"Building The Hearth - Creating Belonging" with Jeff and Katherine Wise - Episode 72 of the Lift+Love podcast Episode hosts Allison Dayton and Darice Auston interview Katherine and Jeff Wise about their son Talmage coming out as gay in February 2013 while Jeff was serving as an LDS bishop. They describe early mistakes, including Jeff delaying telling Katherine due to multiple family crises, and Katherine’s immediate spiritual experience confirming God’s love for Talmage. The Wises chose to tell family, friends, and their ward openly rather than keep it secret, and received supportive responses. After Jeff attended a Los Altos fireside featuring Bob Rees and Mitch Mayne, they hosted their own fireside in March 2015, which led to creating a monthly gathering called The Hearth. They discuss how the November 2015 exclusion policy drove many young gay people away despite supportive local leadership, and why they continue participating in church to advocate for marginalized people.  Find the audio version of this episode here and the video version of this episode on our Lift+Love YouTube channel hereFind resources, support meetings, events, and community — including 13 different types of free online support meetings for LGBTQ+ individuals and those who love them — on the Lift+Love website here