Hi, I'm Stefany

I have lived in Minnesota my whole life. I am an actor in my local community theater. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I enjoy musical theater, singing and reading. I have a wonderful husband and seven children, and have been a homemaker for the past 13 years. I am starting at the local community college this fall, in hopes of being ready to transfer to a university when my children are all in school full-time. I will always be here for them when they are home, but I want to set an example to them of the importance of a good education.

Why I am a Mormon

I was having a hard time finding peace in my life after having my first child as a single mother. I was making choices that only made me temporarily happy, but were bringing me farther and farther from long-term happiness. When I realized this, I decided to investigate the Mormon church.

I had some issues with some of the teachings, initially. Some were different than I had learned in the Lutheran church I grew up in. But I prayed about them, and received the answer that they were true, and that I should be baptized. I decided to start living the gospel, and found peace and happiness in my life that I hadn't known before.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

Mormons do family history work for many reasons. One reason is to learn where they came from. We can understand ourselves better when we know the people better who brought us to where we are today.

Another reason is that there are people who never have the chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and be baptized while on the earth. As a child in the Lutheran church, I was taught that everyone needed to be baptized in order to go to heaven. But I knew that not everybody was, and that not everybody even heard about Jesus in their lifetime. I couldn't reconcile that with the just God that I believed in. It didn't seem fair.

Then I joined the church, and learned that after people die, they will have the opportunity to hear the gospel and choose to accept it if they didn't while on the earth. However, since they no longer have bodies, they cannot be baptized. So, we perform the ordinance of baptism in our ancestor's name, and they can choose whether or not to accept it. Nobody will be forced into the kingdom of God, but nobody will be denied just because they never got the chance to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How I live my faith

The first thing I do to live my faith is to nurture my personal relationship with my Heavenly Father. I do that by studying the teachings of Jesus Christ, and praying regularly. Just going to church on Sundays isn't enough although that is also very important.
I try to serve my family, as well as those around me. I have served in my local church at various times by teaching children's Sunday school classes, being a children's Sunday school music leader, being a leader in the Cub Scout pack that is chartered by my church, teaching adult Sunday school classes, singing in the church choir and for special musical numbers in church meetings, helping administrate the children's Sunday school program, preparing the Sunday bulletin and church newsletter, and I am currently a music leader for our women's organization.

What are Mormon women like? Do Mormons believe in equality of men and women?

Stefany answered...

Mormon women are a lot like other women. Some of us are married, some of us are single. Some of us have large families. Some of us have small families. Some of us are homemakers, and some of us work. We dress modestly, although you may not notice anything different about our appearance, as we shop at the same stores as most people. We just find styles that aren't too revealing.

Mormons do believe men and women are equal. We have some different roles, but we work together to accomplish common goals. We both serve in the church in some capacity, and we both serve our families. Men wouldn't be complete without women, and women wouldn't be complete without men.
Angela answered...

Yes! We firmly believe that men and women are equal in the eyes of God and are given separate, but equally important responsibilities here on Earth. Men are given the power of the Priesthood, which allows them to do things for their families and others such as give blessings or baptize individuals. Women are given the sacred responsibility of bringing children into the world and to support their husbands with their responsibilities. Both parents are encouraged to teach gospel principles to their children together and to live in harmony with the Church.
This is not to say women are not encouraged to pursue educational endeavors or career opportunities. Each family is different, we are encouraged to pray and make decisions based on what is best for our families.
Every Mormon woman is different, but we all have something in common. We are all daughters of our Father in Heaven.

Are Mormons Christians?

Richie answered...

Yes. We believe Jesus Christ is our Savior and we follow His teachings. We believe He is essential for salvation.