Hi, I'm Annie

I love adventure, travel, fishing, painting, and my 9-5 job. I am a small town Jersey girl, and I am a Mormon.

About Me

I am a small town Jersey Girl. I love my hot pink guitar, sleeping with the window open, cooking food that is healthy (but that you can't stop tasting), laughing, biking, yoga, fishing, road trips, time with the family, singing along to the radio, and making the boys in the office roll their eyes when I try to set them up on dates.

Why I am a Mormon

I know, I know... Born In Utah.... Living in Utah. Obviously I am a Mormon right? I was born into an LDS home, and was raised as such. However there is point in everyone's life where they have to decided if they believe what their parents believe. I developed my own testimony as I grew. I came to know of the truth of the things I had been taught as I received answers to personal prayer, and as I learned to rely on The Lord in those times when I could rely on no one else.

My friends never understood why I wanted to be at home when I could have been partying at the shore. (I lived in New Jersey for 9 years) How do you explain that to your fellow High Schoolers? The gospel applied, created an atmosphere of peace in our home and made it a refuge from the world. It was were I wanted to be.

I am a Mormon because the gospel makes sense. It just does, the more I study and learn the more it makes sense, the more I love it. If I hadn't been born into my faith I am sure I would be searching desperately for the peace, and knowledge I have now. I am a Mormon because when I am living my life in harmony with the things I have been taught, I am more than just happy. I experience Joy.

Personal Stories

Can you think of a specific challenge in your family that Gospel Principles helped overcome?

My mom passed away suddenly while I was in college. I was on the next flight home and as I sat on the plane sobbing and pleading with my Heavenly Father to make everything okay my soul was filled with peace. I had with me a small Hymn book and I read the lines to the hymn "Lord, I would Follow Thee." The first line is "Savior, may I learn to love thee." I contemplated those words over and over in my head. How do we learn to love Him? I was certainly learning to in those moments. The next lines "Finding strength beyond my own." became my theme for the weeks and months ahead. I truly found strength beyond my own, and was filled with peace. While nothing felt like it would ever be okay again, I knew it would be.

That warmth and peace became essential as I stepped off that plane and had to become the strong one for my little siblings. I would not have, and still would not be able to make it though this experience without the knowledge I have that families can be forever. That I will be reunited with my mom someday and that until then she is watching over me every single day for the rest of my mortal life. I know, through the gospel, that death did not release my mom from her call to be a mother. Relationships are eternal and that means the world to me. I am still learning to love my Savior, and would be no where without the knowledge of the perfect love he has for me.

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

How do you have a good relationship with someone you don't talk to? I think of my Heavenly Father much the same way I do my earthly one. My Dad loves to hear from me. He likes to chat, and catch up, and know what is going on in the lives of his children. He wants to be involved. He wants to help where he can, when we ask. He is a perfect problem solver. I talk to my Heavenly Father because I love him, and when I talk to him I feel his love for me. I know there is power in prayer and the peace it brings can't be replaced.

How I live my faith

Living my faith is just a natural part of life for me. I don't see myself as different than anyone trying to live any faith. You make decisions based on the principles you have been taught. You love the people you worship with, build each other up, and constantly work on improving yourself.

How can I know Mormonism is true?

Annie answered...

The only way to know if Mormonism is true is to ask your Heavenly Father in sincere prayer if it is. Read the Book of Mormon, attended church meetings, talk to LDS friends about the gospel. You will begin to feel a warmth and a power flow through your life. Then go to your Father in Heaven in prayer and ask him if it is true. Ask him to help you understand the feelings you are having and he will answer you. In that act of prayer the seed of your own testimony will be planted and it will begin to grow and bless you, your family, and all those around you.
J. Sean answered...

Here is a simple step by step instruction on how to know Mormonism is true.

1. Meet with missionaries.
2. Pray to Heavenly Father with real intent and ask something like this, " I want to know if this is Your church, so is this Your church?".
3. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON! Ask God if it is true.
4. Look for an anwser from God. He speaks with us through our thoughts and feelings by the Holy Ghost. Ask the missionaries for more details.
5. Come to church to see for yourself.
6. Keep the commandments that the missionaries teach you.
7. Repeat until answer is received.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

Scott answered...

Perhaps because they see how close-knit we are as a community, and it can be somewhat hard to understand this support network if you have never been part of something quite like it.

Sometimes we hear that some others may perceive or presume that members are 'brainwashed' with information and forced to conform to some standard. To those I would say that is exactly the opposite of what actually occurs under the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, Satan's way is to force people to conform. Study the life of Christ and you'll understand that He never forces, but instead always invites.

Freedom to choose is something that we believe is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind, and is fundamental to our faith. All people (Church member or not) are always free to choose what to believe and how to act (we call this agency) and are encouraged to seek understanding of the reasons for any invitation that Christ or the living Prophet extends to them.

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