Hi, I'm Sydnee Alese

I'm a college student studying about autism. I speak Spanish fluently. I grew up in California. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a college senior studying Psychology and getting a minor in Spanish. I am studying to become a therapist for people with Autism.
I am a true blue Californian. I play piano, I'm learning to play the guitar. I love hiking, camping, dirt biking and 4-wheeling. I am the oldest of 5 children.

Why I am a Mormon

I was raised by Mormon parents and was baptized at the minimum age of 8. I have always been a member of the LDS Church. Even though I do not have a "typical" conversion story, I still had to choose to continue to be a Mormon. A "convert" to the Church is anyone who has let the Gospel of Jesus Christ take root in their hearts. It's someone who has dedicated themselves to service and loving others in the wake of Christ's example and is willing to obey God's commandments. So even though I have always been a Mormon, I still have had to choose to be a good member of the Church, choose to follow the commandments, and foster a desire to gain a testimony of my own that all of this is true.

And you know what? It is so worth it. I know that by following the commandments God has given us, He blesses us with knowledge, peace, comfort and happiness. Because I have chosen to follow His commandments as best I know how, I have been blessed to know that this Gospel is true. The Spirit of God has witnessed to me that it is true, and I know it. Just like I know that the sun will come up again in the morning, even if I can't see the sun all the time.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons go on missions?

We serve missions to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone who is willing to listen. Our purpose is to bring people closer to Jesus Christ and we know that the Gospel is the way to do that. Because the Lord has blessed my life in countless, countless ways, I want to be able to repay Him somehow by helping others come to Him. I love this Gospel and the Lord, and I want to share it with others. I want them to have the chance to be happy as I have been happy.

Why/How do you share the gospel with your friends?

The gospel and my knowledge of the truth of it is one of the most important possessions I have. It has given me more joy than I can even imagine. I want to share it with those I love, and even those I don't know yet, so they can feel what I feel and have the opportunity to be truly happy.

How I live my faith

Right now, since I am in college and constantly moving around, I am called to different assignments fairly regularly in my ward (congregation). Most recently I served as a pianist for the class all women go to, called Relief Society. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to serve in this capacity. Not only did my piano skills improve, but I was able to bring the right spirit to the meeting by playing hymns of the Lord. When the women sang to they sounded like angels, and I know it wasn't because of my playing!

As a college student, I go to a lot of young single adult activities organized by the Church. We have Family Home Evening, which is a time that a group of us get together and have a gospel discussion, study the scriptures, play fun games, do service activities, and eat great treats. Most members of the Church do this with their own families, but since we are away from home, we get together as peers and friends - this helps us feel united and strengthened together.

What is the First Vision?

Sydnee Alese answered...

The First Vision is what we call Joseph Smith's remarkable experience in having God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, appear to him in a grove of trees near his farmhouse home. Joseph had been praying to know which church to join because he didn't seem to find one that had the truth. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him as two separate Beings and spoke to him, called him by name, and told him not to join any of the churches because the church that Jesus Christ had established while on the earth had been lost. The authority of the Church in Christ's time had died with the Apostles.
Joseph Smith was informed that he would be the prophet to restore, through Jesus Christ, the true Church again upon the earth. It is a miracle that this happened because he was only 14. I am so grateful for his faith and willingness to serve the Lord. Because of his decision to follow the Lord, I am now blessed to be a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ.
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What do Mormons believe concerning the doctrine of grace?

Adam answered...

Grace is a gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ. The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

Everyone on earth experiences physical death. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, all will be resurrected and will live forever.

Because of personal choices, everyone also experiences the effects of sin. These effects are called spiritual death. No one can return to the presence of God without divine grace. Through the Atonement, we all can be forgiven of our sins; we can become clean before God. To receive this enabling power, we must obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, which includes having faith in Him, repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives.

The grace of God helps us every day. It strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him, His grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses.