Post Council Separation

At the end of the disciplinary council, there were a number of the high councilors who expressed their willingness to support me in what ever way I needed to help me get back to full fellowship within the church.  One of them was a counselor in BYU’s psychological services department, another had his own private psychiatry practice, and others were simply very kind men.  There was only one problem.  In spite of their expressions of wanting to help, they didn’t seem to understand what it meant to help.

Church Disciplinary Council – Prequel

Bishop Davis told me that he needed to talk to the stake president. He wasn’t sure if the situation warranted involving more than just himself and his counselors. He talked with the stake president, and was told that the level of disciplinary council needed would involve the entire stake presidency, as well as the stake high council. The bishop told me that the possibilities for the outcome of the council included informal probation, formal probation, disfellowshipment, and excommunication. I was not exactly thrilled about either of those last two.

Bishop Davis

All bishops have the same authority and responsibilities when it comes to the members of their wards.  unfortunately, not all of them have the same level of being able to talk to their ward members, and not all of them have the same ability to convey Gods love to them.  That is something that I think they learn over time, though I think that some of them never do.  I’ve had some of each.

Each life that touches ours for good

I had been living in town for about 16 months. I was going to a family ward, where I was basically hiding out. Because I was disfellowshipped it didn’t matter what ward I was in, I couldn’t serve in any official capacity. The reason I say I was hiding out was that in the family ward, there were sufficient demographic differences that I could easily avoid any social interactions with others in the ward. I imagine that this lack of social life fueled the loneliness that made me seek out companionship with the gay man I was with for several months.