In mid-1977 and early 1978, a group of gay Mormons began meeting very quietly at BYU. One member of this group, Matthew Price, became very enthused at the idea of a national organization of gay LDS people and began to promote it with gusto. He organized a group in Salt Lake City and then moved on to Denver and Dallas, forming groups in those cities. Under Matt's guidance, a constitution for the organization was written, stating its goals and purposes. A name was selected: "Affirmation - Gay Mormons United."

During late 1977 and early 1978, Affirmation was struggling to achieve a firm foundation. The Salt Lake and Dallas groups met only sporadically and the Denver group had dissolved completely. Affirmation was still a one person show, surviving mainly because of Matt Price's determination and persistence. However, a powerful boost occurred when Paul Mortensen read an article about Affirmation that appeared in the Advocate. Excited about the prospects of establishing a branch in Los Angeles, Paul contacted Matt Price. Then after many letters and phone calls, the Los Angeles group was organized in January 1978. Although only six people attended the first meeting, the Los Angeles Chapter exploded and soon appeared as the leading chapter for Affirmation. Through its influence, chapters appeared in many cities around the country and, later in the year, a network was established to allow cooperation among the various branches. During this time, the Dallas group discontinued as Matt became ill and could no longer be involved.