Hi, I'm Doug

I'm a family man, an accountant, a sports fan, and a prostate cancer survivor. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I've been married 32 years. We have four sons, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. I like reading biographies of people I admire, taking long walks, and visiting new places. I'm amazed at what a beautiful world we live in! I appreciate what my community has done for me and my family, and have tried to give back over the years by volunteering at the school, in Boy Scouts, and serving on the City Council. I look forward to getting better acquainted with you and making a new friend, even if we never meet in person.

Why I am a Mormon

I was raised in a devout Mormon home in Los Angeles in the 1960s. In school and elsewhere I was exposed to diverse experiences and viewpoints that caused me to wonder about basic questions ... does God live, am I here on Earth on purpose or by accident, etc.

I studied many things as I matured, including reading The Book of Mormon. I accepted Moroni's challenge and prayed sincerely to know if God lives, if Jesus is the Christ, if they did indeed appear to Joseph Smith, if The Book of Mormon is the word of God, if Christ directed the restoration of His church to the earth in our day, and other similar questions.

I received a strong personal witness of each of these things.

In the years since then, my witness has grown. I have become very grateful to my Heavenly Father for His love for me and for each of us that is manifest everywhere. This Earth is an amazing, spectacularly beautiful gift to all mankind. The intricate functioning of our human bodies is a true miracle. Even His commandments, which at first look sometimes seem arbitrary and overly demanding, are expressions of His love for me and for you. He wants us to have the maximum happiness, freedom of experience, health, and so many other blessings. I marvel as I live and experience life that each of His commandments are designed to give us all of those blessings and so much more!

Please read and carefully consider the promise of Moroni 10:3-5. You can and will receive this same personal witness. That witness will truly change your life in wonderful ways beyond your greatest dreams.

Thank you for reading my testimony and personal witness. I would love to hear from you.

Personal Stories

Can you talk about the missions of the Church and your participation in them?

The Church does missionary work for several reasons. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World. He organized His church when He lived on the Earth to teach His Gospel and to personally bless each of us. He has restored His church to the earth in our day. Mormons are excited to share this good news and serve missions to do this. Jesus also devoted His life to service. He healed the sick and ministered to the needs of the one. Mormons also serve missions as a way to follow Christ's example and give full-time volunteer service to help with health and other pressing human needs throughout the world.

I served a full-time mission in Kent, Suffolk, and London, England for two years when I was 19 years old. It was a physically demanding and deeply satisfying experience. I grew to love the English people in a way you can only do through service. When it was time to return home, there was a big part of me
that wanted to stay because of that love.

I have also served part-time missions with my wife locally where we have lived, and received the same blessing of love through service. She and I are making preparations so that we will have the health and other things we need to serve a full-time mission together once I am able to retire from work. We can't wait for this opportunity!

How I live my faith

I try to read from the Holy Scriptures daily, taking time to think about what I am reading and to pray for guidance.

This daily reading, study, and prayer is a real blessing to me. It gives me a sense of peace and reassurance as I face the amazing challenges of every day life in the 21st Century. When I miss a day, it is like I missed a day of eating. I truly need the blessings I receive from doing this daily.

I also try to live my faith by finding quiet opportunities to serve others. I am not an especially good singer, but I love to sing and listen to hymns -- it is a wonderful way to share my testimony of God and His love for each of us! I also write in a blog from time to time with some of my experiences and feelings about my faith. The link is in the "Follow Me" section, and I welcome you to visit.

I serve as a clerk in the Church, directly working with the Bishop and helping him serve the members of our ward. My wife is the ward Relief Society (women's organization) president, which gives her the opportunity to be the friend and mentor of 100 women. I try to support her in this effort any way I can. This includes making visits to homes, delivering baked treats and meals, helping the sick, the needy, and the grieving, and bearing testimony often.

I also try to live my faith by being a good husband, father, and grandfather in my home, by volunteering in my community, and in other quiet ways.

I strive to be a "passionately smiling tortoise, cheerfully faithful to the end". I don't always succeed, when that happens, I respond by trying harder. I recommend it as a very satisfying way to experience life to the fullest!

Are Mormons Christians?

Doug answered...

Mormons truly are Christians. We testify of the reality of the matchless life of Jesus Christ and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. He organized His church when He lived on the Earth and He has restored it to the Earth today, calling prophets, apostles, and others to direct it on His behalf. I encourage you to read the testimony of The Living Christ by His apostles today. You can find it at http://lds.org/languages/LivingChrist/LivingChristEnglish.pdf.

You can feel the power of our testimony of Jesus Christ and what He means to Mormons by reading this one page witness of Him.
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Richie answered...

Yes. We believe Jesus Christ is our Savior and we follow His teachings. We believe He is essential for salvation.

What do Mormons believe is the purpose of life?

Sarah answered...

Perhaps one of the greatest blessings I have received by being a Mormon is a concrete understanding of the purpose of life. We believe that every human being is a literal child of Heavenly Father. We lived with Him in Heaven before we were born on earth. Our purpose in life is to keep His commandments, so that we can be worthy to return to live with our Father in Heaven again after we die. We cannot be worthy without allowing the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Savior, to cleanse us of sin.