Tanya and Jeff Bennion talk with Preston Jenkins, who shares his journey as a gay man in a mixed-orientation marriage with his wife, Taryn. Preston opens up about the two years of bitterness he experienced after enduring abuse on his mission, and how his mother played a vital role in helping him work through that bitterness with love and teaching him correct principles.
Preston also discusses his journey of overcoming PTSD triggers related to the church and emphasizes the importance of staying clean to be a vessel of Christ's love. He shares how embracing truth sets one free from emotional burdens and encourages listeners to take control of their lives by choosing Christ.
Throughout the conversation, Preston encourages self-reflection by asking the question, "What doctrine, if I understood it better, would help me overcome this burden?" He addresses the claim that "the gospel doesn't work for everybody," emphasizing the importance of listening to the proper spirit.
Preston also shares how he and Taryn cultivated a beautiful relationship through intentional courtship. This inspiring episode offers hope, understanding, and guidance for anyone navigating complex challenges while seeking a path of stalwart discipleship.
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Check out Preston’s Voices of Hope video and a personal essay
here.
You can buy Preston’s book
here.
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What is Voices of Hope?
The personal stories shared on this podcast serve as an extension of the book and video project, Voices of Hope. It is a living repository of faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sharing stories of how they seek to reconcile their sexual orientation or gender dysphoria, or of those they love, with their faith. You’ll hear how they have chosen to embrace the restored gospel, the inherent challenges they face, and how they’ve found peace and hope in their decisions.
As you listen to these candid and touching stories, you may find elements of their journeys that echo your own. Wherever you fall in this spectrum of experience or in your journey on the path of discipleship, you’ll find a safe place here.
Voices of Hope is a project of North Star International. North Star is a faith-affirming resource for Latter-day Saints addressing sexual orientation and gender identity, and who desire to live in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the doctrines and values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.