Hi, I'm Ryan K

About Me

Husband, father, and grandfather. We raised our family in the Boston area and have lived in Massachusetts, Maine, Idaho, Wyoming, California, and Utah. I have served as a business executive and as a management consultant for forty years and have worked in the U.S., England, Germany, Brasil,and the U.A.E. Ancestry: 25% Swedish, 25% German, 25% English, 25% New England.

Why I am a Mormon

I am humbly grateful for the knowledge that we are all children of our Father in Heaven, that he loves us, and that, through his prophets, he teaches us how to live so we can return to his presence.

Through soul-filling witnesses from the Holy Spirit, I know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, and that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and was called to restore the Gospel. Through the same powerful witness, I know the Bible contains the word of God and that the Book of Mormon is a true, second testament of Jesus Christ. I have received a personal witness from the Holy Spirit that Thomas S Monson, current President of the LDS Church, is today’s prophet of God.

God has extended to worthy male members of his Church the privilege of holding his Priesthood—of acting in his name and in his stead. Although but an ordinary person, I have had opportunities to lay hands on my wife’s and children’s heads and, striving to follow guidance from the Lord, to offer blessings of comfort, of aid, and of healing.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

Family history research has helped me understand the roots of my character. The foundation was laid by my parents, as their foundations were prepared by their parents. My great-great-grandparents began the process of compiling stories and vital dates; modern tools have enabled me to extend their work. Although previous generations have passed on, I feel, evermore, kinship with them.

How I live my faith

I strive to be an honest, productive servant to neighbors and business associates of other faiths. As this is not easy, I am aided by daily scripture study and prayer. As with many of my associates, I find myself frequently praying silently for help during business meetings. Because I err—I’m given to traffic talk—it has also helped to listen to my wife, who is more empathic and discerning and who is trying to teach me to be the same.

What do Mormons believe about family?

Ryan K answered...

I am often asked "How can one travel frequently and still be a good father?"

My wife, God bless her, is the mainstay of our family. Were it not for her, I would have failed. As it is, travelling makes it hard to serve well as a parent. I learned from my father, who, due to business requirements, was also absent frequently from home. When at home, he was at home. He read to us, cooked the meals, and led in cleaning the house. His leisure activities were family activities—skiing and camping, for example. He took us with him whenever possible on church assignments. I learned to have family prayer and morning scripture study over a speakerphone no matter what the local time where I happened to be.
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Bradley. answered...

The family is a key component to support us in God's plan for gaining immortality and eternal life. All of God's children (all the inhabitants that lived, are living, and will live on Earth) are inseperably connected to each other, both (physically) by our Earthly families and (spiritually) by our Heavenly Father.

Families help us to understand our divine heritage. In this, life takes on purpose and meaning. Our immortal spirits were created by our Heavenly Father before Earthly existance, and we are directly connected to Him in this way. As a spiritual family, our collective purpose on Earth is to follow the commandments of God that lead us to live in heaven with Him again.

Our spirits need to progress, learn, and grow. In order to achieve that, Earthly existance was created as our test. Our Heavenly Father knew that being exposed to opposing forces on Earth was the only way for us to gain knowledge and wisdom.

However, we will not always choose righteousness, and so our Savior, Jesus Christ, is that great mediator to pay the debt of our mistakes. He is the only way by which we can be saved from our sins and transgressions. He is the ultimate example by which direction we need to live our lives. With the support of our earthly kin, we can learn from each other, serve each other, and strengthen our mortal weaknesses by being disciples of Christ. Our families are a gift from God, and we can be together forever.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

Tember Skye Harward answered...

Mormon's are viewed as a cult by some because we do not adhere to the fundamental creeds established by the other Christian churches, such as the Nicene or Athanasian Creeds, and their view of the Godhead. Latter-day Saints are viewed by other Christians just like the early Christians were viewed by the Jews and Romans of the time, which was as a cult, because they strayed from what seemed to them orthodox Judaism. Much like the Pharisees and Sadducees, who viewed orthodoxy through the lens of the rules laid out in the rabbinical law and their interpretation of the Law of Moses, the Christians of today view orthodoxy through the lens of the creeds that were established hundreds of years after the death of Christ under the opinion and counsels of men.

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Joseph Smith

As is the case throughout history God has communicated to His children through prophets. God used a humble man as a prophet to restore His Church on earth who ultimately died defending His faith.

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