Hi, I'm Meredith

I'm a convert to the church and have lived all my life in Arizona.

About Me

I'm a 39-year-old married mom of three daughters ages 13, 18 and 19. I joined the church 16 years ago. My husband joined 6 years ago and we were sealed to each other and my daughters in the Mesa Arizona temple.

I love reading fantasy/sci-fi and mysteries especially and doing outdoor activities such as hiking, exploring remote areas or watching wildlife. I especially love doing these activities with my family. I also love spending time with extended family, both mine and my husband's. I also love animals and volunteer at a horse rescue, as well as take care of many pets in our own home.

I am a former biology major and hope to finish my Bachelor's degree in the future. I currently have an Associate of Arts degree and am one credit away from finishing my Associate of Applied Science. My studies of various sciences have only served to solidify my faith and awe in our loving Heavenly Father and all the works of His hands.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because I have received confirmation from God that it is His true church upon the earth and that this is where He wants me to be. I was not raised in the church or with any faith very strongly and didn't become interested in religion in general until I was grown with children. After investigating many faiths through reading and attending their services, a friend of mine who was LDS and whom I had questioned extensively about her faith told me that the best way to find out where God wanted me was to ask Him, so I did. I received the answer through prayer that He wanted me to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but fear of what my family and other friends would think led me to try and ignore that answer. After several months, however, I knew I couldn't deny it anymore and that it was wrong to do so. I contacted my friend and asked her to put me in touch with the missionaries. Even before the first lesson though, I knew I wanted to be baptized. In a few months I will celebrate 16 years as a member of the church and I have never waivered in my faith. I have had the Spirit confirm to me many times since that this is truly God's true church upon the face of the earth.

Personal Stories

Please share your feelings/testimony of Joseph Smith.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, the same as Moses, Abraham and other Biblical prophets. He was blessed to bring about the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel in these times and in doing so underwent tremendous persecution and hardship, ultimately paying the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of God and Christ. I am so grateful to him for having the strength of will and character to face the trials he did so that the works of God could be performed and the Gospel given again in its fullness to God's children here on Earth. I would not have the blessing of the Gospel in my life today if it were not for Joseph Smith.

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

I find that sharing the gospel with my friends usually begins as the subject comes up in conversation. Sometimes we are discussing religion in general, sometimes the Church has been in the news and they ask me about it. Most of my friends know I am a Mormon and sometimes they will ask me questions. I then share what I know and believe because I love my friends and want them to have the same knowledge and blessings that I have through the Church.

How has your knowledge of the Plan of Happiness changed/benefited your life?

Knowledge of the Plan of Happiness has given me purpose in life. Before I learned of the Church and God's Plan, I didn't know why I was on this earth or even if there was any reason at all. Through knowledge of God's Plan, I know that I am His beloved daughter, that my husband and children and I are all His beloved children, that we can be together for all eternity and that we have the potential to become like Him. The Plan has also helped me in how I interact with my fellow human beings. Before learning of the Plan, I felt that human beings were parasites or a cancer on the world. Now I know that every person who has ever lived, now lives or will ever live is a beloved child of God and that knowledge allows me to see them in a whole new light and love them. My relationships with others has vastly improved due to this knowledge and my whole outlook on life in general has changed for the better.

How does making right choices help us make more right choices?

I have found through personal experience that when I make the right choices I can more easily feel the influence of the Spirit, which then leads me to make more right choices. When I make poor choices, I drive the Spirit away and don't have the comfort and guidance of his influence. I then find it easier to make more wrong choices. In fact, when I allow myself to make wrong choices it becomes harder and harder to resist making more wrong choices. Making right choices gives me the strength, through the Spirit, to resist the temptations that lead to wrong choices. The more right choices I make, the stronger the influence of the Spirit becomes in my life.

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you?

From the Savior I have learned patience and trust. Often in life we think we must have everything now, but that is not the Savior's way. I have found many times that if I wait patiently and trust in his will for me, I gain even greater rewards than I was initially rushing to get for myself. Often what I think I want now turns out to not be such a good deal if I just wait and think about it for awhile. The Lord's way is always the right way and we must have the patience and faith in him to not rush out and do what we want immediately.

How has the Book of Mormon brought you closer to God?

The Book of Mormon has enhanced my understanding of God and his relationship to us, His children. I more clearly understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what I need to do to return to my Father in Heaven.

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

We do genealogy work for many reasons. One of which is so that we can find our ancestors who did not have a chance to have temple ordinances done for themselves. We then do the work for them, giving them the opportunity to accept these ordinances if they wish doing these ordinances for our deceased ancestors in no way "makes" them Mormon, it only allows them to make the choice for themselves. We also search out our ancestors for many of the reasons that non-Mormons do so, because it is simply fun and fascinating to learn about those who came before you, who you never had a chance to know in life.

How has attending Church services helped you?

Attending Church services helps me to feel the Spirit more strongly and to carry that Spirit through the rest of my day and week. Attending Church is like recharging my spiritual batteries, helping me to remain strong in spirit as I face the daily temptations of life in the world.

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

When I pray daily I feel closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Prayer is how I communicate with my Father in Heaven. It is how I thank Him for the many blessings He has given me. It is how I ask Him for things I need or want. It is how I pour out my heart to Him when I am hurting. When I pray regularly I feel the Spirit more strongly and find it easier to weather the trials and temptations of life. I am calmer and happier when I pray often.

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

The Holy Ghost has guided me many times in my life. He has helped me determine which choices are wrong or right and has warned me of danger. He has confirmed to me the existence of God and the truth of the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

Greater harmony in our homes can be founded on the principles of the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus Christ. If we remember that every human being on earth is a beloved son or daughter of God and that we are all here to serve each other, it would erase much of the discord and strife that comes into our homes. If we could love each other as God and Christ do, so much of the negative things we do to each other would be wiped out. By stopping and thinking about how Christ would want us to respond in each situation, we could do away with harsh words and actions that hurt those we claim to love.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

Mormons go on missions in order to spread the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world and give as many of Heavenly Father's children as possible this knowledge so that they can choose for themselves who they will serve. There are many people still in the world who have never heard the Gospel or who have heard misinformation about it. The goal of missionaries is to educate and provide knowledge and then allow people to choose for themselves.

What have you done successfully to shield your family from unwanted influences?

I carefully screen what movies and TV shows my children watch. I have a password on my computer and it sits in the living room where everyone can see it. I have taught my children about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and what they expect of us and find appropriate, so that they are able to make better choices when they are out in the world on their own.

What blessings have come through your faith in Jesus Christ?

My faith in Jesus Christ has blessed me with the knowledge that I am a beloved daughter of God and am of great worth. I have learned that I do not need the fame and admiration of the world to be of worth, but that I am already of more worth than the world can ever understand, and so is everyone else upon the earth. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and family and with patience and love for others that I used to lack. I have been blessed to understand the principle of work and that it is not a "four-letter word" but is a great blessing. I have been blessed with an understanding of what it truly means to trust in the Lord and allow him to heal me.

Please share your feelings/testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel.

I know that the true church of God has been restored to the earth. I know that the complete truths and fullness of the Gospel were lost after Christ and his apostles were all killed off. Gradually, over time, the full truth of Chris's Gospel was lost from the earth. This Great Apostasy is mentioned in the Bible "Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition" 2 Thessalonians 23 After this time of apostasy the Lord chose Joseph Smith as his prophet to restore the fullness of the Gospel to the earth. Today, for the last time, we have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth, never again to be lost.

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you in your life?

The Savior's teachings of patience and love for all men have probably influenced me the most. I have never been a very patient person and this has led me to become easily frustrated by my own faults and those of others. Through Christ's teachings I have learned to be more patient, to wait for better things and to love others as he does and understand that everyone around me is my brother or sister and that we are all children of a Heavenly Father who loves us more than we can understand. This love helps to increase my patience with myself and others.

How I live my faith

In addition to attending church every Sunday, I also try to live my faith each day by remembering that those around me are all beloved sons and daughters of God and treating them accordingly. I try to surround myself with things that are uplifting and invite the Spirit of the Lord into my home and life. I serve in my ward as a Sunday School teacher for 6 year olds and have also taught in Nursery 18 months to 3 years, Sunbeams 3 year olds and 10 year olds in the past. I also serve as a Visiting Teacher, visiting with some of the women in my ward and seeing to their needs. When we had a Ward Activities Committee I served on that as well, helping to bring uplifting and fun activities to our members during holidays and at other times.
I teach my children the Gospel and about Christ and his sacrifice for all of us. I teach them to love everyone around them and remind them that we are all brothers and sisters, children of a loving Father in Heaven. I try to show them by the way I treat my husband what a marriage should be like. I teach them how to serve others by volunteering in my community and by donating items we no longer need or use.

What is the Relief Society?

Meredith answered...

The Relief Society is the women's group in the Church. All women in the Church age 18 and up belong to the Relief Society. It is the largest women's organization in the world. The Relief Society spearheads doing good works not only for members of the Church but for people all over the world. Women in Relief Society have put together hygiene kits to send to impoverished women in other countries, collected clothing and toys for children in shelters and many other similar acts.
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Dave answered...

Established in 1842 for women 18 years old and older, the Relief Society is the oldest and largest women's organization in the world. The motto: “Charity never faileth.” President Julie B. Beck has taught us: “Relief Society should be organized, aligned, and mobilized to strengthen families and help our homes to be sacred sanctuaries from the world. I learned this years ago when I was newly married. My parents, who had been my neighbors, announced that they would be moving to another part of the world... This was before e-mail, fax machines, cell phones, and Web cameras, and mail delivery was notoriously slow. One day before she left, I sat weeping with her and asked, ‘Who will be my mother?’ Mother thought carefully, and with the Spirit and power of revelation which comes to women of this kind, she said to me, ‘If I never come back, if you never see me again, if I’m never able to teach you another thing, you tie yourself to Relief Society. Relief Society will be your Mother.’ Mother knew that if I were sick, the sisters would take care of me, and when I had my babies, they would help me. But my mother’s greatest hope was that the sisters in Relief Society would be powerful, spiritual leaders for me. I began from that time to learn abundantly from women of stature and faith.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, Pages 96-98.)

I have learned that the women of the Relief Society build faith and personal righteousness and help those in need. They have strengthened my family and my home.

What is faith?

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.