Episode 874: Soren Nielsen, Gay Latter-day Saint, Recent RM

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 855 Ratings

🗓️ 2 April 2026

⏱️ 87 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

My friend Soren Neilsen (age 21, Sacramento California RM, from Michigan, University of Utah student) joins us to share his story: * Realizing he was different—not attracted to girls * Working through internalized homophobia and shame * Hurtful things said about gay people while growing up * Coming out to Bishop (good experience) * Gay LDS friend—friend throughout his mission—offered love, acceptance, and support * Decision to serve a mission * Coming out to both mission presidents (generally good) * Coming out to companions and generally the whole mission (generally good) * “God wants me to use my sexuality to help others come unto Christ” (I thought I could add that there is unity in our differences) * Deep testimony of our Heavenly Parents and our Savior—and His atonement (D&C6:36) * Personal revelation * Feeling his best path forward is to marry a man and build a life/family together with Christ as the foundation Thank you Soren for being on the podcast to share your story. You are brave. Thank you for helping so many people come unto Christ during your mission and for the many lives you blessed. Love your testimony/love of Christ and how He wants to help all of us. You are a good man with a wonderful future. Honored to have you on the podcast. Links: Instagram: @sojonie1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soren.nielsen.632826

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, welcome listeners to another episode of Listen, Learn, and Love, hosted by Richard Osler.
0:07.8	My friend on my guest on today's podcast, joining me from Salt Lake City area.
0:14.5	He's a student of the University of Utah, is my new friend, Soren Nielsen.
0:18.2	Welcome to the podcast, Soren.
0:20.3	I'm glad to be here. It's been a dream of mine. I've been listening to your
0:24.6	podcast for years and been really nice to finally share my story.
0:28.6	I'm great. I'm glad that you've been listening and all those brave guests that step before you've
0:33.6	probably been helpful for you and now you're doing the same thing.
0:38.6	I'm just a little bio.
0:39.8	Soren grew up in Michigan, beautiful part of the world.
0:44.5	He left for his mission from Michigan.
0:48.1	He served in Sacramento, California, speaking Spanish.
0:52.1	He's currently at the University of Utah.
0:53.8	I'm a University of Utah graduate, so we like that. He's currently at the University of Utah. I'm a University of Utah graduates,
0:56.0	so we like that. He's a poly-sci major. I'm thinking about becoming a civil rights attorney.
1:05.3	He is going to share his story as a gay Latter-day Saint. He came out a little bit during his
1:10.7	mission. He'll probably talk about that. He came out a little bit during his mission.
1:11.0	He'll probably talk about that.
1:13.1	He is 21 years old and super brave to be on the podcast to talk about this.
1:18.2	And our joint prayer is this helps you, our listeners that are figuring out your way forward
1:24.5	as a non-straight Latter-day Saint, and that Soren's story will help you.
1:30.1	We also hope that the community around Sorin will better love and understand and support
	...

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