is eries . ▁ ▁November ▁– ▁The ▁First ▁Pres iden cy ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 4 ▁to ▁be ▁read ▁in ▁all ▁con greg ations ▁stating ▁" hom osex ual ▁and ▁les bian ▁behavior ▁is ▁sin ful " ▁and ▁that ▁hom osex ual ▁" th ought s ▁and ▁feelings , ▁regardless ▁of ▁their ▁causes , ▁can ▁and ▁should ▁be ▁overcome " ▁by ▁" s inc ere ▁rep ent ance ", ▁" pers istent ▁effort ", ▁" the ▁help ▁of ▁others ", ▁and ▁" c oun sel ▁from ▁their ▁bishop ". ▁The ▁letter ▁made ▁a ▁distinction ▁" between ▁imm oral ▁thoughts ▁and ▁feelings ▁and ▁particip ating ▁in ▁... ▁any ▁hom osex ual ▁behavior ", ▁and ▁calls ▁for ▁" lo ve ▁and ▁understanding " ▁for ▁those ▁" stru gg ling " ▁to ▁" over com [ e ] ▁in app ropri ate ▁thoughts ▁and ▁feelings ". ▁▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁ ▁April ▁– ▁The ▁apost le ▁Pack er ▁stated ▁in ▁general ▁conference ▁that ▁humans ▁can ▁deg rade ▁themselves ▁below ▁animals ▁by ▁pair ing ▁with ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁same - sex ▁since ▁animals ▁don ' t ▁mate ▁with ▁other ▁animals ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁sex . ▁However , ▁same - sex ▁pair ing ▁has ▁been ▁observed ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁species , ▁and ▁well - document ed ▁for ▁ 5 0 0 ▁of ▁them . ▁He ▁had ▁also ▁stated ▁this ▁a ▁month ▁prior ▁in ▁a ▁ser mon ▁at ▁BY U . ▁▁▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁– ▁The ▁church