This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, I got dressed in my best and packed my family up. Instead of packing the diaper bag with Cheerios and coloring pages to head to sacrament meeting, I loaded up our baby and my husband began our journey from Logan to Salt Lake City.

As struggling students, raising a family of five children, we don't have a lot of extra money. My husband and I talked about going all week, but the day before he said to me, "We literally only have $20 to our name. That will barely cover gas! Do we go?"All I could think about was how alone the children of gay parents must feel. I told my husband, "I really feel like this is something we need to do."

We arrived, signs in hand, and stood next to members of the LGBTQ community. Our signs were not signs of protest, but signs of love. They were the words of familiar Primary hymns sung by all Primary children. My sign said, "I'll Walk With You, I'll Talk With You, That's How I'll Show My Love For You!" My husband's sign said, very simply, "Jesus Said Love Everyone." My message was for those who are gay in the LDS church and their children. It was to tell them they are not alone. They are loved!

We stood across the street from Temple Square. I had several people shout at me as they were leaving the temple grounds, "Go home, apostate!" and "You don't deserve the gospel!" I hadn't come to speak poorly of anyone. I had come to say, "I love you. You're wanted."

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan sees the injured man and he is kind. He helps him. He offers to pay to care for him until he is well. I see the situation with homosexuals, their children and the gospel as a modern-day example of the Good Samaritan. Many will pass by, unwilling to care or help.

When I read blogs and posts on online media, "Why do they want the gospel anyway?" or similar statements dismissing the pain and sorrow these people are feeling, I wonder what statements were said by those who passed by the injured man. How were those actions justified?

I could have sent a message that said, "I love you." It may or may not have meant anything. I tell my friends I love them a lot.

When I stood there, beside my brothers and sisters with not a penny in my pocket, holding a poster that was written on the backside of another poster that I had made days earlier, because I literally didn't have another dollar to spend, in the cold November morning, holding my baby wrapped tightly in my arms and said the words "I love you," I think my friends were able to feel my love.

Lauralee Kohl has a degree in science and fitness from Weber State University and is studying dietetics at Utah State University. She is a fitness enthusiast who has lost 205 pounds.