Hi, I'm Laura

I'm a Social Worker. I'm a graduate student. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

Hi there! My name is Laura. I am a 27 year old graduate student. I graduate this December with my master’s degree in Social Work.

I am a born and bred “Utah Mormon.” Although I grew up in a suburb of Salt Lake City called Bountiful named after a city in the Book of Mormon and my high school class was probably 95 Mormon kids, I still had to figure things out for myself. When I was 15, I had reached what I felt was a crossroads in my life. I could follow friends who were choosing to reject the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or I could find out for myself which path was right for me.

As a teenager, I had a lot excitement about religion, and I loved to learn. I never felt like my spiritual knowledge was where it needed to be. I loved my life and I loved the fact that I was free from a lot of the drama and pain that accompanies the high school experience. Because I chose to be obedient to the principles that my parents and church leaders taught me, even before I understood them fully, I didn’t have to worry about drinking or drugs or sex, or other common plagues of teenage life. I remember feeling the Spirit of God touch me very gently when I prayed. It was so soft that I often wondered if I was imagining things.

Why I am a Mormon

One of the most remarkable aspects of our Heavenly Father’s plan is that we, as His children, have the opportunity to be taught by him and to learn and grow as our capacity for knowledge and growth increases.

“But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”
-Isaiah 28:13

When I was 21, I followed in the footsteps of my mom, and my older siblings, and clipped on a nametag to spend 18 months as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in northern New York. As a missionary, I had the opportunity to share more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I prayed to know how to be a good Gospel teacher and a good servant of my Heavenly Father. I noticed that God would give me what I needed to know in order to help someone we were teaching. He didn’t give me everything I needed to know, but He gave me what I needed to know to teach His Gospel.

“Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ… We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon. (The Book of Mormon is powerful spiritual nourishment.) We then remain steady and patient as we progress through mortality. At times, the Lord’s answer will be, “You don’t know everything, but you know enough”—enough to keep the commandments and to do what is right. Remember Nephi’s words: ‘I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things (1 Nephi 11:17)’” –Elder Neil L. Anderson, October, 2008 General Conference

Personal Stories

Why/How do you share the gospel with your friends?

Have you ever done something- read a book, baked a cake, watched a movie, etc- that was so great that you just had to share it with people? It is human nature for us to want to share with others the great things that happen to us. The Gospel of Jesus Christ excites me. My knowledge of the gospel has brought me so much happiness and has answered so many of my questions that I feel like I must share it with the people I love. It is human nature to want to share with others the things that have brought us joy. I share the gospel with my friends by talking about religion, and by answering their questions when they have them. I share the gospel by encouraging others to read from the Book of Mormon and pray. Most importantly, I share the gospel by trying to be an example of my Savior by showing love, kindness and patience to people around me.

How I live my faith

This past school year, I have volunteered as a seminary teacher. “Seminary” is a program for high school aged children designed to provide them with religious instruction to add to their high school education. The idea is that if we are able to help these young people feel the spirit each day, they will be better prepared to deal with all the challenges and emotional turmoil that come with being in high school. Once again, I have prayed for help. I have asked my Heavenly Father what I need to do to help these teenagers strengthen their faith in the Lord and arm them with spiritual knowledge and understanding. Once again, I have been reminded that although I don’t know everything, God will give me what I need to teach them. I am reminded of the scripture:

“Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not.” –Doctrine and Covenants 6:34, 36

I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so grateful for the strength my knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has given me. I am so grateful to know that I am not alone in this world. Even when I feel afraid and lonely, I know that God is watching over me, and that He stands ready to bless my life, whenever I humble myself enough to request His blessings

Why do you have 12 Apostles? They were just meant to be around for the time of Jesus Christ, not to be replaced with new apostles.

Mark answered...

The principle of a perpetuating body of twelve special witnesses of Christ comes in ancient times from the fact that the eleven survivors of the death of the Savior chose a twelfth to replace Judas Iscariot (see Acts of the Apostles 1:15-26) Two were considered worthy to take his place, but only one was chosen. When the apostles cast their lots, the inspired choice fell upon Matthias.

In modern times, the Church's organization has been one of gradual building. As the needs of the Church have continued to grow, the prophet of the Lord has been directed to add not only the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, but other supporting quorums of the Seventy as well. The structure of the local organization of wards and stakes has been given by revelation to complete it. But as the needs of the Church continue to evolve so will the structure which supports it. Christ remains the chief cornerstone and the Apostles as the foundation with Him. (see Ephesians 2:19-20 also Ephesians 4:11-14)
Scott Jackson answered...

When Jesus Christ was on the Earth, He established an organization of prophets, apostles, teachers, and other leaders to lead and guide the members of His church (the body of Christ, as it is referred to in the New Testament). When Judas died, and Jesus had left the Earth, the first order of business for the other 11 apostles was to fill the vacancy. They did so by praying and seeking out revelation. They eventually decided on Matthias. This example shows us that apostles were not only to be used for when Christ was on the Earth, but that God wanted Apostles to lead His children at all times. Unfortunately, apostasy stirred within the early church, and the apostles were killed one by one. The world was left without Priesthood leadership, until the time of the Restoration, when this same authority was given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery from the very same Peter, James and John (as resurrected beings). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints has 12 apostles, just like in New Testament times. These special witnesses of Christ bear solemn witness that Jesus is the Christ. They help the Prophet and President of the Church to share the Gospel message to the four corners of the Earth.

How can I find someone to talk with, in person, about the Mormon religion?

Elder Nolte answered...

The missionaries are one of the greatest resources to find out more information on the church. If you want to know more, ask someone who is a member of the church.