Hi, I'm Javier

I'm a medical student. I am a community activist. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a medical student and will begin my residency in Obstetrics in July. I am also a husband to an amazing woman and father to the greatest little man. I work in the Latino community, focusing mostly on health care and mentorship. Whenever I have a moment to myself, I love to immerse myself in music, history books and sports. I can also be found on the running trails in the city, jogging with my trusty Golden retriever, Vincent.

Why I am a Mormon

Being a Mormon helps me be the type of person I want to be. It makes me a better husband and father by shifting my focus from my needs to those of my family. It makes me a better physician because it helps me see all my patients as children of the same God. My belief in Christ has been a driving force in my choice of career and in the decisions I have made to get involved in my community. Many people see science and religion as being opposites, but I don't think that is true. I think that both are an honest search for truth, and I have been blessed to have them in my life

How I live my faith

I teach Sunday school, which is a calling I love. it gives me a chance to throw myself into the scripture and really pull out the themes and lessons that apply to my life, and the lives of my fellow members, at any given time.

Why did your church previously practice plural marriage (polygamy)?

Shannon answered...

Because the Lord commanded it for a period of time. It wasn't easy for those who practiced it. Many, even Brigham Young (the second prophet after the death of Joseph Smith) had difficulty accepting the revelation. It took a great deal of soul searching and personal submission and communion with God for many of those individuals to reconcile themselves to the practice of plural marriage.

Even in ancient times, when the practice was culturally accepted, plural marriage was difficult. Moses, Abraham, and many others who practiced plural marriage because of God's commandment all experienced personal challenges arising from their family situation. But sometimes life is such: God requires difficult things. The difficulties never seem appealing to us, but if we are faithful, we will find that God had reasons for the challenges He gave us.
Leo Ebbert answered...

The short answer is that, for a time, God commanded it. It was a challenge for those families commanded to practice it, but they accepted the challenge with faith.

There have been many times throughout history that God has asked His people to do difficult things or things that go against the norms of society. For example, God has commanded plural marriage in the Bible. He commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, stopping it at the last minute. He commanded the ancient Israelites to destroy all inhabitants of many of the settlements in the land of Canaan when they returned to the promised land.

The knowledge of these things challenges our faith but we must recognize that God's ways are not our ways and He controls all life.

If plural marriage is something that keeps you from the church or keeps you from investigating further, I invite you to consider this: it really comes down to one thing. Was Joseph Smith a true prophet or not? If he was, then the commandment came from God and He restored His church through Joseph. Answer that question and the rest falls into place. I am happy that I did.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

Kevin answered...

I suppose that new and different things have always been a challenge for some. It seems possible that the New Testament Christians might also have been called a cult: they were few in number, taught new, or at least different, doctrines and were lead by strong, charismatic leaders (a study of the early apostles like Peter or Paul bears this out).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the Mormon church) follows the teachings of Jesus Christ as contained in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We do not worship our founding prophet (Joseph Smith) or our current prophet (Thomas S. Monson). We teach that men are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrice on the cross and that as we strive to follow Him and keep His commandments, that redemption becomes personal.

If others persist in defining the Church as a cult, in spite of our rather obvious Christian beliefs and doctrines, then we will simply have to agree to disagree.