Hi, I'm Dario

I grew up in Mexico. I lived in China for a few months where I met my wife. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I’m a Latino student from Mexico. I’m in college now, studying International Relations. I like foreign affairs and to learn new languages, I always find fascinating to learn from different countries cultures. One of my favorite things to do is to read history books that help me learn from the past. I also like to write short novels and poetry. I’m not a good writer but I have found that by writing I can express very unique feelings and thoughts that are hard to be expressed other way. That’s also why I like to have a personal journal. For the last two years, I have been studying Chinese language and culture; I have lived in Asia for some time also. I love the millenary history of this continent. Even tough I live out of home and spent long periods of time far away from home, I have found two things. One, family is the most important thing in my life, the love that I have for my parents and siblings and the love they have for me, gives me strength to keep going, to keep studying, working and doing good. Family is my source of strength. And two, having knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ allows me to understand better other people’s feelings. Sometimes language is hard, and cultural barriers are thick, but service, charity, a simple smile is a universal language.

Why I am a Mormon

I'm a Mormon, because it helps me understand my purpose on earth. It makes me happy and gives me hope, it helps me be a better person, and strength my desire to love and serve my family and those around me.

Some years ago, when I was on High School, my father challenged me to read a volume of scriptures that we hold as the Word of God in the Church, called the Book of Mormon. When my father challenged me to read daily and pray to get to know the truth of this book, I wondered why I should do it, because I have grown in the Church and I was taught those were truths. What I had at that time, was the teachings from my parents, and a tender example of a loving family. But my father knew of the importance to get to know the truth by myself. I did read and prayed for several months, and during that time I got to know much more about myself, my role as one of God's children, and the responsibility that comes with the privilege of having experienced what I did experience. I simply felt joy. I felt happiness for having a Heavenly Father who cares about me, I felt gratitude for a Plan of Salvation, which allows us to return to Heaven if we endure during our time on this earth. This knowledge came not from my parents, they prepared me and paved the way with good teachings, but it was ultimately my responsibility to seek for answers. I'm a Mormon because I received a personal sweet, delicate, yet powerful answer that this is God's truth on earth.

After that personal experience, I decided to serve a two year mission for the Church. That was a beautiful opportunity to invite others to do the same that I did. To pray, to ask, and to listen to God's voice which is always inviting us to come unto Him.

Personal Stories

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

A few weeks ago, some of my new coworkers invited me to go out and have dinner with them. I accepted eagerly because they all are very friendly and fun to be around. At the restaurant they requested some alcohol to drink, and when it arrived they grabbed my glass to give me some. I said that I don’t drink and that I would have only water. My rejection created all type of reactions, one of my friends said that I was very healthy, another said that I had a lot of self-control, one more asked out loud how was I going to have fun then?. I explained that the principles that I had been taught in Church was the reason why I didn’t partake of some substances like alcohol, tobacco, coffee among others. Their curiosity and surprise only grew with that. I explained that in Church I had been taught that my body is God’s greatest creation, and that my responsibility is to maintain it healthy and away from addictive substances. In summary, I explained a principle that we learn in the Church called the Word of Wisdom, which can be considered also a code of health. They were all very impressed by my answer and after I finished talking I realized that they were very attentive and quiet. Finally one of them said, ‘I had a friend who was just like you, he had a lot of self-control and was never afraid of being single out because of his unpopular choices’, and then he asked ‘are you a Mormon?’. I said, yes I am!

After we left that restaurant, I felt the sweet Spirit that comes because obedience and because of the joy of sharing what I believe with others. I’m not always as good in being what I should be, or perfect in my actions, but the opportunities to serve and to share what I believe to be true could come at unexpected times, thus the great responsibility to ‘be … an example of the believers’. 1 Timothy 4:12

How I live my faith

Service in the Church and in my community are important ways to experience personal growth and to show gratitude for all the blessings I receive every day. In church, I have an assignment in which I have responsibility to teach every Sunday a class for people of my age. At first I was very scared of doing so. I’m an international student, and I was being asked to teach not only a class for my peers, which I considered very challenging, but also I was asked to do so using my second language. I prayed to God and asked for strength and guidance. Since the very first Sunday that I taught the class, I noticed that I was receiving God’s help. To teach that first class was in fact, very difficult for me, but I would never forget the feeling that I experienced when I spoke of the scriptures and bare my testimony. I knew that that I was receiving Heavenly help.

I also like to serve in my community. There are plenty of people to serve, sometimes it is small details but even those make a big difference in the life of my family and friends. I’m not always perfectly aware of service opportunities, but I have tried to pray for them, and I try to humble myself to find others to help. In fact, when I’m having a hard time in finding such opportunities, I know it’s a good time to ask myself, what should I improve or what am I missing. Sometimes is hard to set in our schedules big opportunities to serve, but I have learned that when I take some time to be God’s hand among my family and friends I came out more edified and ready to learn and progress. Few joys in life are compared to those of having someone smile because of my help, and to be able to feel peace and smile because I know that I did as Christ would have done.

Does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints endorse political parties?

Dario answered...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has no political affiliation, and remains neutral on political activity. As declared by the Church, its purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, not to elect politicians, and this applies to all the nations were the Church is established. In the same way, the Church does not endorse nor promote political parties, and its members are not directed to vote for specific candidates. Elected officials who are also members of the Church, does not represent the Church's position.

However, the Church does encourages us, members of the Church, to play a responsible role as citizens of the nations, to be informed, and to exercise our right to vote. Also, we are expected to respect others who think different and to participate in dialogue and exchange of ideas to reach consensus.

In the Church, we learn since we are young to be responsible and to seek to serve our communities and families. The Church's programs aims to strength our capacity and willingness to serve others. In this same context, we support leaders and programs which purposes are to make a better world. I personally support leaders who inspire those principles, and pray that whoever is elected would make wise decisions for the welfare of our nations and those of others. To obey, honor, and sustain the law of our country is an important responsibility of every member of our church.
Dallin answered...

The Mormon Church does not endorse political parties. It does, however, strongly encourage political participation. We believe that one of God's greatest gifts to his children is the freedom to choose. With this gift comes the responsibility to do our part to make good choices. It is a great blessing to live in areas where we have the opportunity to vote for our leaders.

What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' attitude regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage?

Gregg answered...

We believe the Bible and other records passed down through centuries, that God has spoken to man starting with Adam and Eve and continues to speak to us in modern days. God loves us and knows what will bring us true joy in this life and in the life to come. He has declared and continues to command that sexual relations are only to be practiced between husband and wife, legally and lawfully married. He has ordained marriage for the purpose of binding husbands and wives together in a special relationship that can last not just in this life, but for all eternity, and to bring children into the world and nurture them.

Others will fail to understand these truths or try to change them, but the family is central to God's plan and he continues to make his will quite clear on this matter. As members of his church, we will defend these truths.