Why I am a "Mormon"

     I think some might wonder why I have chosen a Mormon lifestyle. I feel impressed to make a post on the matter. So here I am.

     Some might say that I am a Mormon because my my parents are and I was brain washed into it or I am just trying to please them. This couldn't be farther from the truth, though I do like to make my parents happy after all the sacrificing they did for me, this is not a way they taught us to make them happy. They taught us that they would love us no matter what and that their house was a place where we were always be welcomed and loved. They encouraged us to find our own testimony of Christ.

     When I was about 13, my curiosity started to grow. I had friends that challenged my belief. There were people at church that behaved in a way that made me wonder why I was going there. I started to pray to know what was true. My parents were very good at allowing me to attend other churches. I went to several, a Catholic church, a Christian church, a Jewish church, a Baptist church and a few others. A close friend of mine had a wonderful mom who would tell me to go to church and look for ways to help others. I truly wanted to know where God wanted me to be. I remember asking Him to write it on my wall if the LDS faith was where I was supposed to be. Though this prayer was not answered in the way I wanted the answer came over the next few years through a series of experiences. I did what the gospel of Christ taught. I prayed, read the scriptures, fasted, attended the temple.

     God gave me some amazing leaders and friends from unexpected places. One of these friends was not always the best influence, but challenged me in ways that gave me the burning desire to know for myself. Without this friend I don't know if that desire would have been so strong.

      I knew that the Book of Mormon was supposed to be the "keystone of the LDS faith". So I needed to read it. I started with a little bit at a time each day. I was not an avid reader at this time and this is what I could handle. God knew me and guided me to the scriptures I needed to read. I read things like "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of His love" and "receive the Holy Ghost, it will show you ALL thing what ye should do." and "be familiar with ALL and free them with your substance, that they might be rich like unto you." and "yea, thus we see the gate of heaven is open to ALL, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God". It teaches over and over that Christ loves all and is waiting for you to look for him and love him back. The Book of Mormon and it's teachings made the gospel of Christ easier to under stand. If filled in some missing parts. The history and the way it was compiled and written in it's self is a testimony of the miracle that it came about. There is no way that a young farm boy who did not have access to undiscovered world history could have made this up. There was no turning back. I knew it was true.

     The LDS faith teaches and encourages people to pray for themselves to know. To read and to study it out in their minds. Not to contend with other in the matter of religion, but to teach "by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, by kindness." No other church offered this in my experience.

     I was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease which gave me a lot of opportunity to put my faith to the test. I was given a husband that could handle the situation and has helped me to climb out of my shell. I have had many other chances to evaluate my beliefs and each time I look to the gospel principles to help me. They always work. Sometimes it takes some perspective to understand a situation, but if I approach difficult circumstances with gratitude and a prayer I always come out of it feeling the love of God.

     I am a Mormon because of my faith in Christ, not man. Man cannot inspire me and comfort me like He does. Sometimes His comfort and inspiration is through man because I am young in understanding when it comes to hearing Him. He knows how to reach me and it's up to me to "see" it.

Temple Square Tradition

One of our favorite new Christmas traditions is to go to temple square sometime during the month of December.  We love to see the lights and watch the nativity dramitization with wax figures near the south visitors center.  It's magical to see all the lights and be reminded of the birth of Christ.

God be with you, till we meet again

Over the past 2 years I spent a lot to time with my sweet childhood friend Melissa Waller as her caregiver.  I got the amazing opportunity to be by her side through her fight with stage 4 lung cancer.  She was an amazing fighter and really did not complain much.  Of course the terms of this condition weighed heavy on her as she had to make many decisions and knew that her life was being cut short. But all in all she stayed true and positive through this horrific disease.  I often thought of her mom who also lost the fight of cancer.  I'll never forget the last time I was with her mom and hearing her talk of skiing again and not letting this disease define her.  Melissa had the same outlook on life which I know stemmed from her mothers example. 

My heart aches to think that the Waller family has lost two of their close family members to cancer.  Through this experience I learned what mourning with those who mourn means.  I truly felt like I lost of part of me.  I felt much comfort in being there for her family and in the understanding of God's plan for us and knowing, with out a doubt, that the part of me I lost the day she died will again be together when it is my turn to move on from this mortal life.  I am forever grateful for the kindness that was given to me from the Waller family.  They truly treated me as their own family member and I was honored to be able to be with her through her last breaths.  She died on a beautiful Arizona day which happened to be Thanksgiving.  The feeling that she was not alone as she left her body was undeniable.  Everyone who was in the room with her knew and felt that her mother was there to assist her on to her new beginning.  I personally felt the Spirit of God very strongly through out that last week with her.  We shared much of our young life together and I am touched by the love that Melissa and her family showed me during those years. 

Here we are the last time I got to spend one on one time with her in September.  This was the last time I really communicated with her.  We had a great time that week.  She dolled me up with a "Melissa" makeover from head to toes.  Then we went out to her favorite restaurant Postinos in Phoenix.  On this trip I brought all these letters she had written me after her family moved to Park City.  We used to write each other about twice a week.  The letters made her laugh so hard.  We laughed for a good hour and a half reading and talking about how silly we were in our early years.  I am so glad I made this trip.

This is us back in 1992 shortly after they moved to Park City. I flew down and spent two weeks with Melissa and her family.  I arrived to a welcome banner that the family made for me, taped to the garage door (I still have this in my scrapbook). 

Here we are about two years before the last picture at the Waller's home in Washington.  This was the beginning of the many "Melissa makeovers" that I had.  Her mom was so patient with us when we got into her bathroom and closet.  We used to love to sit in these "spinning chairs" in their front room to spin and talk.  Around this time I was ridding my bike to her house every morning to french braid her hair, then we would ride to school.

Draper Temple Dediation

This is a post from long ago that I never posted for some reason, so here it is:



Six months after we moved to Draper they annouced that a temple would be built.  The open house started in January and has gone until the middle of march.  In January, we attended the open house with all of our children.  It was a wonderfull experience to show them what it was like inside and explain what the rooms were for.

On Friday we attended the dedication with Robyn and Emma.  In order to attend the dedication, we had to recieve a special recommend from our bishop and had to be at least 8 years old.  We waited a long time before being able to go in (this was VERY hard for Emma who has a hard time sitting still and for me as well).  The temple had chairs and TV moniters set up in each room and even the foyer so many people could attend.  We were wisked up stairs and had a seat in one of the sealing rooms.  As we were waiting, I saw a mom of a friend of ours who was an usher and she said there were a few more seats in the celestial room and asked if we would like to go in there.  We said sure, not thinking much of it until we saw the pulpit and some posh chairs on one side of the room, about 30 chairs on the other side of the room and video camoras.  A few moments later, after we were all seated, in came Pres. Monson, Pres. Uchtdorf , Elder L. Tom Perry of the 12 apostles.  As they were speaking we talked to the girls about feeling the spirit and asked them how they felt about being there.  

For me the feelings of the spirit began as we were walking up stairs I saw a large picture of Christ standing with His arms out.  For me the whole purpose of the temple is to know Christ, how to live with Him again, with our families, and to feel of His love through service to others.  The other times I felt of His presence was while singing songs of Him and His spirit.  Music has always touched my heart.  It's a great way to remember life happenings.  Have you ever heard a song and felt an emotion tied to it?  I feel that when I sing a song about Christ and His teachings we are brought to a rememberance of where and we were before this life and that is why it is so touching when I am in the right frame of mind to accept those thoughts.