Hi, I'm Nathan C.

I've been a member all my life with a deep testimony of the restored Gospel.

About Me

I am married to a wonderful woman and we have two wonderful boys. We live outside of Washington, D.C. I currently work in web site management, serve as the Cubmaster for two Cub Scout Packs, and as a stake athletic director. My first love is baseball, I majored in linguistics, have a Masters in Sport Management, love the gospel and am doing the best that I can do to obey the commandments and raise my family.

Why I am a Mormon

I have been a Mormon my entire life. My paternal grandfather joined the church in California when he was a teenager, and my mother joined the church when she was a teenager as well. My parents met at BYU and married two years before I was born. They raised me in the church and taught me the principles of the gospel in the home.

That being said I had to develop a testimony for myself. Unlike converts who can pinpoint the moment in time when they were converted, I would have to say that my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel came gradually over the years. As long as I can remember I always had a testimony of the gospel and knew that my Savior loves me. Being human, we all have our weaknesses, and despite a period of "going through the motions", I have never lost that testimony.

Over the years I have developed a spiritual understanding that this is the true church, and as I've read about the history of the church and the prophecies of what's been foretold by ancient prophets, my mind has been able to recognize the human events that, if studied with an open heart, will show the learner that this church IS the rock cut out of the mountain as foreseen by Daniel of old. (Daniel 2)

Personal Stories

Please share your feelings/testimony of Joseph Smith.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he actually saw Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father in a shady grove in upstate New York in 1820, just as he said he did. How do I know this? By prayer and asking God if it actually did occur. On numerous occasions, in my prayers or simple moments of reflection on the topic, I have felt an overwhelming peaceful presence confirm to me that Joseph Smith indeed was a prophet of God.

How I live my faith

Growing up I was a little bit leery about serving in the Church, but now that I am an adult, I realize the importance of serving where we are called to in the kingdom of God.

As the priesthood holder in our home, with two small boys, I look forward to teaching them the gospel and reading the scriptures with them. It's been exciting recently to see our oldest, who is just over two years old, start to understand the stories of Jesus and expect scripture readings before bedtime. He also loves to re-read and re-watch the stories of David and Goliath, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, Daniel in the lions' den and Jonah in the whale.

I'll admit I'm imperfect. I've made mistakes in my life, but I am grateful for the atonement and that a loving Heavenly Father gives us multiple chances while the world gives us very few. I try to learn from my mistakes, and seek ways in which I can be of service to other people, even strangers on the street. I love the phrase: "Love all. Serve all." That is exactly what Christ asks of us.

What do Mormons believe happens to us after we die? What do Mormons believe about life after death?

Nathan C. answered...

When we die, our spirits are separated from our mortal bodies. While our bodies are buried, our spirits go to the spirit world to await resurrection, which will occur after the Second Coming of Christ. Once resurrected we will all be judged, according to our own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. Repentance in this life can erase previous sins as the great prophet Isaiah penned: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

Do Mormons practice polygamy?

Doug answered...

The short answer: no.

The fun answer: I am always a bit surprised when I get asked whether Mormon's practice polygamy, especially since it is a point of pride among Mormons that we tend to be more "monogomous" than the general population - the divorce rate among Mormons is much lower than it is among non-Mormons, hence marriage to a second, third, or fourth husband or wife is much less likely.

The informative answer: In the first half of the 19th century and beginning with Joseph Smith, the founding Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Lord commanded certain men to take more than one wife for reasons that are known in full only to God himself. These men and women sought in faith to live the commandments of God as they were taught by the Prophets of God. The practice of plural marriage continued in a highly organized and church-sanctioned fashion until the Lord commanded that the practice be discontinued in the year 1890.

I am a descendant of the fourth wife of one such man. I have read his journals and heard accounts of his day to day interactions with his family and friends. He was a good and an honest man, as were most if not all of the men to whom the command was given from the Lord to take more than one wife, both in the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in Biblical times.