Hi, I'm Jim

I am a Mormon. Everything good in my life has come from my decision to join The Church.

About Me

I was born and raised in Colorado. I have lived (because of my work as a social worker) in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Florida. I have always wanted to do the work that I am doing to help individuals, children, marriages, and families. I am so blessed in my life!

Why I am a Mormon

I was raised going to many churches. I went to church with whomever I was with for the weekend. In some cases, I went to religious activites with friends and families during the week too! I must admit that I was often confused. When I was 12, I chose to get baptized in one of the churches I had previously attended because I felt it was important to keep the commandment to be baptized. At that time, I also decided that I wanted to read the Bible. I read it from cover to cover.

Then, I made a friend in 7th grade that was just the best person to be around. She was always kind to me and my family. She seemed different than my other friends. She seemed genuinely happy. I did not know why this was or what made her different, but we became very good friends. Eventually, we reached the age where I was allowed by my parents to date. I decided that I wanted to ask her out. I felt certain that she would accept my invitation after being friends all these years. I knew that she cared for me, and I certainly cared for her.

She said that she could not date me because she had not yet reached the age to be able to date. I inquired about this. She told me that there was a prophet on the earth that said that young people should not date until they were 16 years of age. I found this interesting and perplexing. I had read the Bible by now and I definitely believed in God. However, my church really never told me about things like dating and things like that. I kind of scared her when I stated asking about her church. She timidly gave me a book called "A Marvelous Work and A Wonder." I read it quickly. As I read it, I learned about a book called "The Book of Mormon." I asked her if I might have a copy of this book. Inside the copy that she gave me she wrote a simple sentence, "Please read this with an open mind."

I began to read The Book of Mormon. I immediately recognized it as scripture. I knew because of reading the Bible that this was scripture. I felt immediately that it was true. By the time I read the incredible story of Lehi's dream, I knew what I was reading was the word of God. I asked if I might learn more about the Church and join it. To my surprise, my parents agreed and I was allowed to meet with the missionaries and join the Church. My baptism day was one of the most special days of my life.

Just months later, everything fell apart for me. My father began to oppose my attending the Church. He forbade me to attend the Church any longer. On some Sundays he literally blocked the door and prevented me from leaving. Some days he would force me to sit in the kitchen and listen to him read books or other literature that said that the Church was not true. It was a dark and hard time and I hated that I could not attend Church. It would be 5 years before I would be able to get away from his influence and attend Church again. When I decided to serve a mission, I wondered what he would do and how he would respond. He did everything he could to stop me, including trying to arrange meetings with a local minister who was very much opposed to the Church. However, the Lord blessed me to be able to avoid those meetings and serve a mission to Southern California.

Since that time, I have been blessed to have countless opportunities to grow and progress in the Gospel. I completed my mission, returned and served in my Branch and worked in the temple each week. Eventually, I married in the temple even though most my family could not attend. It was such a remarkable day. It was another of the most remarkable days of my life. I have been richly blessed with a wonderful wife and 5 wonderful children. They are truly the light of my life.

Everything good in my life, every truly happy memory in my life, has come as a result of my decision to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that God our Heavenly Father lives. I know He sent His Beloved Son to Redeem me and give me hope. I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I know that Brother Joseph did have the First Vision, translate The Book of Mormon, and do the work of restoring the true church on the earth again. I know that there are living prophets and apostles on the earth today and that the Lord works through priesthood authority to bless the lives of His children. Each day I awaken, I am filled with gratitude that the Lord cares for me and my family. Each night as I retire to my bed, I feel so blessed that my life is enriched so fully by the true Gospel. It means everything to me!

Personal Stories

How has attending Church services helped you?

I have learned that I am much like an ember in a fire. If I am removed too long from the fire, I will burn out. Yet, put me right back in the fire and I will glow strong and bright and true. Church services are how I seek strengthening and power and help. By gathering together with individuals and families that I consider brothers and sisters, I gain strength. Church has gone from what I knew as a child as an optional activity if we did not have other plans, to an essential activity that is really the highlight of the week. After every Sunday, I am renewed, enriched, uplifted, and helped to be a better man for the rest of the week. By the time the next Sunday comes around, I am ready again to be surrounded by the fire of the Gospel so that I can burn bright for another week!

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

Ever since I was a young boy, I have been interested in learning about my ancestors and where they came from. I have always wanted to hear stories about my family and what they did. I felt like it was a part of who I am and what made me! After I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I learned that those feelings were inspired by the Lord. I also learned that I could perform an unselfish service for my family that would bless them forever.

Like many converts to the Church, no one in my family had previously heard the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and had the opportunity to be baptized and receive all the saving ordinances of the Gospel. How exciting it was for me to learn that I could discover who my ancestors were and then go to the Temple and perform sacred saving ordinances, like baptism, for them. This is called "proxy" work. I go to the temple for them so that they may have the same opportunities that I have had. They have the choice to accept what I have done for them or not, but I feel the desire to do this work for them so that they at least have the opportunity like I have had!

How I live my faith

I was just recently asked to teach a Sunday School class for new members of the Church. I love it so very much. Before that, I was teaching the music to the children under the age of 12. We have over 200 children and I did that for 3 years. I love to serve in the church. I chose my picture because I am in the middle of serving ice cream at a party. I am most comfortable if I am serving, working, or helping others. I love that the Church allows me to be of service.

I also enjoy the early morning hours of the day. I love to start each day very early. I pray, read my scriptures, and spend time studying the lessons and messages from our leaders. I have been doing this for over 20 years, every day, and it has richly blessed my life!

I love spending time with my family. We have a special family night each week. We pray together and study the scriptures together every day. My wife and I have a weekly date and we try to go to the temple often. I take my kids on a "Daddy Date" at least one time per month to just do something fun with them. I also love to have "Father's Interviews" once a month with each child to help them with whatever we are doing. We also try to have fun and laugh a lot, whether it be at family dinner, playing together, or on vacation! Family is the best!

What blessings can you receive from reading the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other scriptures?

Jim answered...

I love to read the scriptures! I don't want to sound like I am bragging at all, but I have been reading the scriptures everyday for over 20 years. I feel such a desire to study God's word that I will not let a day go by without reading from my scriptures. Usually I get up early in the morning and study first thing. It makes my day go better to study the word of God and pray before everything else begins. Someone has said, "When you want to talk to God, you pray. When you want Him to talk to you, you read the scriptures." I know that He has talked to me and helped me and taught me, because I read His words every day! What a blessing it is to have scriptures!
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Can husband and wife be together forever? Do you believe that families will live together in heaven?

Matt answered...

The Lord would not command us to love each other so much during our lives only to tear us apart in the next life. We are one flesh just as the Lord is one with his church. The scriptures say that we are not to be put asunder.
Christ gave his apostles special revelations on this subject:
Matthew, Chapter 16:
Jesus said to his apostles:
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

What else would his apostles bind, and what else could the Savior mean, if not marriages? Christ put no limit on their binding power to bind relationships and covenants. Their power extends into heaven.
And he continued by saying:
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
– because some things are kept sacred until later times when the world is ready to receive them.
Temple sealing and eternal marriage are primarily the subject of modern revelation through prophets in our time.

In the latter days, according to prophecy, Elijah has returned to join families together. Malachi 4:5-6. We believe that prophets in each age bring new revelation from God. Amos 3:7.
This latter day revelation has finally made clear how families are kept together in heaven—something people have wondered about throughout the ages. (Ephesians 5:32, wherein it says that the subject of marriage in Biblical times was “a great mystery”). In our time, the purpose of marriage and family is clear: ordinances are being performed to unite the whole human family throughout all dispensations of time. It is a unique work for the latter days. These modern revelations free human kind from the depressing, and divorce-promoting idea that the family becomes meaningless in the life hereafter. The Lord would not put us in a world so alien to our heavenly home. In heaven, families are the eternal organizational unit in his kingdom.