Hi, I'm Buddy

I'm a Mormon.

About Me

My wife and I have three children. I work as a patent attorney at a large law firm. For fun I like to spend time at the lake and play strategy board games.

Why I am a Mormon

I began learning about the Mormon church in high school from the baptist church I was attending. The things I heard from the baptist church raised some questions and I started talking to some of the Mormons I knew and asking lots of questions. I began to pray about what I was learning and believe that God was directing me to join the Mormon church.

How I live my faith

I help organize service projects to benefit members of our church and the community.

Do Mormons practice polygamy?

Jon answered...

No, Mormons do not practice polygamy and discontinued the practice over a century ago. Yet, whenever I discuss my faith, often the first question asked is, "how many wives do you have?" It is important to know that the religious groups that currently practice polygamy, as often seen on the news, have no affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Even though some of these groups may claim otherwise.
Kim answered...

No! The practice of polygamy by faithful Mormons ended September 24, 1890. Mormons today do not practice or preach or in any way condone the practice of plural marriage. If you hear or read about any group of people practicing polygamy you can be absolutely certain that they are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Any LDS church member practicing polygamy today would be immediately excommunicated from the church.

QUESTION: Why did your church previously practice plural marriage (polygamy)?

This is a good honest question that deserves an honest answer. My great-great-grandfather who joined the church in 1835 was a polygamist. If you are a Christian that believes in the Holy Bible and ancient prophets, you believe in and accept the fact that God has the right to authorize plural marriage when He sees the need, and He has the right to revoke that same commandment when He sees the need to do so. Many of the ancient prophets had plural wives such as Moses, Abraham, and Isaac. If you believe in the Holy Bible, you must accept this fact. But you also know that for most of human history God commanded men to have only one wife. The key here is to do what God commands, and don’t do what He forbids.

The period of time when Joseph Smith (1820-1844) was called of God to restore the “fullness of the gospel” to the earth, many important laws and ordinances were revealed and restored to the earth that had existed anciently. The power of the priesthood, temple ordinances, and the practice of plural marriage were part of that restoration.

But in 1890 the Lord directed the living prophet Wilford Woodruff to end the practice of Plural marriage. Since that time the Mormon Church has not authorized any such practice. This is a great example that demonstrates how important it is to follow living prophets who receive direction from the living God for our day.

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

Jacob answered...

We all have the freedom to pursue happiness in their own way, and I would even be willing to allow that some desires may be genetically given. This does not make our desires right. In the scriptures we read " For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord." (Mosiah 3:19) We all have "natural desires" that place us in opposition with God's purpose and desires for us and we must each seek to correct them if we wish true happiness.

I sympathize with those whose desires are powerful and poignant; you face a sore trial indeed. The scriptures give us hope though; "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) God is merciful and Christ is compassionate, while there may be yet an effectual struggle to be had perhaps for many years or the rest of our lives full repentance and change is possible.

If a homosexual individual desires to continue as such and marry only by the laws and rites of the state, then I have no qualms, I will do my utmost to be a friend to such an individual. I only ask that my rights, beliefs, and Church are respected.

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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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