Guy grew up in Provo (with a few years in Bangkok), went to BYU for undergrad and grad school (like his BYU professor dad said, “Why would you consider anywhere but the Lord’s University?” …though full scholarships helped, lol), served a mission in Sweden, taught at the MTC, etc. and finally came out after graduation and a year of volunteer service for the church in rural Nigeria. Not wanting others to go through their years at BYU alone as he had, he started a gay mens’ support group upon graduating. He taught ESL and ran refugee programs in Utah many years until moving to SF (as, only half-jokingly, a “gay refugee from Utah”).

Trey grew up in Virginia and moved to Colorado as a teenager where he converted just shy of 18. He was supposed to attend William and Mary, but due to his family’s opposition to his choice of religion and as an act of rebellion he went to BYU instead. He went on a mission to Korea where he taught the deaf (Korean sign language had to be a marketable skill, right?). After a lot of struggle, he finally came out in 1990 when he started grad school (molecular biology) in Rochester, NY. 

Guy and Trey knew each other at BYU as both were involved in a small student peace and human rights group there, worked on symposia together, etc., had much respect for one another but weren’t close friends yet.  Neither was out to anyone nor even knew of ANY LGBTQ person all their years at BYU.  Seriously!

They met again when Trey was speaking at Sunstone  in SLC in 1996, while finishing his PhD in New York, and started dating long distance.  Still active in the church, yet out, Trey was called to a church court, both attended, and he was excommunicated after sharing that they were committed to a life together and raising a family (though he was called in at first because of his innocuous Sunstone talk). At first devastated after 20 year of dedicated sacrifice and service as a convert, having at one point been both disinherited and even denied the priesthood for his tiny bit of African ancestry (yep, really, blond and blue eyed Trey!), he was able to move forward from that experience and they’ve been together ever since, having adopted two beautiful daughters and created a rich and full life together, marveling at times at the progress made yet the challenges that still lie ahead. 

They love, deeply respect ans appreciate the LGBTQ+ LDS/Mormon community and have agreed to share their experience and insights.

RSVP

https://www.ldshearth.org/rsvp