▁months ▁before . ▁▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁– ▁The ▁Church ▁Hand book ▁is ▁updated ▁to ▁ban ▁members ▁from ▁full - time ▁mission ary ▁service ▁who ▁have ▁participated ▁in ▁" hom osex ual ▁acts " ▁from ▁age ▁ 1 5 ▁and ▁on ▁unless ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁year ▁since ▁the ▁occurrence ▁and ▁the ▁leaders ▁see ▁" strong ▁evidence ▁of ▁last ing ▁rep ent ance ▁and ▁re formation ". ▁The ▁update ▁also ▁includes ▁the ▁first ▁church ▁policies ▁sections ▁on ▁hom osex ual ity ▁and ▁same - gender ▁marriage ▁stating ▁if ▁members ▁have ▁" hom osex ual ▁thoughts ▁or ▁feelings ▁or ▁eng age ▁in ▁hom osex ual ▁actions " ▁they ▁should ▁be ▁helped ▁to ▁understand ▁faith , ▁rep ent ance , ▁life ' s ▁purpose , ▁and ▁should ▁be ▁helped ▁to ▁" accept ▁responsibility ▁for ▁their ▁thoughts ". ▁Additionally , ▁the ▁manual ▁as ser ts ▁that ▁the ▁Church ▁" opp oses ▁any ▁efforts ▁to ▁legal ize " ▁same - gender ▁mar ri ages ▁and ▁encourag es ▁members ▁to ▁appeal ▁to ▁government ▁officials ▁to ▁reject ▁those ▁efforts . ▁ ▁October ▁– ▁The ▁church ▁don ated ▁a ▁half ▁million ▁dollars ▁to ▁opp ose ▁efforts ▁to ▁legal ize ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁in ▁Al aska . ▁ ▁October ▁– ▁Tw enty - one - year - old ▁gay ▁student ▁Matthew ▁She p ard ▁was ▁tort ured ▁and ▁left ▁for ▁dead ▁by ▁M orm on - ra ised ▁E agle ▁Sc out ▁Russell ▁Hend erson , ▁and ▁A aron ▁McK in ney