Did you read David Archuleta's book? What did you think?
I read it and thought it was fabulous, he included everything I wondered about. Such as what was it like on American Idol, famous people he's met, the 3 engagements he had with women, how he finally came to terms with his attraction to men, which apostle told him he just needed to "find a good woman," dating men, and leaving the LDS church.
Actually, I listened to it and he ends the audiobook with some songs. I appreciated hearing him speak his story in his own voice.
Two parts of his story really resonated with me. The first is an answer he got to prayer, and the second is a conversation he had with Elder Ballard.
Here's the answer to prayer:
"God, if you are there, and if you have a plan for me, please just take this away from me. Please help overcome my sexual feelings for men because I don't want to be like this. I want to follow you. I'm so tired of dealing with this."
Suddenly, God spoke in my head. "David, you need to stop asking me this. You've been asking me this for over half of your life, since you were twelve. I'm not going to change anything. I don't see you how you see you. I don't see you the way well-meaning people who believe in me see you. It's time for you to understand that."
I said, "But I don't want to mess up." I didn't want to be unworthy.
God said, "Well, David, perhaps you need to do what you think are mistakes. Don't you realize you are allowed to make mistakes? I give you permission, and as you make mistakes you'll realize that what you thought were mistakes aren't mistakes at all. And even if they are, you can always come to me. That's why I gave you a Savior, so that you can make mistakes and repent. And it doesn't matter how far away you get from me, you can always come back and we'll figure this out together. But you are supposed to make mistakes and learn from them."
