"Beware Of The Homosexuals"

Every once in while you have an interaction with the member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that makes you roll your eyes. I had such an experience today.

Everyone was in their class and I was walking to leave the building. Coming down the same hallway is one of the "elders" of the church (in all meanings of the word). He is one of the three oldest men in the ward and is one of the original members from the ward's start. He is the guy who raises his hand in class and then proceeds to tell a five to ten minute story that you aren't sure is connected to the lesson's content. Every few Sundays he will come up to me and ask what my plans are, because he can't remember the answer I gave him the last time he asked.


This encounter was no different. He asked what my plans were and I explained I was graduating in a week and a half and then plan to move to Utah. He inquired where in Utah and I said I hoped the Salt Lake City area.

"You know, I need to tell you to beware of those homosexuals," he said wisely. "They have really taken over the Avenues area. And be careful because some of them dress really nicely and are very kind, but you know the area use to have three stakes and now there is one, so you know the members are fleeing that neighborhood".

I am actually quite proud of my acting abilities because I didn't change the look on my face or roll my eyes at him. I quickly thought, "there is no point in correcting him or arguing, because he won't be around much longer".

I did inform him that I actually liked the Avenues neighborhood since I hoped to land a state job at the capital. To which he told me the Avenues is where he was raised and it holds a fond place in his heart but he felt impressed to warn me of the homosexuals in the area.

I found a break in the conversation and told him I was running late and had to go. He then closed with, "I just felt like I should warn you, because you are a great person. I know you're a strong and special spirit and I wanted to warn you about things like this".

I thanked him and quickly turned the hallway corner and let out the most monumental eye roll I could muster. "If only he knew I was one of those homosexuals," I thought.

People like him are not worth engaging into an argument or discussion on why they are wrong. If only he could see that the light of Christ he sees in me (as he has told me that many times before) is coming from one of those homosexuals he warns people about.