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Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Episode 716: Seth Larson, Age 25, Gay Latter-day Saint

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.7855 Ratings

🗓️ 13 November 2023

⏱️ 72 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

My friend Seth Larson (BYU grad, Bolivia RM, active Latter-day Saint) joins us to bravely share his story. Seth talks about trying to date women in hopes of making the typical path work in the Church and his desire to have a family and fully participate in the Church. Seth talks about feeling suicidal and “sub-par” because of being gay and not being able to make that path work—and shares honest journal entrees with his feelings. Seth talks about being open with his parents and therapist leading to his decision to date men. Seth talks about going slow, being intentional, and involving family/friends/his Bishop in the journey. Seth talks about feeling (for the first time) warm, safe, and secure. Seth talks about how his hope increased and anxiety decreased as he opened his heart/mind to this path. Seth talks about how church and the temple became triggering for him and what his Bishop did to validate these feelings and minister to him. Seth talks about why he is currently in the Church—but not sure of his long-term future. Seth talks about the character of God and Jesus—and how Christ is not “waiting for us to turn around” before helping us. Thank you, Seth, for your courage to share your story in hopes of helping others. I learned so much from you. I encourage allies to listen to this podcast and then consider what we can do in our circle of influence to better support queer Latter-day Saints. And I encourage queer Latter-day Saints to listen to Seth’s story to gain insights and principles to write your story with Christ. You are a good man, Seth. You have blessed many lives with your many gifts—something I believe will continue your entire life. This world is a better place with you (and all my queer friends) part of it. Links: Richard Ostler books/bio/etc: www.papaostler.com Facebook Group to support LGBTQ Latter-day Saints: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome listeners to another episode of Listen, Learn, and Love, hosted by Richard Osler.

0:09.6

We record these in my home, and it's early November, and I fired up the fire for the first time.

0:15.7

There's a little fire sits behind me.

0:18.3

I had to find the pilot light and get it to work. I'm not sure I'm ready for

0:22.3

another winter, but the fire feels really good. But that's kind of a side point to what we're

0:28.1

doing today is we're just having another brave gay Latter-day saint, willing to step forth and follow

0:34.3

spiritual promptings, and I believe to share her story in the hopes that

0:38.5

will help others. So welcome to the podcast, Seth Larson.

0:43.9

Thanks, Richard.

0:44.9

And when you think of Seth Larson, think of L-A-R-S-O-N, because there's a few ways to spell

0:51.2

Larson. So I like to get a name spelled in my mind correctly.

0:56.2

Seth is 25.

0:57.7

He's lived in several states of the United States, Utah, Texas, Nevada.

1:03.3

Utah served a mission, I believe, to Bolivia.

1:06.7

Yes, yeah.

1:07.7

And got a public health degree from BYU, a master's degree in education design with some

1:14.6

psychology in there.

1:17.2

He's been out for about eight months or so and just going to share his story, navigating

1:25.7

this road of being gay and being a Latter-day Saint.

1:28.5

And listeners, when we do this story, these podcasts, you know, every story is a little different.

1:34.2

And I invite you, if you're LGBTQ, to write your story from a position of strength.

1:41.2

But often it feels really helpful to help other stories, especially younger closeted

...

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