Hi, I'm Joel

IT Guru, Scoutmaster, Husband & Father, seeking to make a difference in the world. And I'm also a Mormon Convert.

About Me

I am a Father of three wonderful children, a beautiful daughter and identical twin boys. I love my family and spending time with them. I enjoy camping and hiking when I can find time, and enjoy being the Scoutmaster of Troop 326 in Saco, Maine. My hobbies include web design, blogging, IT development & Hardware tinkering / hacking. I also enjoy reading about science, faith, and technology related fields.

Like anyone else I have had struggles in my life and am working to overcome them and be the best person that I can be. I converted to the church in 2005, and am so grateful for the changes it has brought to my life. I don't know where I would be without having the blessings of the gospel...

Why I am a Mormon

I was raised Roman Catholic. However there always seemed to be something missing, and so I began to explore other faiths. I explored non-denominational Christianity, Eastern religions, and Native American / "Pagan" faiths. I had some interesting experiences, but still something seemed missing. As I practiced each faith it was like I knew I had a piece of the truth, but that there was something more out there which I was lacking.

When my wife and I got married we knew there was no denying God. We became Roman Catholic as it seemed the best environment for raising families and we agreed with their solid moral stand on issues. However we still felt like there was something missing and became disillusioned with the rampant hypocrisy around us. After several years of trying our best to be faithful, we felt like we still didn't have answers to life's toughest questions, and had essentially withdrawn from God and became agnostic.

We were about to give up on Faith altogether when one day the Mormon Missionaries came to our door. I have since learned that everything happens for a reason, and it was finally our time to learn the truth...

Personal Stories

What has helped develop greater harmony in your home?

After being baptized, a person receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is a power that brings comfort, peace, and even revelation into the home of the faithful family. By having the gospel and practicing it in the home, harmony comes much more easily. Now I have a very chaotic and busy home with three young children. However we are able to keep them calm when we teach them stories from the Bible and Book of Mormon, and when we have weekly Family Home Evening and Scripture study. Now while they're certainly not perfectly calm, they know that these are special times when we come together as a family, and in this busy world our children love that quality time...

How I live my faith

Well growing up in Boy Scouting helped me to develop a love of service, so I always knew that service would be an integral part of my relationship with God. However, In the past I had always limited myself to serving in areas which I was comfortable with. Before joining the church I never would have considered speaking in front of a group, teaching a lesson to an entire class, or visiting strangers to bring uplifting messages into their home. The church has made me grow more fit as a person spiritually, mentally, and even physically.

With the guidance of church leaders and the support of close friends, I have been able to expand my capabilities and have true joy in my service of others. I have been able not only to help others through service, but to actually lead others and teach them how to serve, as well.

How does the Church finance its operations?

Joel answered...

This to me is one of the signs of the true church of God in these, the latter days. The church is 100% a volunteer organization. No one is paid for their service - it is given willingly, from the heart of the individual and a pure desire to serve the Lord. The actual operations of the church are funded by tithing, which again are voluntary contributions given by the grateful members of the church. In additional to tithing, fast offerings are collected. These additional offerings are used locally by the church to assist those who are less fortunate. It is called a 'fast offering' because members are encouraged to sacrifice two meals each month as a gesture of thanks to God, and donate the value of those two meals to those in need. Greater contributions are often given, out of the love and gratitude for blessings bestowed by God upon the members of his church.
Clint answered...

The Church finances its operations primarily through voluntary donations from its members, generally referred to as Tithing. The Lord commanded his people in the Old Testament to bring their tithes to his servants. Many Church members today voluntarily donate a portion of their income help the Church bless the lives of millions of individuals through providing meetinghouses for worship, schools for education, supplies for humanitarian aid, food and housing assistance to the poor, etc. In addition, the Church owns and operates taxable for-profit business enterprises that generate income to help fund Church initiatives. The Church invests a portion of its gross receipts to maintain a financial reserve, and income from these investments provide an additional source of funds.

What is faith?

Don answered...

Faith is taking action because of a hope in something. Often the Savior asks of us to do certain things or live in certain ways. When we see a stranger in distress, we stop and help them as Jesus commanded us to in the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25. The act of helping is the evidence of our Faith in Christ. We are asked to tithe. Tithing is evidence of our faith. We tithe in hopes of the promises in Malachi 3:10 that the floodgates of Heaven are open to us.
Faith is when we put our beliefs and hope into action.