Hi, I'm Travis

I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I love music. I think there is a real power and spirit in the things we hear and create. Writing and listening to music is a huge hobbie of mine.
My siblings are my best friends and I would do anything for them.
I love skateboarding and snowboarding and shreddin with my bros!

I'm very easy-going and love to relax. Stress is something I like to avoid although, it's quite inevitable. I attended a University, and now I'm serving a mission for my church. Being a missionary has given me so much perspective on life and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a mormon because it makes me happy. I know there are a number of other things I could be doing with my life, that would bring the instant gratification. But, that's not what I want. I want something that will last my whole life and even after that. That's why I'm a mormon.
My family is super important to me too. My siblings are seriously my closest friends and I would give anything to spend forever with them, which I know I can do. My parents have stood by my side through thick and thin (with a lot of thick). I also know that one day I will have a family of my own that I can live with forever. What could be better than that? I know that there is something for me after this life, something that I can strive for.
As a human being, I'm far from perfect and I can't stand the feeling of guilt I get when I do something wrong. Being able to lift that guilt from off my shoulders and eventually live with God again, means so much to me. We have that opportunity with the atonement of Jesus Christ.
I am a Mormon because if I wasn't, I know exactly where and what I would be doing right now-and I don't like it. It's hard for me to imagine myself living the life of an average college age kid. Being a Mormon gives my life direction and helps me develop into someone I never thought I could be, the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. I think again about the average 19 or 20 year old, and wonder what they are doing on a typical friday night.. While sounding fun at first, I then think to what I'm doing now, serving a mission, and I'm glad I'm here and not in their shoes. What a blessing this has been for my life. I'll always have a plan for me, whether it's my own goals, or the goal that our Father in Heaven has given us (hopefully they'll be the same!), I will always have direction.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons go on missions?

For me I always just kind of said I would serve a mission, without giving it much thought. Until the time came for me to serve, I really had to make a concious decision. It was scary to say the least. To leave my family and friends and people that I was soo close to, for 2 years, was definitely not an easy decision to make. But here I am on a mission. There has not been a single day where I've regretted my decision to go and serve. They say, "a missionary is someone who leaves their family for a time, so that others can be together with the families forever" unknown source. The Mormon church has blessed my life in ways I'm just beginning to understand. If I had even just one opportunity to give that to someone else, I would take it. And I have taken it because every day I have the opportunity to help someone else come closer to Christ and live a much happier life.

How I live my faith

For the time being, I live my faith by serving a mission. Practicing perfect (or near-perfect) obedience has taught me a lot about who I am and what I am capable of. By sharing what I know to be true with others who are struggling or who are just searching for "something more", I have learned to love and be selfless just as the Savior Jesus Christ was. My testimony has grown and I've gained a huge appreciation for the gospel of Jesus Christ that I've had since I was born. It was something I took for granted-But not anymore. I know why I am Mormon and that's why I'm out serving a mission.

What is faith?

Travis answered...

Faith is knowing something is true or real, even without seeing it or touching it. Just as you have faith that you will wake up in the morning, you can have faith that God lives, and that Jesus Christ is our Savior.
To have faith, all you need is a desire alma 3227 in the book of mormon. That desire alone will give you the faith necessary to trust in the power of prayer and in your Heavenly Father's ability to answer those prayers. As you learn to pray and feel good when you do it, your faith will grow and even though you don't see God, you will KNOW that he is there.
Zen answered...

Of all the definitions of faith I have read or heard, I add the simplest and most complete to me, which is the Love of Christ. I cannot think of a better way to describe faith. Love of Christ is the substance of hope in something evident we can not see with earthly eyes. It is the faith in Christ or the love of Christ that enabled Able to make a more perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 11:4). That love is why we believe in Christ, it is why we have grace, it is why we have works, it is why we have belief, it is why we have hope, it is why we have charity, it is the very essence of faith, and faith is the very essence of the Love of Christ

Perfect knowledge is worthless without faith. For instance, most of us have perfect knowledge that applying a pointed pencil to paper will cause a mark. That knowledge will not make a mark if we do not exercise the elements of faith called works (picking up the pencil, applying it to the paper, and making a mark), belief (that doing so will make a mark), and hope (that it actually will make a mark). It is my desire that you would exercise works to find out about Christ and study Him, that you would believe on His words and His life and His sacrifice, and that you would hope that He would have an effect in your life. If you exercise this faith, you will truly come unto Him.

Are all Mormons required to serve a mission?

Nick answered...

"Required" is an interesting word when it comes to faith and religion. In the Mormon Church no one is "required" to serve a mission. Church membership is not revoked for not serving a mission. In this sense, they are not required, yet serving a mission is encouraged at many stages in life and in many different capacities throughout the world.

Missionary service is a tremendous blessing, a challenge, and one of the main focuses of the faith. The life of Jesus Christ was the life of a missionary in many respects. Performing service for one another, preaching the glad message of the gospel, and increasing the faith and dedication of God's children are exemplified in Christ's life and mirrored by those in missionary service.

To dedicate a portion of one's life in service propels those who serve and those who are served into a better life. During my two year mission to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and during my two year service mission with LDS Family Services, I was greatly blessed and strengthened. (I hope those whom I served found some value in my service as well.) That strength has taught me to better navigate this life, has kept my family relations intact, and has been the method of helping others overcome their trials as well.

Spiritually speaking, I don't find value in reflecting on what my life would be like without serving a mission. Instead, I rejoice in knowing that without that time in missionary service my life would be significantly less happy and productive. In my life, serving a mission has taken on many of the characteristics of a "required" act since I can't picture myself progressing very far without having served as a missionary. While not required to be a member of the Mormon church, missionary service has been a critical and welcome part of my life and growth spirituality. I will be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to serve missions, and look forward to serving in many more.