Episode 750: Erik Thompson, Gay Latter-day Saint, Overcoming Addiction, Finding Hope in Christ

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 839 Ratings

🗓️ 11 April 2024

⏱️ 94 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

**This episode talks about suicide. If you are suicidal, please call/text/chat *988** My friend Erik Thompson (Age 40, single, active LDS, RM) bravely shares his story with a heart full of desire to give others hope. Erik vulnerable and bravely talks about: Being a survivor of sexual abuse at age 13. Spiritual OCD (Scrupulosity). Porn and masturbation. Coming home from his mission (after a suicide attempt) at 9 months. Need for love and belonging. Becoming sexually active—in unsafe situations—drug use—and more suicidal ideation. Healing words from a senior Church leader including the “Savior is thrilled with you” and returning to Church activity. You are here to love. Upcoming NorthStar Conference. Erik can authentically teach the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to heal us from pain and to help us repent because Erik has the courage to share his story—helping us all understand that we too can find hope in our story—even the most difficult times of our lives. Part of Erik’s story is on the Church’s YouTube channel (see show notes). Thank you, Erik, for being on the podcast. You are one of my new heroes. Your story will help so many. You are a good man. Links: Erik’s Church YouTube: youtu.be/7avoFnympIg?si=vEBk7_YX709HGqfM NorthStar Conference: allevents.in/salt%20lake%20city/2024-north-star-conference/10000761893222137 Erik’s e-mail: [email protected] Erik’s cell: 202-595-4747 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@etpiano83?_t=8lNeC55a9hC&_r=1 Scrupulosity Podcasts: listenlearnandlove.org/depression-mental-illness-podcasts Richard Ostler Free Chapter Links: Ending Porn Use: www.dropbox.com/s/w2ex40l4se85wku/Chapter%204%20Ending%20Pornography%20Use.%20%20Listen%20Learn%20and%20Love%2C%20Improving%20Latter-day%20Saint%20Culture.pdf?dl=0 Hope Filled Repentance: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1lo38ejspdzwfxngaaotm/Chapter-5-Hope-Filled-Repentance.-Listen-Learn-and-Love-Improving-Lattter-day-Saint-Culture.pdf?rlkey=18kd8tqtmls60b14y7ilc1f2i&dl=0 Overcoming Scrupulosity: www.dropbox.com/s/i314vw5im0khzia/Chapter%207%20Overcoming%20Scrupulosity%20%28Religious%20ODC%29.pdf?dl=0

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	My guest on today's podcast joining me from Arizona is my friend Eric Thompson.
0:15.6	Welcome to the podcast, Eric.
0:18.0	Thank you, Richard. It's my pleasure.
0:20.7	I will share a little bit about Eric and then we'll get him talking because that's why you're here.
0:25.9	Eric, just turned 40.
0:28.4	He's a gay Latter-day Saint.
0:29.7	He grew up in Salt Lake City in the holiday area.
0:33.1	For those of you that are aware of Olympus High that live in Salt Lake, Eric is a graduate of Olympus High.
0:39.6	He served a mission in San Antonio, Texas.
0:43.3	San Antonio is my wife from Houston, calls that wonderful city, spoke English.
0:49.2	He's active member of the church.
0:50.7	I think I mentioned he's gay.
0:52.0	He's celibate, never been married.
0:54.3	Celibate or single, however you want to call that, came out in his mid-20s, so he's been out
0:59.8	for, you know, over 10 years on social media.
1:03.9	He's also, and he'll probably talk about this, is going to talk about addiction, drug addiction.
1:08.6	We'll link in the show notes to a church video on the church's website, a little bit about
1:12.8	Eric's story eight years ago with drug addiction and working through that.
1:17.6	The 12-step program being a counselor, Eric's on the board of North Star.
1:22.9	That's an organization I'm deeply supportive of.
1:25.1	They have a conference coming up.
	...

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