Hi, I'm Matthew

I grew up in Germany. I have 3 girls. I'm a Creative Director. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints my entire life, but unlike many Mormons grew up in a part-member family. My father is a not a member of this Church, but is a good Christian and has always been supportive of my faith. My mom is a member and has ancestors that made the trek across the plains with the early Mormon pioneers.

As a child I had the amazing opportunity to spend the first half of my life in Germany while my father was stationed there as an officer in the military. This provided me with a wealth of experiences in learning about different cultures and gave me a profound respect for the United States of America. I am a true patriot and believe that this country was founded on just principles inspired by God.

I am married and have been blessed with 3 beautiful daughters all of whom seem to have inherited my intense hyperactivity! My wife is an amazing woman who somehow has managed to cope with the 4 of us as I'm really just a big kid trapped in an adult's body.

I love to be creative! I was a cinematography major in college with an emphasis in Multimedia Design. Over the years I have had opportunities to work in a variety of industries as an interactive designer which is great since I don't like to be stuck doing the same thing day in and day out. I believe that there are no limitations as to what one can accomplish if they work hard and believe in themselves and what they are doing.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born into the Church, but that's not why I'm a Mormon. The simple answer to this question is because I know it's true. How do you explain a feeling that you have deep in your heart? How do you convince someone of a conviction of faith? I don't think you can, it's something they really have to discover on their own.

I could write an elaborate answer as to why I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true Church on the earth today, but what purpose would it serve if the person reading it lacked sufficient faith to believe it?

I'm Mormon because I prayed to know the truth about my purpose in life and received an answer from God. I'm Mormon because I have seen how this Church and it's teachings are changing me into the person I want to be. I'm Mormon because I continue to see God bless me in every aspect of my life. I'm Mormon because it's what brings me peace and happiness.

That's why I'm Mormon. I do what I believe God wants me to do and not what others would have me do.

Personal Stories

How has attending Church services helped you?

Going to Church is in a way like going to the gym. People go to the gym to workout and get strong, I go to Church to renew my covenants with my Savior, Jesus Christ and to get spiritually fit. You can't expect to build muscle if you're not willing to put in the physical effort, likewise you can't expect to be in tune with God's Spirit if you're not willing to exercise faith through frequent Church attendance.

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you in your life?

The Savior taught that we must not judge others and must forgive them of their trespasses if we in turn expect to receive forgiveness of our sins. I think in a world that is filled with egos and opinions this is an important lesson to learn.

None of us are perfect. If we can learn to acknowledge this and work to love one another then there isn't any challenge that we can't solve working together. It took me a long time to learn this principle, to realize that I'm not any better than anyone else. When I finally came to this realization I felt a tremendous burden removed from my shoulders and saw the stress in my life diminish.

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

I don't always understand what I'm reading in The Book of Mormon, but when I read it daily I feel a tangible force in my life that helps me avoid things the will distract me away from God's Spirit. I can't really describe the feeling but it's real and in many ways feels like God is watching over me and protecting me from evil. I have never had this feeling from reading any other book and it's one of many reasons I know it's true.

How I live my faith

I try to live my faith by being a good example to my family. The most important job on the planet is being a parent and I just want my kids to turn out better than I did. The sad reality is I think they're teaching me more than I am them.

Over the years I've helped out on several service projects throughout the community. I've always enjoyed serving others and found that many of my happiest moments in life have been when I'm doing something for someone else.

Like many LDS young men when I was 19 I took 2 years out of my life to serve as a full time missionary in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Some of my non-Mormon friends thought I was insane to take that much time off from college. I think that this experience helped me see the world from a different perspective and helped shape my character. I know that my faith increased substantially from the opportunities and challenges I faced while living there. I returned home and got my degree, ironically before some of my critics. I look back at this experience as one of the key moments in my life that helped shape my faith. Like Jesus Christ, I had the opportunity to forget myself for 2 years and just serve others. This was a real blessing and I'm glad I did it.

What is the priesthood?

Matthew answered...

The priesthood is the authority to act in the name of God. Following Christ's death the Apostles held his priesthood but were slowly killed off until the priesthood authority was lost from the earth. This period of time is known as the "Great Apostasy." This authority was later restored in modern days through the Prophet, Joseph Smith.
Show more of my answers Show less of my answers One Moment Please
Ethan answered...

I like to approach questions by looking at the words of things

"priest" has reference to either the concept of one who leads, one who is elder, or one who is holy I like to remember that the words 'holy' and 'whole' are linked by a common ancestry. When something is 'holy' it's essentially saying that it's complete, that it's healthy..

And "-hood" makes reference to the state of being, and not just any state of being but a state of being that's worthy or correct for it's placement. That is, that it's done properly.

So one could say the priesthood is leadership or a point of reference that's completely suited to the position in which it's been placed.

Another way to look at it is to say it's God's perfect order. That is, it's God's perfect arrangement.

In our Church we often give a definition of priesthood as being "the authority to act in God's name" and that's exactly what it means to be a part of God's perfect order. If God commands something to be done by you, and you do it, then you are acting under, and with that portion of God's authority that he's permitted you to exercise within his perfect order.

Just as with any instance where someone tries to act in the name of someone else there are bound to be those who try and do so falsely. That's why God has things ordered in such a way that one can know for certain if someone has His God's authority, or not.

How can we increase our faith in Jesus Christ?

Brian answered...

Faith in Jesus Christ doesn't just happen. You have to work for it. I discovered my faith increasing when I decided to study the scriptures for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Doing so has allowed me to understand the doctrines of the gospel on a deeper level. Scripture study coupled with daily personal prayer where I really try to converse with my Father in heaven, and seek to know His will concerning me, rather than give him a list of my wants and needs and ask him to grant them as if he was my personal butler. The best way I have found is to seek to do as Jesus did. Be friendly with everyone I meet. Go the extra mile and help people beyond what is expected. Avoid judging people and try to find the good in people, rather than dwell on their weaknesses. I've found that seeking to do God's will and striving to live like Jesus Christ taught us to live, has not deprived me of anything, rather by doing things Heavenly Father's way has freed me and brought me more happiness than trying to do it my own way.