#m: dale g

[espurr-roba]

(crash) landing in scala

[nerdygaymormon]

Meeting with the Renlunds 2024

On my trip to Utah for the 2024 Gather Conference, I had an opportunity to meet with Elder & Sister Renlund.

Gather Conference and Gatherings

I shared with them that I was in town for the Gather conference, which is for LGBTQ people, regardless of whether still in or out of the church, who are spiritual as the conference focuses on Christ. This year, in addition to having a big conference, Lift+Love began something called "Gatherings" where people host a group in their home, and to help them there is a guide with scriptures, stories & questions, and it follows the Come, Follow Me schedule. Later, I emailed the Renlunds the September guide and a link to the website showing Gathering locations.

Stake Executive Secretary

It came up that my calling is still stake executive secretary. Sister Renlund commented, "You've served in that capacity for a long time." Yes I have, 9 years. Elder Renlund shared this a calling that he covets because there's something appealing about being at the nerve center but not in charge of making the hard decisions. It's good to be the helper, to make a difference by organizing things and creating order out of chaos. By making things predictable, it takes some of the load from the stake presidency.

Elder Renlund told me that the executive secretary to the First Presidency is Elder Brook Hales, and he's able to get things done without interposing himself, he is respectful of the First Presidency's desires. I commented that is how I approach my calling, I am not the president nor the counselors, I'm there as the secretary, but my stake president is clear that anyone in the room can receive inspiration and should share it. If time has gone by and I haven't said anything, the stake president will call on me and ask what I think. Elder Renlund then said, "Revelation is scattered."

Elder Renlund commented that when the stake president is anxious to hear from everyone in the room, that usually indicates he is a good one. The person who presides has to set that tone to encourage others to share. Those who don't preside should share their thoughts but not argue and make it difficult on the one who presides and make him feel he needs to negotiate or compromise. Then Elder Renlund added that if I’m doing a good job, "I think he's pretty wise to keep you on all this time."

Everybody is Equivalent when it comes to Revelation

The music text team for the new hymnal had asked if there is a notable author, like Janice Kapp Perry, whose song is going to be included, should those lyrics be treated the same as the rest of the hymns? Elder Renlund directed them to treat all identically.

Years ago President Nelson wrote a hymn titled "Our Prayer to Thee," and the choir has sung it at General Conference. With living authors, they won't make changes without their approval. The music text team proposed 12 minor changes to the lyrics along with explanations, and brought them to Elder Renlund.

President Nelson could have said, "Dale, you shouldn't even be asking. I was inspired to do it this way, I can't believe you're even suggesting this." Instead, President Nelson reviewed the changes and proclaimed that these made it better, and accepted 11 of the proposed alternatives. A leader should be humble enough and confident enough to accept correction. Elder Renlund used this example to illustrate his point that everybody is equivalent when it comes to getting revelation, but there's one person who is different, which is the person who presides.

The New Hymnal

Elder Renlund mentioned Elder James E. Faust's lyrics for "This is the Christ" which says, "How many drops of blood were spilled for me?" It's not doctrinal that each individual has a few drops of Christ's blood directly shed for them. Elder Renlund, the cardiologist, says that if there's drops for everybody, that would exceed the amount of blood in the human body. Sister Renlund then commented that it's poetic, it's a metaphor to ponder what did I contribute to His grief.

Next Elder Renlund spoke about the hymn "Love at Home" and how there's some lines that could be uncomfortable to sing if a person doesn't have the kind of home described in the song. Just as with the drops of blood, Elder Renlund shared another example of concrete thinking with the line "Roses bloom beneath our feet," and said if they're underneath your feet, you smash them. The lyrics have been changed to "Roses bloom around our feet." Elder Renlund actually didn't want this song included in the hymnal because it was used in minstrel shows of the 1800's to say that life for slaves on America’s plantations was full of joy and love. Elder Renlund felt that alone should disqualify the song from being included in the new hymnal, however the committee overruled him. I agree with Elder Renlund, I’ll never think of that song the same way and will probably decline to ever sing it again.

Translating each one of the 450 or so songs into every language version of the hymnal is a large undertaking and some were concerned about the cost. While saying it's important that every member have access to the same songs, it’s a matter of equity, he added that the cost of translation is "probably no more than installing 5 scoreboards at the BYU campus." 😂 The impact of the new hymnal on the church will be universal if it's done in each of the languages.

Music Invites the Spirit

Elder Renlund stated that for him there's very few things which invite the Spirit more than music, it has the ability to set the right tone. I responded that I think music has a key to our hearts that words alone don't. At weddings or funerals, someone may or may not cry at other times, but if they are going to cry they will do so when the music plays.

Sister Renlund shared that they are traveling to Houston, TX and will meet with the missionaries. They invited questions be submitted ahead of time, and one they received is "How do we invite the Spirit into our lessons more?" In addition to prayer, scriptures, and an expression of gratitude, she will suggest music is a great way to invite the Spirit. Whether it's singing or using the phone to play music, it's a way to quickly set the tone for a spiritual message.

Elder Renlund shared that years ago he was in Edmonton, Canada and visited the home of a family. Two sister missionaries sang "Where is Heaven" by Janice Kapp Perry, and the non-member dad felt the room flood with the spirit. Any concerns, any doubts, just disappeared. The music opened his heart.

I commented that at last year’s conference I met Janice Kapp Perry and she had written a song for the conference which I find moving. Elder Renlund said, if you bump into her, tell her that her music has an impact.

All Are Alike Unto God

The song for last year's conference is titled, "All Are Alike Unto God.” Janice wrote the music and Megan Decker, a lesbian member of the church, wrote most of the lyrics, which are generic enough that they could apply to anyone, but for people in that room it touches on themes we often wrestle with, such as "Am I enough? Am I loved? Am I wanted?" As we sang this song at the conference, I felt the Spirit so much.

Elder Renlund queried, "In the song, does she reach a conclusion, is there an answer to those questions?" "Yes it does." "That's right, the answer is 'yes.'"

He then said, "The one thing I absolutely know is that anything that's unfair in life will be made right by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I don't know how, but it will."

In the follow-up email I sent with information on the Gatherings, I let them know the song “All Are Alike Unto God” was released on streaming platforms, and included a link to Spotify.

Cambodia

They were in Cambodia earlier this year and made a visit to the killing fields where about 1 million people were executed by order of Pol Pot. There were stacks of skulls along with notes of what kind of farming implement killed them because the regime was trying to save bullets. It's a demonstration of absolute evil, yet Elder Renlund felt absolute peace as he felt the message that "We don't need to worry about these people, I've [Christ] got them." The atonement is infinite. We may have questions we don't have answers to, we have situations which aren't fair and which are difficult, but people who do the best they can are going to reap great rewards.

The Book of Queer Mormon Joy

At the end of our visit I gifted them a copy of The Book of Queer Mormon Joy. Being in this space of being LGBTQ and a Latter-day Saint is difficult, but there is joy, too. These aren't simple stories of joy, they're complex and the joy has to be worked for. A lot of the stories are of people choosing to change their situation, changing what they think is possible for their life, or what they want for their life.

There was a song from the 1960's, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" based on Ecclesiastes 3, which says there's a time for joy and a time for sadness. We think of it as separate times, but often we experience joy while we deal with hard things, we don't have the luxury of waiting for the hard times to pass.

I bookmarked the story I wrote of my friend Kris who is trans masc. I also bookmarked my good friend @loveerran’s story of her first time going to an LDS family ward and attending Relief Society presenting as her feminine trans self and how meaningful that was for her. I mentioned she had given me a ride and was waiting for me downstairs.

They promised to read both stories.

Then, they handed me a book they had written and asked if my friend Erran would accept a gift, they'd like her to have it as a thank you for bravely sharing her story💗 and for giving me a ride😆.

[loveerran]

I was recently reading through The Melchezidek Priesthood, a book given to me as a gift by Elder and Sister Renlund via my friend @nerdygaymormon.

On pages 1-2 I found a quote about learning and progression in the form of a metaphor. The book imagines someone being given a piano that is “restricted to only some keys, such as the middle register” and learning to play when “initially, the music is simplistic and occasionally cacophonic”. This idea struck me as I thought about how my life and discipleship can be likened to that analogy, and I wanted to share the imagery that came to my mind as I read:

Iteration 1:

I first imagined myself, like a small child in front of Heavenly Parents, banging away with a mallet on a classic Fischer Price xylophone (quite simplistically and cacophonically), as they smiled benevolently and told me I was doing “Such a good job!”

Iteration 2:

Imagining myself as a young adult at a piano recital, but with a limited set of keys. As I plunked away with novice earnestness (much improved from my child-self, though my timing was off beat and some of my notes incorrect), I could picture a divine presence, visible in glimpses, playing in such a way that my discordance was enfolded neatly into their performance and became part of an unexpectedly beautiful piece greater than the song I thought I was playing.

Iteration 3:

Imagining myself now before a grand organ, like the one in the conference center, my previously limited keys still laid out before me but interspersed now with half-seen keys, and with rows of keys and stops above, below and to either side that I could not use and did not know the meaning of. I was now playing a recognizable piece of music, playing well though still imperfectly. And sitting with me in the bench seemed to be that same divine presence, as though we occupied the same space, such that as I played my simple song, they wove in above, below and around me on all the keys, a beautiful concerto that anticipated, embraced, magnified and made pure and beautiful what would otherwise have been my halting individual performance.

I think this is what life is like to some degree? Each of us is working with our own individual set of skills, strengths and weaknesses. One of my favorite themes in Christianity is growth, moving from one level to another as we develop our discipleship and capacity to serve others. Today I am sending love and encouragement to all of us as we try to do good, become better and help each other along the way.

Love, Erran

[rabid-dog-steve-horn]

How many cartoons can you recall the names of?

[artskls]

was doing some sketch practice and things escalated 😅

Sea of Stars is a ✨stellar✨ classic rpg that may be released in 2023 but has all the magic of of 1990s classics. This game was made with love ❤

[kurithedweeb]

He also voices Lucinda’s ex boyfriend. And other characters. It’s wild.

Just went through the VA page

Malachi, Ivan the ex-boyfriend, some background characters, filling in for a couple MyStreet guys . . . Xavier?? Xavier the dude who created the Jury of Nine??? LEVIN????

I was watching S2 last night and I did not connect Levin & Malachi’s voices at all. I thought Malachi was voiced by Andy Cowley (Garroth & Jeffory's main VA) because to me it sounded like Garroth and Malachi speak with the same cadence, but Kellen Goff's always voiced Malachi. Andy Cowley used to voice LEVIN though - he voiced him at the start of S2 and Kellen later took over as Levin's VA is both MCD & MyS.

We're learning things today, y'all.

[stainedlilac]

Oh also yeah I'm putting together a Dale cosplay so that's a thing

[abigailbozarthart]

Aldous and the Dragon

Comission for the man who is now my boyfriend, of his character Aldous the half-gith swords bard and the silver dragon Axe-Xiao! Plus a bonus doodle of why you hug the dragon and not the other way around.

Coms closed but waitlist open.

[fountainpenguin]

Hey, you know what's way funnier than Dale NOT having Dev in his college years?

Girl, you are so "Turning Out Pts. i, ii & iii"-coded, fr fr...

Hadley's profile and the cherry lemon ship masterpost have been updated with new, correct timeline info. tl;dr - Still married in January 2012, but they're one year younger than previously stated and got married during Hadley's junior year instead of after she graduates. Hadley's out of school before her pregnancy... Dale's in it for the long haul.

Bonus:

Daddy's special graduate... Too bad he wasn't there to see it <3

[m0viebaby]

back to rewatching Twin Peaks like i do every few months

[jcams88]

I've already seen the comparisons but after watching The Newsreader with my own two eyes I am even more astounded that Dale Jennings and Lestat de Lioncourt are played by the same person

[nerdygaymormon]

Meeting with the Renlunds

I met with Elder Kevin Hamilton and he offered to walk me over to Elder Renlund's office for my next appointment as it would help me get through security more easily.

Elder Hamilton greeted the secretary and explained he found me wandering around and helped me find where I was going.😄 Then he said that we became friends when he did a stake conference in Florida and I have a standing invitation to visit every time I'm in Utah.

At that moment, Elder Renlund steps out of his office door and proclaims, "I trump that invitation. He gets to see ME when he's in town." 😁

It was a humorous way to be handed off from the one to the other.

—————————

Elder Renlund asked if I was in town for that conference in Provo (the Gather Conference)? Y'all, I was impressed that he knew about it! Great credit to the conference organizers!

—————————

I reminded the Renlunds that the last time I visited, they gave me a book they co-wrote. When I saw it was about the Melchizedek Priesthood, I was like "Go Ruth!" There's no reason a woman shouldn't write about the priesthood.

This time I brought them a gift, a copy of a book which contains a chapter I wrote.

Me: I'm a little nervous giving it to you because I wrote it from my viewpoint. I was very honest and that means not everything matches the Church's view. Some things about church are hard for me.

Dale: We will read this.

Me: Now I'm even more nervous!

Ruth: Don't be nervous. You shouldn't be nervous about telling the truth.

Dale: They're your thoughts and perspectives.

Ruth: Others have done the same, why not you?

Whew, I felt much better after that exchange.

I also shared that writing my chapter led me to realize I may have an eating disorder, and how that led to an official diagnosis and now I'm in therapy. I'm on a journey to better mental and physical health. They were genuinely interested in this development and kind in their support.

—————————

Elder Renlund mentioned that when he presides over a meeting and opens things up for questions, it's not unusual for LGBTQ topics to come up. As we spoke, the Pride flag got mentioned.

I shared a conversation I had with my friend who recently retired from a 20-year career with the U.S. military. My friend doesn't wear a US flag pin at church. He is there for religion, not patriotism. Anyone who wants to know if he is patriotic should look at his life. Plus, America does some things that aren't compatible with what Jesus taught. My friend wants to keep the two separate.

When it comes to the Pride flag, I feel a little different. No one questions whether Americans are welcome at church. We don't have a history of harsh teachings against Americans. We need to be intentional in signaling that we welcome LGBTQ+ people.

The Pride flag represents queer people and it goes where they go, which means it is there when people fight for Civil Rights or run their business, and however they live their life. This causes some to see the flag as representing things they don't like because some queer people make choices they don't agree with. I think when the average member displays the Pride flag, they are indicating that queer people are welcome and wanted, that they are a safe person to talk with. But for a leader, some will see his wearing the flag as endorsing all the things people associate with it.

Elder Renlund responded that it's like Black Lives Matter. Of course Black lives matter, but the political movement that grew up around that phrase can be seen by some as controversial, so if a leader displays a Black Lives Matter flag people may question or assume he supports all of it.

He went on to say that he appreciates my friend's position because when they lived in South Africa, a friend of his said, "We South Africans don't like Americans telling us what to do." What registered with Elder Renlund is if what his friend sees is an American, then he needs to change so what his friend sees is a disciple of Christ.

—————————

Elder Renlund asked what else is going on in my life and I shared that I'm now on the Affirmation Board of Directors. It's interesting because I don't seek to do things in the LDS/LGBTQ space, but the Lord provides opportunities and I accept them.

His response was, "You can help others and that's what I think God wants you to do."

—————————

They asked how my parents are doing and I mentioned my mom's calling in her ward.

"Your mom is the Primary chorister?" Elder Renlund shared that he is the chair of the committee putting together the new hymnal. "I think the war in heaven started over a new hymnal. Everybody has an opinion." 🤣

—————————

Ruth and I spoke about a person we're both related to. It's a man who was her uncle, and he was married to my grandma and they had 2 children together. He died in World War II and my grandma remarried and had 2 more children.

My grandmother was sealed to her first husband but spent the bulk of her life with her second husband. When my granddad passed away, he was also sealed to his wife, she is sealed to two husbands.

Elder Renlund said that in life there is an asymmetry, men can be sealed to multiple women but women are limited to being sealed to only one man. However in death, all are equal, everyone can be sealed to all those they were ever married to.

This means we don't have a clear understanding of what it's like in Heaven. Since all three of these people are sealed to each other, and they have promises made to them, no blessing will be denied to them. We don't know how that works, but we are convinced of the promises and see them afar off.

Elder Renlund went on to say those who have "LGBTQ issues" and try to be faithful are heroes and the Lord really will bless them.

I brought up that single people face the same questions about their situation as queer people.

His response was of all those who are single and members of the Church, the majority are not active. He doesn't think God is going to harshly judge them. But he thinks God holds real blessings in store for those who try to be faithful. I thought that was interesting, "try" is enough to qualify.

Elder Renlund says there will be a sorting and figuring out who is sealed to whom, but we don't believe anyone will be forced. All wounds will be healed and injustices made whole, and no blessings withheld from the righteous.

—————————

We had met for nearly an hour and needed to wrap up. Elder Renlund proposed, "Let's get a photo." Sister Renlund commented, "I just came from the hair dresser so this works out well." 😂

As we walked out of the office, Sister Renlund explained that he has to go practice his conference talk using the teleprompter so there isn't much wiggle room for extending our visit. She also joked that you'd think these men would have the use of the teleprompter mastered, but they have to practice before every General Conference. 😆

—————————

It was generous of them to take an hour out of their day to spend it in conversation with me

[sesiondemadrugada]

The Star (Stuart Heisler, 1952).

[acabraham]

I’m watching twin peaks for the first time (trying to actually watch things people have been recommending to me for years) & like. I guess I can stand detective shows as long as the detective is dripping in neurodivergence.

[inutaffy]

HELLO??? "If you want to return to eldervair you're gonna have to play. and win."

[arala225]

Dale/Foxglove Chip/Gadget - Stuck Like Glue (SPECIAL)

This video is special because the manip of Dale with succioncup shoes on the ceiling to be with Foxy has been in my head FOR 20 YEARS, ever since I read the beautiful heartwarming fanfic "Foxy's Special Day" by Julie Bihn /  Chansey Trainer (https://foxglove.cdrrhq.ru/julie-bihn/specialday.html https://www.fanfiction.net/s/300478/1/Foxy-s-Special-Day ).

 Please consider reading it, it is very fluffy! :D

D/F's son Tom and C/G's daughter Hazel are my OCs.