Courage

Image: Video of 12 year old gay Mormon youth sharing her testimony, told to ‘sit down’ after coming out to her congregation (Mormon Leaks).

Savannah’s testimony:

My name is Savannah and I want to share my testimony with you.
I believe I am a child of heavenly parents. I don’t know if they talk to us, but I feel in my heart that they made me and that they love me. I believe I was made the way I am, all parts of me, by my heavenly parents.
They did not mess up when they gave me brown eyes, or when I was born bald. They did not mess up when they gave me freckles or when they made me to be gay. God loves me just this way because I believe that he loves all his creations.
I do believe he made this way on purpose, not part of me is a mistake.
I do not choose to be this way, and it is not a fad. I cannot make someone else gay and being around me won’t make anyone else this way. I believe that God wants us to treat each other with kindness, even if people are different, especially if they are different. Christ showed us this.
I believe that we should just love. I believe I am good. I try my best to be nice to each other and stick up for those that are hurting. I know I’m not a horrible sinner for being who I am. I believe God would tell me if I was wrong.
I hope someday to go on dates, go to school dances, to hold hands and to go off to college. I hope to find a partner and have a great job. I hope to get married and have a family.
I know these dreams and wishes are good and right. I know I can have all of these things as a lesbian and be happy. I believe that if God is there, he knows I am perfect, just the way I am and would never ask me to live my life alone or with someone I am not attracted to.
He would want me to be happy. I want to be happy. I want to love myself and not to feel shame for being me. I ask you…

At this point the first counselor of the stake presidency cut Savannah’s microphone and told her to “sit down“

Crash Course:

12-year-old girl comes out to her Mormon congregation – CNN
How one Mormon girl’s brave coming out started a national conversation – Mashable
Timeline of Mormon Thinking About Homosexuality – Rational Faiths