Capital Pride 2016 and The Work of the Good Shepherd

Thank you to everyone who joined us 

to make Capital Pride 2016 a success!

  In our best and worst times, Christ invites us to look to Him and to follow him. 

We exist

Mothers & Fathers in the crowd.  Thank you for your advocacy.

A photo from the crowd

Jamie organized a sign making party, and invited people from his ward.  Not everyone is comfortable marching in a Parade, but can make signs expressing their heartfelt feelings.  It provided the chance to have authentic conversations about each person's individual journey on understanding our LGBTQ/SSA sisters and brothers, and how being gay can impact families and wards.  

Allies from Boston

All set up and ready to go!
 It is sad that we have to be vigilant for our safety this day as we mourn what happened in Orlando last night.  

Some commonly asked questions...answered honestly and openly

Amazing allies and friends who made the magic happen!

Make it fabulous!!

Not everything at Pride is loud and boisterous.  We had many heart to heart conversations to connect with others.  Unconditional love is never a threat to doctrine--it is a key piece of Christ's doctrine.   

We all have gifts to minister to others and can look to the Savior for different examples of service and ministry.  

We read about how Jesus read scriptures in the temple. 

Jesus sought out the lepers, the blind, and lame. 

Jesus gathered the children.

Jesus drove money changers out of the temple.

He broke bread with strangers whom religious leaders scorned.

Jesus invited people to follow him.

Jesus taught that in the kingdom of heaven, the first will be last, and the last will be first. 

Jesus taught in parables to meet people's understanding--to reach them.  

He commanded people to come one by one to touch him and be healed.

He gave his life to save his friends.

And He taught us that people would know us by our love.  

Elder Dieter F. Uchtorf, April 2016
The Parable of the Lost Sheep

"During the Savior's ministry, the religious leaders of His day disapproved of Jesus spending time with people they had labeled 'sinners.'

Perhaps to them it looked like He was tolerating or even condoning sinful behavior.  Perhaps they believed that the best way to help sinners repent was by condemning, ridiculing, and shaming them.

When the Savior perceived what the Pharisees and scribes were thinking, He told a story:

'What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?  And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.'

Over the centuries, this parable has traditionally been interpreted as a call to action for us to bring back the lost sheep and to reach out to those who are lost.  While this is certainly appropriate and good, I wonder if there is more to it.

Is it possible that Jesus's purpose, first and foremost, was to teach about the work of the Good Shepherd?"

This weekend we ministered and loved. We listened. We shared. We contributed to the work of the Good Shepherd. Thank you to everyone who joined us.