There have been LGBTQ followers of Christ in every dispensation of the gospel. While labels and circumstances have changed over time, the desire to follow the Savior and belong in His kingdom has not.

Christ invites all of us to come unto Him. That includes you, in all of your beautiful, divine uniqueness.

God needs you, your voice, your perspective, and your faith. You are uniquely positioned to labor in the vineyard in ways that no one else can. There is an eternal purpose in you being on the earth now.

The Spirit will guide you as you seek to do God’s will. He will inspire you to lift up the hands that hang down. And He will send others to help you in your times of need because we need each other.

Gatherings provide a framework for you to lift and love others as you seek to minister to all of God’s children.

Gatherings are independently organized groups of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them. As the Savior taught, when two or three gather together in His name, He is there (Matthew 18:20). Whether you gather with dozens of people, or just with God, Jesus will be there.

Using the Gatherings framework, you can bring together people who have similar backgrounds and life experiences. As you discuss the gospel through the lens of LGBTQ individuals, family, friends, and allies, you can strengthen each other’s faith.

Each month Gatherings will provide discussion questions based on the Come, Follow Me schedule as well as stories of faith from an LGBTQ Latter-day Saint, family member, or ally. Be sensitive to the Spirit and the needs of your group. You will receive revelation. Make adjustments as needed. The discussion outline includes far more content than can be covered in one meeting. Prayerfully consider which of the following pieces to include:

“Scriptures to Focus on” will give you at least two chapters from that month’s Come, Follow Me schedule with questions designed to help you see yourself and LGBTQ+ individuals in these sacred texts. These questions could be used to enrich your personal scripture study or as part of your group discussion.

“Questions to Ponder” contains a list of discussion-provoking questions that can be applied to the scripture study chapters or the Story of Faith (or both!). You might want to stick with just one of the questions or dive deep into all of them. Let your conversation develop naturally as a group. Often the magic happens when our discussion takes us to unexpected places.

“Share Your Story” invites group members to draw upon the power of their own experiences. You will all see that you are not alone, you have more in common than you thought, and your experiences can help others as you share real-life stories in a safe place. You could invite a few individuals to use the questions provided to share their stories with the group or use the questions for everyone to share together.

Consider the wonderful folks in your community—friends, family, or fellow ward members—and extend them an invitation to join in.

What's your vibe: a weekly rendezvous or a monthly meet-up? Tailor it to suit your crew's rhythm.

As for the meeting spot, you've got options. Stick to one go-to place, take turns hosting among the group, or embrace the digital era and convene via video call.

Gatherings meetings are not lessons taught by a teacher but facilitated discussions. Everyone in the group should have time to share their insights and experiences. Appoint discussion leaders. At each Gathering someone takes the reins, delving into the content and selecting 2-3 questions or talking points to steer the conversation. It keeps things lively and manageable.

Remember, one of the purposes of Gatherings is to form connections and friendships. Feel free to plan social events and outings with your group that do not include deep discussions.