▁an ▁L DS ▁mission ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁married ▁to ▁a ▁woman , ▁though ▁he ▁was ▁gay . ▁ ▁October ▁– ▁Apost le ▁Ez ra ▁B enson ▁gave ▁a ▁conference ▁address ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁called ▁hom osex ual ity ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" gre at ▁problems ▁in ▁our ▁society " ▁and ▁de cri ed ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁" altern ative ▁life - style " ▁as ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁justify ▁hom osex ual ity . ▁▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁ ▁July ▁– ▁Gay ▁former ▁M orm on ▁Ger ald ▁Pear son ▁died ▁of ▁comp lications ▁due ▁to ▁A ID S ▁under ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁his ▁former ▁sp ouse ▁Carol ▁Lyn n ▁Pear son . ▁After ▁Ger ald ▁conf essed ▁same - sex ▁sexual ▁experiment ation ▁to ▁his ▁bishop , ▁he ▁told ▁Ger ald ▁to ▁marry ▁a ▁woman ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁life ▁right . ▁He ▁later ▁met ▁Carol ▁at ▁BY U ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁married ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁Carol ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁write ▁a ▁mem oir ▁Good bye , ▁I ▁Love ▁You ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁a ▁land mark ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁intersection ▁of ▁hom osex ual ity ▁and ▁M orm on ism . ▁ ▁August ▁– ▁Apost le ▁O aks ▁wrote ▁a ▁church ▁mem o ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁recommended ▁the ▁church ▁make ▁a ▁public ▁statement ▁to ▁" opp ose ▁job ▁disc rim ination ▁laws ▁protect ing ▁hom osex uals " ▁unless ▁there ▁were ▁exceptions ▁for ▁allowing ▁employ ers