Hi, I'm Sara

I'm into reading, hiking, painting, secondhand clothes, and playing with my cat. And I'm Mormon, too.

About Me

I grew up in Utah but recently relocated to the Seattle area, along with my husband of (almost) three years. Shortly after moving here, we painted our living room purple and adopted a cat we call Walter. I earned my degree in Creative Writing, but my academic plans aren't over yet! Future studies in Religion, Women's Studies, and Design are all dear dreams. For now, I'm taking advantage of my local library (libraries are terrific, aren't they?) and working on becoming a doula (a support person for women in labor).

As for religion and life philosophy and such, there's one guiding principle that I think is really crucial. It comes from the 13th Article of Faith (found in The Pearl of Great Price) and says: "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." I definitely believe in seeking after the good and true and beautiful things in life, the things that bring happiness, joy, and peace. In my time thus far, I've found a lot of good has come to me and my loved ones through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Good has come from other places as well, from other religions and philosophies and worldviews. I'm grateful for all the virtuous and lovely stuff, regardless of its origin, and I plan to keep seeking after these things because, as I see it, they all have a role to play, and they all testify of the love and majesty of our Heavenly Parents.

Why I am a Mormon

Part of the reason I'm a Mormon is simply that I was raised by Mormon parents, with Mormon aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends. Being Mormon is something I was taught, in a sense, and things like church attendance, prayer, and service became habits early on.

All that said, Mormonism hasn't always been an easy path or an obvious option for me. I'm a very thoughtful, analytic person by my nature, which is awesome in some ways but can also be very challenging. There have certainly been times when I've come up against a tough situation and thought, "Is this Mormon thing really what I'm supposed to do? Should I keep going with it?" Those questions have been brought on by many things, including personal struggles, questions about spiritual truth, and just the normal confusion that comes with growing up and living your life.

I know lots of people ask questions like I did, and it seems like there are lots of different answers to be had. For me, the answers are clear and consistent: Yes, this Mormon thing is really what I'm supposed to do, and yes, I should keep going with it.

Ultimately, I am a Mormon because I feel that it's part of the plan for me. I feel like there are certain things I need and want to do in life, and Mormonism is a part of that. I want to be wherever my Heavenly Parents want me to be, and from what I've seen, from the answers I've sought, I can tell that this church is it. I am a Mormon because I feel happiness and peace as part of this faith. I am a Mormon because there are people I can help in this community, but also because there are people in it who can help me.

Personal Stories

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

The Holy Ghost is a tremendous blessing in my life. It's often called "The Comforter." As a little kid, my teachers in church would often compare the feelings that the Holy Ghost brings to the warm, safe feeling of being wrapped in a big quilt. I've felt that comfort many times, allowing me to calm down when I'm upset or feel loved when I'm lonely.

The Holy Ghost also provides direction for my life in an intensely personal way, through what's called personal revelation. Our prophets and other church leaders are such great resources when it comes to knowing God's commandments and counsel, but gaining that personal revelation has helped me to know God's will for me as an individual. That personal revelation comes through the Holy Ghost, and it's such a gift.

How I live my faith

In a personal sense, I live my faith by learning. I'm still figuring out what faith is and how it works for me and what I'm meant to do with it. I live my faith by evolving and growing little by little into the woman I'm going to be, with all the setbacks that entails. I live my faith by keeping close to my Heavenly Parents throughout that process. I live my faith by caring for the people around me.

In a more concrete way, I serve in my ward as part of the adult women's organization (Relief Society). My responsibility is to teach a monthly lesson on a gospel topic (topics like honesty, charity, tithing, repentance, etc.).

What do Mormons believe about the nature of God?

Sara answered...

Trying to define what Mormons believe about any particular thing is tricky, because there's diversity in our personal experiences and testimonies. The only thing I can speak on with full confidence is what I believe about the nature of God, what I have learned in my life as a Mormon. When I hear the word "God," I think of it as a title, one that most often refers to our Heavenly Father. I think of him as a perfect being, a divine parent with a body and with a personal relationship to all his children. I think of someone powerful, kind, wise, and incredibly loving. "God," as a title, can also refer to Jesus Christ, our Savior. Mormon doctrine teaches that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are two separate people, that Jesus is Heavenly Father's son, but that they are alike in power, intellect, love, and glory. Finally, I've found it important in recent years to think of how the title "God" is also appropriate for our Heavenly Mother. I think of Heavenly Mother as someone powerful, kind, wise, and incredibly loving, a perfect being and example to me. In 1910, a leader of the church named Elder Rudger Clawson wrote, "It doesn't take from our worship of the Eternal Father, to adore our Eternal Mother, any more than it diminishes the love we bear our earthly fathers, to include our earthly mothers in our affections ... we honor woman when we acknowledge Godhood in her eternal prototype." Whatever name or title we prefer, a timeless definition comes from a Mormon hymn: God is love.
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Kathleen answered...

This question is easily answered in the words of one of the children's songs "I know my [Heavenly] Father lives, and loves me too". We believe in a loving God, who knows us each individually. Another way I know that God loves me because he has heard and answered my prayers many times. Some people think that God is angry, but I do not believe that is so. Matthew 7:11 reads, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those that ask him?" I think that just explains it all- as parents we want the best for our children. God, our Heavenly parent, wants the best for us, too. As parents, we recognize that giving our children everything they ask for isn't necessarily what's best for them. God does this for us also.

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

Steven answered...

No, but we are instructed to be involved and to seek spiritual guidance in all political matters.

We believe that the leaders of a nation, state, and community can have a great influence for good or for evil and we need to ensure that they are represent our values and beliefs.