Hi, I'm Chelsea

I'm an anthropologist, a feminist, a mother, a wife, a democrat, and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a PhD candidate in biological and cultural anthropology and conduct research in Ghana, West Africa. I'm a new mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, an aunt, a professor, a scholar, a feminist, a democrat, and a Mormon.

Why I am a Mormon

Everything good in my life has come from being a member of this church. I was able to grow up in a close family where my parents loved each other and wanted the best for us. I avoided the challenges that other teenagers faced with regard to drugs, alcohol, and boys. At church I learned how to study, read, analyze, ponder, teach, and speak, all things that have made me a successful student and professor. I gained confidence, self awareness, and ambition because I knew my divine potential. I eventually thrived after tragedy because I could see the eternal perspective. I'm married to the man of my dreams-- smart, loving, kind, respectful, chaste, inspiring, capable, hard-working, ambitious, tolerant, and egalitarian-- qualities he has said he gained while serving a mission for the church. It is one of the only modern religions with a female deity and, while the church is not perfect, when I hold my newborn daughter I want all of these things for her.

Personal Stories

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

I think that each of us has unique abilities and that if we listen to our own deep intuition and follow the promptings of God, we will be led and directed in ways that we never imagined.

What is hope and what do you hope for?

One time when I was studying about Charity for a lesson at church I decided to live each of the descriptive words in Corinthians 13:4-7 for a day. The best day was the day I tried to life hope. Up until that time I had never really thought about hope, but I went about that day with complete optimism and joy. It was like I was capable of anything. Because life is hard, it is easy to expect the worst and become cynical. Hope is the antidote to all of the hard things in life.

I hope for the peace, tolerance, love, empathy, kindness, equality, and compassion of all people, races, cultures, genders, religions, sexual orientations, political parties, etc.

In what ways have your prayers been answered?

I have had my prayers answered in times of extreme duress and times of simplicity. Sometimes I don't get immediate answers to my prayers and sometimes I do. Mostly I pray for my family and to be a better person.

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

Seeing your siblings, spouse, and children as children of God is important in learning to treat them appropriately. When we see each other as equals with unique talents and abilities to share it is easier to work through the times when we disagree.

That said, it is important to protect your family from all forms of abuse.

What has helped develop greater harmony in your home?

We have found a lot of harmony in sharing all of the financial and family responsibilities jointly. We try to make our family the center of our life and make decisions based on that. We try to keep our cost of living low so that we don't have to be at the mercy of a hectic work life or be reliant on two incomes. We also invested heavily in our education so that we can have more flexibility in the jobs we choose.

What are you doing to help strengthen your family and make it successful?

My husband and I are very careful to communicate about our personal and family needs. We try to balance career, childcare, community, and home responsibilities equally. We invest in our marriage and see that as the foundation for a happy family. As such, we seek to comfort, support, and encourage each other in our successes and failures. We try to assign family responsibilities based on our personal strengths, when there is a task neither of is is particular good at or wants to do we try to trade-off.

How I live my faith

Our church has the largest Women's organization in the world. It is called the Relief Society. Currently, I prepare and teach classes about gospel principles to this group of women each month and try to volunteer to help out when one of the sisters is in need. I am also a part of many Mormon feminist Women's groups. Another program I am a part of is called Visiting Teaching. All of the women in the ward are matched up and encouraged to visit each other outside of church once a month with the sole duty of taking care of those sisters we are matched with. Often these "assignments" turn into deep friendships, supportive bonds, and networks of women who you can turn to in times of need.

To what do you attribute the growth of the Church?

Chelsea answered...

I do a lot of my professional research in West Africa. What I've found is that many people are attracted to the church because, first of all, the teachings ring true to them. Secondly, as traditional village leadership roles change the church gives people a place where they have a responsibility and role in taking care of their community.
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Angela answered...

I think the Church is growing because people see that there can be a better way to live, that they don't have to be bound by the chains of addiction, pornography, dysfunction and broken homes. We know that the most important thing in this world is the family and the future of this world is found in the lives of the children and teenagers we see on the street, in our malls and schools. The best thing we can do is teach them to be honest, upright and moral citizens who can contribute to the betterment of society. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the family is incredibly significant--so significant that God wants us to be families forever, even when we die. This is huge for many people in the world who realize that their children can really be with them forever. There is tremendous comfort in that, and I think this is why so many people are drawn to this Church. It provides hope and peace.

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?

Todd answered...

No. There have never been any race-related restrictions on who joins the church. People of all races and colors have been baptized from the beginning.

However, for a period of time priesthood ordinations in the Church were restricted - This policy was officially changed in 1978 when Official Declaration declared that “every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple. Accordingly, all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color.”