atonement.

I testify that the Lord knows us. He knows our pains and the righteous desires of our hearts. He blesses us as fast as we are ready to be blessed.

 Now for a part of the Evergreen Dedicatory prayer written by one of us in humility and sincere righteous desire.

“We now unitedly ask thee to open every necessary door for this organization as soon as we are ready to receive each advancement and blessing. We ask thee to provide human and financial resources without delay as soon as we are ready to receive them.

"We petition thee on behalf of our brothers and sisters who struggle with homosexuality, to open the heavens and send down angels to minister to those who desire to repent. Whisper to their minds and suggest to their hearts a knowledge of what they must do. Fill their souls with courage and strength to face the evil darkness and tear it from their lives.

"We plead with thee to comfort and reassure those whose hearts are ready to faint, those in whom the light of Christ is nearly extinguished, and those whose lives have been devastated or lost through a course of error. And bless all of the loved ones who mourn and suffer because of this evil. As the fullness of this work begins, we dedicate all our efforts to thee and defer to thee alone all glory and gratitude. Let this work go forward without impedance and without delay from this moment, in the name of Jesus Christ, whose atonement alone makes this work possible, Amen.”

And I add my Amen and Amen.

-MGM