Gay Mormons Seek Meeting With New Leader

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A group of gay Mormons is seeking an

unprecedented meeting with the new church president and his counselors,

hoping to begin a conversation and find ways to address the concerns of

its members.

Affirmation, with more than 2,000 gay, lesbian and

transgender members, is not recognized by the church, which at one time

labeled homosexuality as a problem that required help.

"Although

there are many areas of hurt and disagreement that have separated us,

there are many more areas on which we can find agreement, and in doing

so, become a blessing in the lives of many of the Saints, both straight

and gay," the group wrote in its invitation to Thomas S. Monson last

week.

Monson assumed leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints last Sunday following the death of its previous

president, Gordon B. Hinckley.

Such a meeting with Monson and his

counselors — a triumvirate known as the First Presidency — would be

unprecedented, said David W. Melson, the group's assistant executive

director.

"This was something we've talked about for a while,"

Melson said. "With the death of President Hinckley and the installation

of new church leadership, it seemed like the appropriate time."

Church teachings consider homosexuality a sin and hold up traditional marriage as an institution ordained by God.

In

the 1990s, the church was active politically in fighting same-sex