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Stacey Harkey, who some of you may know from his acting days on Studio C, shares his amazing story growing up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving a Mission, attending school at the Church owned University BYU, and coming out as Gay.

The interview was particularly special due to Stacey's love and devotion to God throughout this entire experience.  He talks about being younger and realizing there were things that were "different" about him than other boys, and how he took a part of himself that is very real and tried to lock it away in order to deflect some of the shame which caused him to question who he is. 

After serving a faithful 2 year mission for his Church, he returned home to start college at BYU. Stacey talks about his experiences dating women, and although he really liked some of the women he dated, he never felt an attraction to them so it felt like he was wasting their time. He had always been attracted to Men but this was against everything he believed was right and that he was supposed to do, so he kept it hidden with everyone but God.  He talks about taking his attraction to men to God and asking him to help and change it, but that never happened, and one day instead of asking God to change him, He asked God "Tell me what to do, and I will do whatever you want". He felt immediate peace and the sense that God loved him exactly how he is, and in fact created him to be just that... Himself. Stacey felt that God was saying to him "Why do you hate the way I made you?" and realized how arrogant he was being thinking that the perfect Creator (God), who doesn't make mistakes, somehow made a mistake on him."  Trusting this answer to his prayers he finally was able to embrace his authentic self and gain the courage needed to talk to his religious leaders, friends, and family.  He now feels more peace and freedom than he has ever felt.  Stacey loves God, and I could feel his deep love for God throughout our conversation.

His journey is amazing and so needed as young people growing up in families where coming out as LGBTQ is not safe, and some are even ending their lives to suicide feeling ashamed. Stacey is an example to show that it's ok to be yourself, to want true love in your life, and have the courage to talk about who you are.  Stacey is a hero to me, and has opened my eyes up quite a bit to the idea that loving the sinner and hating the sin, is a cheap valueless way of attempting to show acceptance to someone that is different than you. I learned from Stacey, in a much deeper way, that it is my actions surrounding my words that bring value  and if I love all as God commands, then I need to love all regardless of their "sins" or differences of opinion/beliefs.  

Thank you for your courage Stacey! May God continue to bless you on your journey my friend! Keep making us laugh, always!  If you don't know Stacey's work on Studio C, I encourage you to check it out by searching on YouTube either using his name or Studio C. Studio C is family friendly clean humor that has had huge success. Keep your eye out for his upcoming projects under JK Studio's he and his friends recently started.