cor Two weeks ago | came to a final conclusion a5 to now I should proceed with respect to your Father. It 1s important that | share that concluston with you. | appreciate your cooperation and patience with me as | have Struggled through this situation. As you wrote in your last letter, you nad Not asked me to get Involved or to take any action; therefore, whatever | did, it was at my own initiative. | recognize that fact and | am grateful for your tolerance as | have tried to decide what is the proper course of action, From the beginning, my involvment could only relate to your Father as it concerns my offictal Church position. | have great concern and empathy for you as a person but you have your own Bishop and Stake President to help you from a Church point of view. Therefore, | have struggled with how to bring your Father to accountability and how to bring about the Process of repentance inhis life. If he had admitted the transgressions } lconfessed them, the course of action would have been clear. However, has steadfastly and vehemently denied them. Even after | confronted |with your sister I letter of accusation, ne continued to deny ~ Having met with him several times before | presented INN letter to him, | was not surprized at his denial. Therefore, | had fasted and prayed as to how | should proceed. | had also searched the Church handbooks and consulted with the General Authorities on the general principles. involved. AS | did so, the following approach became clear to me. Church disciplinary action has the following three main purposes and, in all Cases, the Disciplinary Councils are Counctls of love and not retribution: 1, To help the transgressor to complete the process of repentance, 2. To protect the image and reputation of the Church, and 3. To protect the innocent.AS | Considered your Father's situation, the last two purposes 01d not seem , The transgressions are mot common knowledge in this area ‘and, Since reasons for Disciplinary action are never made public, the Teputation of the Church was not the issue. Also, his current wife and ner immediate family, including ner daughter and her daughter's husband, are ‘aware of the charges. Irrespective of what decision the Church might Make, they will nave to decide whether to belleve nis denials or not and to ‘Take appropriate action with respect to their children ‘Therefore, the issue of Church disciplinary action revolves around | __ whether formal Church discipline would help him in the process of Fepentance, Anticipating nis denial, | had reached the conclusion that it would not unless he admitted ana confessed to the accusations against him. Church discipline without confession in this case, because it didnot ‘Inwolve the other two reasons for disciplinary action, would only be Tetributive andinot helpful. Consequently, after his denial, | laid out for ‘him very explicitly the following options that lay before nin: 1. He was guilty and ne decided to confess it. In this case, we would Proceed with a Disciplinarry Counc] and we would try to help him through the repentance process sa that ne would have a chance to work towords exaltation in the Celestial Kinggom 2, He was guilty but he continued to deny it. No disciplinary action would be taken, but | was referring judgment to his Father in Heaven. | Speaking as our Father in Heaven's representative in this area, | then went on to Say that he was forfeiting all rights to exaltation in the Z I Celestial Kingdom unt!) such time as he confessed and went through * the repentance process. 3. He was not guilty and, therefore, he naturally continued to deny it. No disciplinary action would be appropriate. | tolo nim that, though | mignt have some personal feelings, the Lord had not revealed to me in unequivocal terms between his guilt or innocence. Therefore, the decision was his, and nis alone, as were the Consequences of nis decision.He hesitated momentarily and then continued to oi against him, | then told nim that, as far as Churen dis: concerned, the issue was Closed and ne was in the hands of accepted that fact and we concluded the interview. As par concluding instructions, | informed him that the Church would not delve into this issue in future worthiness interviews unless the issue was raised by him or unless he changed his mind and decided to confess. The issue was now between him and his Father in Heaven and his savior. AS 2 parting thought, | commented on a separate worthiness Issue concerning his financial commitments to your mother and your younger Sister. | told him that, independa with respect to you arid HEM ne could never consider nimseit totally worthy as long as he hag not met his financial commitments to them. He acknowledged that fact Once again, I appreciate you patience and cooperation while | have struggled to reach this conclusion. | believe that it ts a correct approach and | hope that it 1s acceptable to you. | intend to write toll and to share this conclusion with her. Also, since | spoke with your other brothers and sisters, | will write to them and include exerpts from this letter that explain the course of action that | nave taken. In conclusion, | pray the Lord's blessings upon you. with all that you have been through, | hope that he will pour out his spirit and richest blessings upon you and your family. Sincerely,