Episode 800: Oakley Roberts, Age 21, Gay Latter-day Saint

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 839 Ratings

🗓️ 20 December 2024

⏱️ 67 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

My friend Oakley Roberts (from Payson Utah, RM from Liberia Africa) joins us to share his story. Oakley talks about knowing he was different since age 12, his high school life (including his mantra “if they wanted to be in my life, they were welcome”) and coming out a bisexual over the phone to his sister while on his mission (later coming out as gay to his mother). Oakley talks about the curse/punishment he felt from God for being gay—and the pain/shame of that initial conclusion. Oakley talks about reaching out to people for help and how coming out and being authentic improved his feelings about himself. Oakley talks about the powerful spiritual experience in the canyon east of Cedar City while in college with the personal revelation that Oakley’s sexual orientation (like all of Oakley’s attributes) are divine in nature and Oakley is created as intended—a 180 degree shift from this earlier feelings about being cursed. Oakley talks about his visit with his Bishop (super helpful) and his supportive mother (“I trust you Oakley” and “whoever you bring home, I will accept them”). I am so impressed with Oakley—his spiritual maturity, his emotionally resilience, and his deep acceptance of who he is—all at age 21. You have a great life ahead of you Oakley and you will continue to give hope to others and help them feel God’s love. Honored to have you on the podcast. You are a good man. Links: Gather/Lift and Love: www.liftandlove.org/ FB group to support LGBTQ Latter-day Saints: /www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143 Oakley’s Instagram: @_oakleyroberts

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome listeners to another episode of Listen, Learn, and Love hosted by Richard Osler.
0:09.0	I got a DM on Instagram. I try to check my DMs, even at my age, to know what they are as an accomplishment.
0:17.0	But to be able to check them is something I've learned to do and look at Instagram and Twitter
0:21.4	and Facebook.
0:22.4	And there's a DM from my new friend Oakley Roberts, who is willing to share his story
0:27.2	on the podcast as a Gay-Latterty Saint.
0:29.3	And every time I get one of those DMs and someone who's willing to share their story
0:33.1	broadly, I just, it's a credit to Oakley and all of you that are willing to share your stories,
0:39.5	but some of you don't feel impressed to share your story. That's okay too. I don't want you to feel
0:43.2	shame for that or you're not authentic or you're weak because you're not publicly out sharing your
0:48.2	story. But our prayer is this podcast will help you. Just a little bit about Oakley.
0:56.0	He is 21.
0:57.6	He grew up in Pace in Utah.
1:05.8	That's a county in Utah County, I believe, in the Utah and still lives in Pace in Utah.
1:06.6	He's 21.
1:08.6	He's been home from his mission in Liberia.
1:11.7	And whenever I hear a mission like Liberia,
1:14.3	I'm assuming when that came on your phone,
1:18.1	tell us what you knew about Liberia when you saw Liberia on your phone or however he opened your call.
1:21.0	Yeah, it was a little intimidating, but I had no idea where it was.
1:26.0	So one of my leaders that lived in South Africa came over to me and was like, that's in Africa.
1:33.5	Like congratulations.
	...

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