Hi, I'm Jamie

I'm a Mormon.

About Me

Other than a Mormon, I'm also a gamer. You name it, 2600-360 I play it. I also love working on computers and just tinkering with technology in general. I work doing IT and one day hope to nail down some nice certifications and a college degree. Mostly I just roll with the punches, though I hope soon to blaze my own trail.

Why I am a Mormon

I come from a Pentecostal home, as such my new faith makes life interesting. Though it's tough, I know my parents respect that I am "searching for God" as they say. I don't think you would want to hear my entire conversion story, though I would like to share the abridged version.

I met with the missionaries through a member friend, and we went back and forth on every possible question you might find on the internet (I know, that's where I got them from). It seemed every time I came up with something, these guys had an answer, maybe not the exact, foolproof, watertight one I wanted, but something that worked. I loved how when I left from meeting with them everything seemed to gel.

A wonderful little aside is the fact that in one of my deepest hours of despair prior to talking with the missionaries, I cried out to God, begging him to let me know he was there. Some time after that my mom asked me if I even believed in God anymore, I told her simply, "I want to believe". During one of my lessons with the missionaries they recommended I read Alma 32:27 "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, -even if ye can no more than desire to believe-, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words"
The hyphens I use to point out the part that stuck out to me like almost no other verse in scripture. This word was for me, I don't believe a farm boy 180 years ago wrote this, I believe God put this in there for people like me.

What I feel to be the turning point in my conversion is when one night in discussion with the missionaries, a feeling of absolute peace came over me. I don't know how else to describe it other than the whole thing felt true, the whole church, all of it was right, it was the most intense feeling I have ever felt. The parts I didn't yet fully understand, the deeper doctrines, they mattered, but I genuinely felt like if I didn't know it in this life, that was OK, I would on the other side. Even now, typing this, I feel that same "blessed assurance" as the song says (a little nod to my pentecostal background :).

Even beyond these, God has given me multiple witnesses, things that just make the whole church make sense.

These are the reasons I believe the Gospel has been restored.

Personal Stories

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Prayer is my direct line to God, it is my way to tell him what I need, and listen for things he needs of me. I can pray for forgiveness when I have done wrong, or simply thank him for the blessings in my life. I strive to do better to formally kneel down and pray each day, but I feel like I am doing pretty well in staying in a prayerful attitude and keep God on my mind and just converse with him during the day.

If you can get to think like that it helps you make right choices because you are aware of God's presence and knowledge of what you are doing....

How does making right choices help us make more right choices?

Well, it's kinda like this. If I am doing something right, and I have been doing that thing right for a long time, you really don't want to ruin your record and have to start over, which in my thought process helps keep you on the right track.

How has the Book of Mormon brought you closer to God?

When I read the Book of Mormon, I often times find passages that speak very strongly to me, almost as if God had put them in there for people like me. This really makes me feel like I am doing the right thing by being in the church and I feel closer to God for it.

How I live my faith

Right now I am trying to learn and develop my testimony and strengthen my faith. I struggle with the same foibles as everyone else, but am very thankful for the grace of God, and I do what I can do live worthy of it.

What is the Mormon lifestyle like? How do Mormons live?

Jamie answered...

Much like other Christians, though with a few more rules based on latter day scripture.

We believe in the eternity of family so building strong family ties is important, as is the same with marriage.

Honestly, other than some different takes on existing doctrine and the possibility of new doctrine we aren't very different that what any Christian should be.
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Are Mormons Christians?

Charlotte answered...

Living in a place where Mormons are a small minority, this is probably the question I get asked the most. For me, nothing is more sacred and personal than my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe he was born of Mary and is the Son of God. I believe he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and died on the cross on Calvary so that all of us might be saved by the gift of His atonement. I believe he was resurrected three days later and that he will come again. I absolutely whole-heartedly believe in and love Jesus and am teaching my children to do the same.

Generally though, I've found that when people ask me this question more often they are asking what makes Mormons different from other Christians. There are 3 major differences: 1) We believe that God, the father, Jesus, his son and the Holy Ghost are distinct beings (the first two having a body of flesh and blood, the third being a spirit) that are united in purpose. So, we don't believe in the concept of the "Trinity." 2) We believe in an open cannon, meaning that God still reveals scripture. We believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God but we have companion scriptures as well that we believe are holy and inspired, most notably "The Book of Mormon." It is another testament of Jesus Christ, in addition to the Bible. 3)We believe that God still talks to man. Revelation didn't stop with the prophets in the Bible. When Christ's church was restored through Joseph Smith, prophets once again returned to the earth. We having a living prophet today, President Thomas S. Monson, to whom God speaks. In addition, we believe in personal revelation. Rather than telling people they must follow unquestioningly like sheep, Mormons are encouraged to ask God themselves about doctrine, actions and anything else they are concerned about. He answers prayers.