Hi, I'm Josh

I'm a Husband, Father & Counsellor. Born and raised in Canada. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am 25-years old. I have been married to my wife for 4 years. I am the proud father of a daughter, with more on the way!

I am a University graduate, earning my Bachelors by studying Family Social Sciences. I am looking at earning my Masters in a Counselling related field.

Since graduating I have worked as a Counsellor. However, I am currently self-employed trying to fight myself out of the recession and unemployment.

Why I am a Mormon

I am one of those members that was "born into the church". However, my mother had just been baptized months before I was born.

Just because I was raised in the church did not mean I did not have to investigate the church for myself.

It wasn't until I was 17 that I knelt down, prayed, and asked God about the Church, the Prophet Joseph Smith, the current Prophet, and the Book of Mormon.

Since that time, I have known. I continue to follow Jesus Christ, because that is where true happiness can be found.

Personal Stories

How has attending Church services helped you?

Attending our Sunday service at first may seem daunting. It is 3 hours in length. But it is just 3 hours out of the week. These 3 hours provide a great time for me to recharge mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially.

It provides me with an opportunity to learn with the Saints. It also gives me a chance to worship and thank my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for all that He has done for me.

Can you talk about the missions of the Church and your participation in them?

I was a lucky Canadian boy who got to serve in Ventura, California and Perth, Australia. The reason for serving in the two areas, is that my VISA form for Australia got delayed. So after learning what I needed to at the Missionary Training Centre in Provo, Utah, I needed to go somewhere, and I was re-assigned to Ventura.

It was a great privilege to serve the Lord and be amongst the people in Australia. I spent most of my time in a little town in Western Australia called Port Hedland. The church was small there. My companion and I spent most of our time serving and volunteering in the community. We did this so that we, as missionaries, could be seen.

How I live my faith

I live my faith every day. I try to be nicer to my wife and child, and those I work with, each day.

I currently don't have a "position" in the church. But I was asked to help coordinate an effort in our community. The church coordinated a city wide effort to collect and gather food for the less fortunate.

Are all Mormons required to serve a mission?

Josh answered...

No they are not. It is definitely encouraged because of the life skills and blessings, but it is not mandatory.

A mission is something that members can do to show their love for Jesus Christ and for others, but it is not necessary.
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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.

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.