This is a report of the founding of MESJ's Los Angeles chapter, on March 17, 2005. The report was written by Charles Quisenberry. Charles's report captures the passion and hopes that motivate MESJ's work.

If the earth is a being, then we are her ornaments. Every being that glistens on her marbled surface changes her mien, alters her presentation. She spins through the ether, and we who warm in her bosom serve as her decoration. If we sink into malice or greed, we lay garish and hideous against her. If we expand into our birthright as God’s children, if we incandesce with his goodness, we become luminous points of light on her heaving landscapes.

We hope the planet has of late gained just a bit more luminosity. On March 17 of the year 2005, a small but irrepressible band of God’s children met at the crumbling edge of the North American continent. In a small living room plunked perfectly into the heart of the city of Los Angeles, three men and two women spoke quietly into the space between them. Humble servants of God, they purposed all to join hands and seek justice and comfort for those who suffer in the world. Inspired by the Savior and the prophets to offer solace to the oppressed and dispossessed, to love those who are the least of these our brethren, they moved to found the Los Angeles chapter of Mormons for Equality and Social Justice. Present were James G. Tobler and his wife Debora Wrathall Tobler, Eric Taylor, and Charles and Kathrin Quisenberry.

The group is small, but then all good things have small beginnings. We humbly pray that our work is pleasing in the sight of the Lord, and that we can bring even a glimmer of his love into the lives of his children.