Hi, I'm Dean

I used to fear, but now I have faith. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I've been married since 1987 to someone I want to share eternity with. I'm a father of four children, three still living and one awaiting me patiently. I teach Economics and Government in high school in Texas and I also coach Academic Decathlon. I love to write and travel.

Why I am a Mormon

I wasn't always a Mormon. I converted after reading Moroni 10:3-5 and applying the principle it taught: pray to Heavenly Father when you receive truth to confirm that truth through the witness of the Holy Ghost. It's a simple experiment of faith and one that any person can repeat, given the correct starting conditions. I had to humble myself and open my heart to the possibility that I would have to change my life because of this new truth I had found and in so doing - becoming as a little child, so to speak - I was in a proper spiritual condition to receive the Holy Ghost.

Based on that simple communication with God, I can say that I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I've studied history extensively and while I have seen things in history that have given me pause to reflect and ponder, there is nothing that can overturn the simple fact that I asked God a question and He gave me an answer.

In remaining humble and open, I've discovered so many treasures money cannot buy. I've enjoyed sharing insights I've received with my family and friends. I've had great joy in discovering my ancestry and learning of their stories. I've been lifted up so many times through service I give to others. I know I would not have had these treasures without the guidance I've received from the Holy Ghost, and that through choosing to do what is right and keep the commandments Heavenly Father has given us.

I am a Mormon because the truth does not allow me to be anything else. I've read so much about other faiths and sects and can see great truths in what they teach. There is a vast richness of experience in all human cultures that makes me weep when I consider the beauty of it all. And all that truth and beauty I know to be a part of the fullness of the gospel that I know as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Personal Stories

What blessings have come through your faith in Jesus Christ?

I have lived with clinical depression for many years. While I can't make the chemical imbalances that cause it go away, I can overcome the depression through realizing that in Jesus Christ, we all become whole. I used to just believe in Jesus, that he could save everyone... but that my situation was far, far worse and probably beyond hope. I wanted to find a way to make the mental pain end, and I felt that staying active in the Church would lessen the symptoms. What I did not expect was a bishop explaining to me how to not just believe in Christ, but to believe Christ.

His atonement extends to all of us. If he can make someone else whole, he can make me whole. He can make you whole. I learned that faith is love: I love Christ and what he did, so I trust him, I have faith in him. He will be there for me. Storms of emotion can rage inside me, but my fears can give way when I have faith in Christ and his love for me.

Faith is the opposite of fear. I feel myself healing each day. I may have episodes where I feel the depression coming on, but I know I can turn to Christ to find the strength to withstand those trials.

Thank you, Jesus, for what you have done for me and every one of my brothers and sisters in the human family.

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

When my youngest son was almost 3 years old, a hit-and-run driver killed him. The shock of losing him so suddenly shook me to my core. Through the pain and tears, one thing resonated in my heart: he would be with me forever. I knew where he was, I knew who he was with, and I knew how to get there. Knowing that gives me peace each day. I miss my son, but I know I am on my way to seeing him again as part of an eternal family. It is no fairy tale: it is a concrete reality.

How I live my faith

Keeping a Christlike attitude is what I seek most. When I don't keep that attitude, I run into troubles. As I remember it, those troubles work themselves out and I find the blessings of peace in my soul.

I have served as a teacher to young children and teenagers. I've taught adult classes for both long-time members and people new to the gospel. Currently, I serve as a coordinator for an early-morning education program in my area that involves me getting up at 5 AM and driving up to 40 miles away to visit a class - and loving it! I could look at it as a big sacrifice, but I prefer to see it as an even greater opportunity to serve.

What do Mormons believe about the nature of God?

Dean answered...

God to many Christians is the Trinity - three in one, and one in three. Mormons do not believe in that, which stands as perhaps the most significant difference between that faith and other Christian denominations. We believe that God the Father - Heavenly Father - has a physical body and loves us so much because he is literally the father of our spirits. We believe that Jesus Christ is His only begotten son in the flesh and that Christ's atonement allows us all to overcome sin and death. We believe that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit and as such is able to bear witness to one and all of the truths taught by Heavenly Father, his son Jesus Christ, and their servants, the prophets.
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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.

Do Mormons practice polygamy?

Jessica answered...

No.

The Church has not practiced polygamy since 1890. Any member found to be practicing plural marriage is excommunicated from the Church. We are not affiliated with any group currently practicing polygamy.