Hi, I'm Ken

I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a gourmet cook, love the theater, travel, and also love to do geneology. I am a father of 1 daugther , and grandfather of 2 grand-daughters and 1 grandson. I work at a major university as the database administer of a large computerized financial system with over 30,000 users. I am also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, and presently volunteer my time as a High Councilor in the Pittsburgh Stake comprising 13 congregations of Latter-Day Saints. It is from my membership in this Church and from the time that I volunteer and give service to this Church is what provides me the real satisfaction in my life along with my family relationships.

Why I am a Mormon

As an agnostic, I studied 10 months and meet faithfully with the LDS missionaries. Despite this, I didn’t know the Church to be true, until without my knowledge, 5 people fasted on my behalf on a Sunday in the fall of 1979. That very day, by miraculous means, I came away from a singular experience from which I knew for certain: that we all lived in a pre-earth life in the presence of a Loving Father in Heaven and came excited to be born into Earth life to obtain physical bodies; that the earth was created by Jesus Christ, that He lives; that while in Jerusalem, organized the only true and living Church; that He taught the Gospel; most rejected His message and then He was crucified for our sins; later He was resurrected; but the authority of the Church was eventually lost as all the Apostles died; the earth went into a period of apostasy known as the dark ages. However, I witnessed that on a beautiful spring morning, in 1820, that God, our Heavenly Father, and his Son Jesus Christ both appeared physically to a young boy Prophet, Joseph Smith; who thru Joseph, Jesus Christ restored the on True and Living Church on the earth today, even the Church of Jesus of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Other angelic visitors also came to Joseph including Peter, James, and John – of the ancient Church; Moses; Elijah; and other ancient prophets, restoring all keys, rights, and privileges to perform the ordinances of salvation for the living and the dead. I saw Joseph translate gold plates which became the Book of Mormon and know it’s a 2nd witness of Jesus Christ and proof that revelation continues in our day. Finally, I came to know that Spencer Kimball (a successor of Joseph Smith) was a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator of the Lord Jesus Christ. All this was made known to every fiber and cell of my being. Today I know that President Thomas S Monson is His prophet. If you really knew that God knew this, and God told this to you, what would you do with this knowledge?

Personal Stories

In what ways have your prayers been answered?

Very often prayers are answered thru the knowledge and gifts of people who I know, all of whom the Lord places in my life. Other times my prayers are answered by pure revelation from God, as pure intelligence or wisdom which He bestows unpon my heart and mind from time to time. But when they are answered, I know it is a gift from God, for which I am so grateful.

Can you think of a specific challenge in your family that Gospel Principles helped overcome?

When I was a new convert I was a very poor student and had very little. I learned about the law of tithing which said that I should donate 10% of my $400 monthly income to the Church. $40 to me at the time as a TON of money. I thought, what Church does not want money? I felt like I didn't have the money to donate but I had the knowledge already that so much of what I had been taught by the Church was true so I went completely on blind faith and paid the $40 as a full honest tithe to the Church. I had no idea how I would purchase the things I needed as a student that month, but I thought I would give it a try. Two months later my boss called me to his office, and out of nowhere informed me that he had been watching me work and the wonderful things I had done for the company and decided/announced that I would be given a raise of $200 per month!!!! That was unreal! Now, I am not saying that if you pay your tithing your income will go up but I will say that if you pay your tithing, the Lord will pour so many blessings upon your head that you will not be able to count them all and this was the way it was for me.

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

I am so excited about my activities at Church, I naturally shared what I am doing with anyone around me. Sometimes this results in them asking me more about my beliefs. All of this comes about very naturally and many people have learned much about the Church, just from my participation in it and my matter-of-fact way I go about in explaining what I do in my time off work. I share my feelings about the Church because my membership in it has so greatly enrigched my life that I figure that most people would enjoy the same blessings as I have.

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

There have been numerous times in which some matter of life has come before me, and I have not known what to do. After studing it out in my mind making a decision, then praying to Heavenly Father, in the name of Christ, I ask whether the desision I have made, is correct or not. Then the Holy Ghost blesses me with the knowledge of what I should do. The Holy Ghost also tells me by the impressions I received in my heart and by intellect in my mind the correctness or not of the things I hear with my ears. I am so greatful for the Holy Ghost in my life which directs me in the things I should do I'd be quite lost without these experiences.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

I went on my mission because I was SO EXCITED to have learned about the Church, that I just had to tell everyone I knew about it. I served a 2 year mission and because I was a recent convert my mission turned out to be my most formutive years as I studied the Gospel to be able to answer the questions my investigators had of me. It also provided me oportunities to devote my entire time in service to the Lord Jesus Christ who in turn blessed my life spiritually with many spiritaul experiences which continued to increase my knowlege and witness the miracle of people who changed their life to follow Him.

Could you talk about your baptism?

When I was baptised, I felt excited, but I mostly felt clean from my sins. Being cleaned from my sincs was like a new begining. It made me feel mostly joyous. I was amazed that thru my baptism, I actually belonged to the Church which Jesus set up to bless our life, and I marvel often to this day how fortunate I was to have found it.

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

When we make a right choice Heavenly Father lets us know that we are on the right path because He sends us feelings that press on our mind but mostly on our heart. He uses the power of the Holy Ghost to communicate with us. When we obtain any blessing from God it is because of the obedience we give to God's commandments. This knowledge and the realization of these blessings help us grow in our faith to become even more devoted to God, and in so doing, increases our desire to want to make additional correct choices. This is how we progress until one day we have made so many good choices; we will meet the Lord in person, face to face. It's really quite simple but not understood completely until you obey your conscience and listen to the little voice in your own heart and mind which is the Light of Christ which is given to everyone as we all have equal chance to get on this path of making good choices. It is only up to us as individuals as to whether we obey or not. But I promise if you do obey it only leads to greater spiritual knowledge which makes it easier to make additional correct choices.

How I live my faith

As a Church leader, I get to visit the homes of several members of my congregation helping them find their way in whatever things they their needs are physcial, emotional, or spiritual. I also work with several members in helping them figure out their family history and geneology. I am single, so I get to spend an unusual amont of time in this service which is greatly rewarding to me. I feel like I get so much more spiritually FROM this service than the service I provide.

Do you really believe there is a prophet like Moses alive today?

Ken answered...

I really do believe there is a prophet like Moses alive today. His name is Thomas S Monsen. I can know this for having prayed and asked our Heavenly Father that these things are true. The miracle of it, is that if you too, will pray, and ask our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if anything which you have read in my profile is true, and if you will ask, with a sincere heart, with real intent having faith in Christ God, our Heavenly Father will tell you that these things are true by the power of the Holy Ghost, and by the power of the Holy Ghost you will know the truth of ALL things.
LaWana answered...

Yes, I truly believe there is a prophet today leading our church and bringing blessings into the world. Why would God provide a prophet in olden days, but not now? Did He love those people more than He loves us? Did they need guidance more than we do? Is the world less confusing now than it was then? The answers to all these questions are no. It only makes sense that God would have a prophet now as He did in days of old. He loves us just as much as He did those people long ago and we need Him just as much as they needed Him then.

How can we increase our faith in Jesus Christ?

Mark answered...

How do you increase your muscle mase? You work out, eat healthy, keep your mind sharpe, and do things right and correctly. Same thing is with our faith in Jesus Christ. We need to use our faith in Him. We do that by doing what he has asked us to do, and follow His example in all things. We will not know what life holds for us until we go and do things to expand our knowledge. The same thing is with faith. Try accomplishing one of His commandments, and see the miricles and blessings and knowledge from doing it.