Hi, I'm Ryan.

I grew up in Spring, Texas. I love to read and spend time with my family. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a huge nerd. My main hobbies are reading, making music, playing chess, and playing sports, pretty much in that order. My wife and I have three kids, and I'm an attorney.

Why I am a Mormon

My parents and grandparents are all Mormons, but when I was a kid, I decided I couldn't accept something just because my parents told me it was true. I asked God in prayer if He existed, and He let me know that He did and that He loved me. Years later, I read the Book of Mormon and prayed to know if it was true. One night, I received a powerful witness from the Spirit that it was true. I have felt that witness many times since, but from that day I have been a Mormon because I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and a great witness of my Savior Jesus Christ. I feel a similar witness when I attend church and study the words of the living prophets today. I have felt the power of Christ's atonement to forgive my sins and change my heart. I am sure of these things.

How I live my faith

I do my best to teach and lead my family in spiritual matters. I read the scriptures every day well, almost every day. I pray by myself and with my family. I am also a youth minister for teenage young men. I meet with them at church during the week and for one of their classes on Sunday. I do my best to teach them their duties as followers and witnesses of Jesus Christ and to be a good example for them. I often find that they are good examples for me.
I visit two families in my ward at least once a month as an assignment from my leaders at church. I love to visit with them and teach them in their homes.

Mormons believe Jesus Christ is their Savior. Why do we need a Savior?

Ryan. answered...

We are God's children and we can live with Him and become like Him. Because God is perfect and sinless, we must also become perfect and sinless. However, we all sin. That is, we all sometimes choose to do something that harms another or is not in harmony with the principles of happiness, whether it be out of selfishness, weakness, or some other reason. Through Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins, we can become sinless and eventually perfect. He is the only way. I don't know how that works, but I know that it does work.
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Meaghan answered...

Have you ever met a perfect person? I doubt it. Why? Because everyone makes mistakes. When you make a mistake or are confused on what you should do, you want someone to help you, right? We all need someone to help us. We all need a Savior. We always hear that Jesus Christ saved us, but what does that truly mean? It not only means that he suffered and died for you personally, it means that he lived and lives for us too. He wants to help us. Jesus Christ is the only one who underestands everything that we go through. He not only wants to make up for the mistakes we make, but he wants to carry our burdens too. All we need to do is let him carry our burdens. Everyone faces personal challenges and Jesus is there to help. Everyone makes a mistake qa some point in life too. The beauty of having a Savior, is the fact that we can be forgiven. Sometimes our hands get dirty, but they can always be washed clean.

Are there restrictions based on race or color concerning who can join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and have the priesthood?

Craig answered...

There are no restrictions. Any such practices have been done away with and all the blessings of the gospel are available to any individual who chooses to follow Christ. This is something I have studied and prayed as I have wanted to know for certain that equality is taught in this church. I have come to know for myself that it is. There is a rich history in the church of black and African membership and there are efforts to celebrate this and other cultural diversity.