Gay Service Weekend
Scheduled During Mormon Conference

LGBT activists in Utah plan to sponsor a weekend of service projects in conjunction with the upcoming general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The "General Service Weekend" is scheduled for April 4 and 5. Countering rumors that the event is planned to protest the Mormon Church's role in campaigns to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions, organizers say they want to present a productive counterpoint.

"General Service Weekend is not to detract from the LDS general conference; it is to reaffirm Christian acts of kindness in the community," organizer Jacob Whipple told the Deseret News . More than 500 volunteers are expected to participate in projects including road cleanups, gardening, and refugee assistance in Salt Lake, Weber, and Davis counties. All members of the public are welcome to attend.