Hi, I'm Emily

I am a wife and an expecting mother. I am a chemical engineering student. I am a Mormon.

About Me

I am a college student studying chemical engineering. I am married to a student studying civil engineering. We enjoy adventures like hiking, camping, California traffic, and sight seeing. I like helping others using my engineering and science background. I help elementary students learn about science. I like to crochet and do family history. Gerber daisies are my favorite flowers and I love love LOVE watermelon!

Why I am a Mormon

I was born to parents who are members of the church. They taught me about the gospel and I chose to be baptized when I was 8. It may seem that a little girl at the age of 8 can't really decide for herself if she wants to be part of a religion, yet I did decide and many years later I am still actively participating in the church. My love for Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father has grown over the years. I find joy in attending church and living the commandments. Being a Mormon helps me to keep a proper perspective about life. We learn in church that we are children of God and He loves all of us. He has given us many blessings and I can show my gratitude and honor Him by living His gospel.

The emphasis the Church has on family has also become increasingly important to me. I am married and love my husband very much. I want to be with him forever. By living the gospel and being worthy, I can live with him forever because of the blessings of the gospel. The Mormon church has Temples where we can go to make commitments with the Lord. One of the greatest commitments, or covenants, that we make is that of marriage. I will be with my husband and children forever because of the blessings of the Temple. This is a great comfort for me.

Personal Stories

What has helped develop greater harmony in your home?

Developing harmony in my home has been on my mind. My husband and I are newly married. We have a desire to build our home on a strong foundation. We want to create a home where love and peace are felt. Being members of the Church helps us to know where to start as we build our home together. In our first few months of marriage we have found that consistent prayer together as well as reading the scriptures together daily has helped us grow closer to one another as well as closer to God. By reading the scriptures and Ensign (or Liahona) and praying, we are able to invite the Spirit of the Lord into our home. If we have had an argument, peace replaces anger and we are able to forgive one another. Forgiveness has mended the rifts my selfishness has created more than once. We are all human and all make mistakes. A Mormon family isn't a perfect family, but it is a family that can receive great blessings if they strive to include the Lord in their life.

How I live my faith

I live my faith by upholding the standards the Lord has set and taught to us through the gospel. Each day I try to be an example of what I truly believe. When I am having a conversation with someone who is not Mormon, I try to include my church life in my words. For example, if a co-worker asks what I did over the weekend I tell them I went to church. By sharing the everyday part of being a Mormon, I eliminate the weirdness and rumors that are often associated with Mormons. I show that I am a real person and it is my beliefs that set me apart in a good way.

What is the Relief Society?

Emily answered...

Relief Society is the Church's organization for women. We are a society of sisters who are diligent in living the Gospel. Sisters in the Relief Society are just that: sisters. We care for one another. We help and encourage each other to live the Gospel. We share testimony (a declaration of what we know is true) of the Savior and of the blessings of living the Gospel. Relief Society is a support system. When someone is sick, injured, having a hard time, or recently had a baby, Relief Society sisters are often among the first to help. We help those who are Mormon and we help those who aren't. Relief Society embodies love, compassion, service, righteousness, and spiritual and physical strength. Relief Society has given me strength to continue living the Gospel. My faith has increased through the lessons I have learned in Relief Society. My resolve is greater and my desire to be righteous, even when it is hard has increased.
Karen answered...

To me, Relief Society means friendship. It's an opportunity to know and love and learn from other women from so many different backgrounds and situations and ways of looking at life and yet they are truly my sisters! I can't tell you how many times I have been wrestling with an issue in my own life and there, during the course of our class or other conversation, comes the answer. I know that Heavenly Father so often works through others to answer our prayers, and to me Relief Society is a huge example of that. I'm grateful not only for those who reach out to me, but for the opportunies to reach out to others through Relief Society. It is an inspired program and a wonderful asset to my life!

What will the Mormon missionaries talk about when they visit my home?

Jordan Christiansen answered...

I served a mission in South Korea for two years, so I can tell you. :) The missionaries will probably be as nervous as you are as they arrive at your home. The nervousness does not come from timidity or a lack of belief in the message they bring, but because they want so much to express their testimonies and the Spirit they feel to you.

The missionaries will likely introduce themselves and get to know you and your family. Though missionaries are called by God to preach His word, they come from largely every-day backgrounds and have lives likely much like yours.

After getting to know your family, they will likely ask what questions you may have about life or the Mormon church. Using the scriptures and their own personal experiences, they will seek to help you find answers. Don't be afraid of asking any question or thinking you may offend or sound silly to the missionaries. They are called to help and serve and are very understanding.

After answering your questions and sharing a spiritual message, the missionaries will ask you to act on the message. A soccer player does not listen to his coach during practice only to go home without kicking a ball, right? In the same way, the missionaries will invite you to read a chapter of scripture or seek for yourself that what they are saying is true. You don't have to just take the missionaries' word in what they say--a loving God is happy to answer thoughtful, earnest prayers seeking for the truth.