Episode 657: Jon Rogers, Gay Latter-day Saint, Mid 40s

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 839 Ratings

🗓️ 20 June 2023

⏱️ 78 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

My friend Jon Rogers (Washington DC RM, recently divorced, attending church, has boyfriend) joins us to share his story. Jon talks about his foundational principles of faith, trust, and patience to guide his life. Jon talks about knowing he was gay but never accepting or believing his he was gay until a deeply spiritual experience about two years ago that helped to better understand how our Heavenly Father feels about him. That led Jon to come out to his wife and then his parents and his two teenage daughters. Jon talks about why his marriage ultimately ended and how he is making his way forward “doing the best I can.” Jon talks about why he continues to attend church (often with his boyfriend Nate), the importance of personal revelation, and grace. I’m grateful for Jon’s courage to share his story. Hearing his story helps us better understand and support LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and also gives LGBTQ Latter-day Saints principles and perspectives as they write their story. Thank you, Jon, for being on the podcast and your courage/vulnerability to share your story. Let’s follow your example and give ourselves and others grace that “we are doing the best we can.” Links: Ministering to LGBTQ Latter-day Saints Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143 Index of Podcasts: listenlearnandlove.org/podcasts Richard Ostler Book: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints: Deseret Book: www.deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome listeners to another episode of Listen, Learn, and Love hosted by Richard Osler.
0:09.8	We don't do a lot of announcements on this podcast.
0:12.6	We just get to the brave people that want to share their story.
0:16.7	And one of those is on the podcast today, my friend John Rogers.
0:21.0	Welcome to the podcast, John.
0:23.4	Thank you.
0:24.4	Good to be here.
0:25.8	John is joining us from his home near Idaho Falls.
0:29.8	Idaho.
0:30.3	He's 44.
0:32.1	I grew up near Seattle.
0:34.6	Served admission in D.C.
0:40.8	Has a couple kids, I believe, two daughters, if I understand correctly. John's been gay, his whole life is going to share about being gay. He was married
0:50.3	to a woman, about 16 years of marriage. And as he came out, that marriage ended. And now
0:58.5	he is dating a man. He is attending his ward each week as a testimony of the church and is finding
1:06.5	peace in this path. And we haven't done as many stories like John. When I do a story like John,
1:14.6	I'd sort of invite people to take John's story and it may help you write your own story,
1:21.8	especially you that are younger and trying to figure out your path. Or some of you that are
1:27.0	in a mixed orientation marriage right now and are trying to figure out your path or some of you that are in a mixed orientation
1:28.0	marriage right now and are trying to figure out if you should come out or not.
1:32.7	Each story is different listeners and this space is just a complicated space and I'm not
1:37.1	trying to elevate one story above another. Some stories, somebody is fully following church
	...

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