Hi, I'm Melinda Orton

I love being with my family. I enjoy hiking, reading, scrap-booking, music making, and learning. I live in Idaho. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

The past few months have been busy for me. Just a few months ago I graduated from college where I studied Home and Family Living, and Music. Then a month later I got married to the kind of man I had always dreamed of. Since then I have been enjoying being a homemaker and the time I have to continue learning. Learning and trying new things fills me with fulfillment and satisfaction. Some things I have done in the last few years that I have always wanted to do are learning how to tap dance, ice skate, learn to play harp, and guitar. About a year ago, I was also able to live in Germany as a missionary for over a year. It was a terrific experience to learn their language and their culture, and do whatever I could to help them feel of Heavenly Father's love for them, and His desire to help them make their dreams come true. Each new experience brings me joy and growth as I rely on my Heavenly Father and the teachings of His Son Jesus Christ.

Why I am a Mormon

My parents are both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and always took my siblings and I to church, and took time to teach us throughout the week about the scriptures and how to become more like Christ. One thing they always emphasized was the need for us to find out for ourselves if what we were learning from them, church, and the scriptures were really true. We were specifically taught that we could always pray and ask God questions we had to find out truths about doctrine and life. The first memory I have of truly knowing that God was there and cared about me was when I was ten. I was in bed one night and felt a scared all alone in the dark. Remembering what my parents had said about praying to God and Him helping us led me to getting out of bed and kneeling to pray to ask God to help me not be afraid. Once I started to pray I had the desire to know if God actually even existed, and so I prayed to know. I asked Him if He was there. A moment later I felt a feeling to a degree I had never experienced before. I felt arms of love totally wrapped around me. No one was there, I was still alone, yet I felt I was encompassed about in love and security. I knew then that God existed, that He knew me and my desires, and that He loved me deeply. Since then every time I have wanted to know something or feel the need for guidance in my life I have followed the same pattern of prayer, and God has led me to the answer. Sometimes the answers have come in a feeling, sometimes a thought, sometimes through another person, but they always come. Through prayer and study I have come to know that God is my loving Heavenly Father, and that through His Son Jesus Christ I can repent of my wrongs and become free of guilt and feel clean again. Knowing God has a plan for my family to be together forever fills me with comfort, and joy. I am so grateful to know that these truths were restored, and that truth continues to be taught by living prophets called by Christ.

Personal Stories

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

Making choices, whatever they may be, can be very difficult. I have found that when I make a choice to do something, it is easier to make that choice again the second time, and every time after that becomes easier and easier. That is true of right or wrong decisions. However, when I make the right choice, God blesses me, and I do not feel any guilt. It is because of this that making the right choice is actually easier because I know good will come of it and I will feel at peace.

How I live my faith

My faith is something that I live every day. I begin and end each day with a prayer for things I am grateful for and that God will be with me and can help me with the things that I need to get done and to help guide me in helping others with what they need. Daily scripture study helps me to never forget what is really important in this life and helps give me a proper perspective of life. One thing I really have enjoyed is the opportunity to visit other sisters in my congregation. Each month I and another sister have the chance to prepare an uplifting thought to share with a sister in our congregation and visit with her and see how she is doing. This is probably my favorite thing, because I love talking with people. Trying to bring them a little more hope, a little more joy, and a few more reasons to be happy here on earth not only helps them but it also helps me too. Another way I live my faith is by sharing the truths I have found with others. A few months ago I got back from being a full time volunteer for my church. I was a missionary and had the chance for 18 months to talk with people about questions they had about life and what could help them. I was able to share how my faith had helped me and invited them to find out how it could help them. Never before have I felt so much joy as I did during that period of my life. Never before have I felt Gods love so powerfully and deeply for all of His children. Now that I am back at school I still try to share with others what I know has been so helpful for me in all respects, that being my faith in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.

Why do Mormon missionaries proselyte?

Melinda Orton answered...

Missionaries proselyte because they want others to find the joy that they have found in knowing and living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I have heard it explained in an example using fruit juice. If I try some fruit juice that I really like and enjoy, my first instinct is to have others try it in hopes that they will find it equally enjoyable. That is truly why we share our beliefs with others. It has brought us something we need and are grateful for, therefore it is simply inside us to want to share it.
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Nick answered...

Our decision to serve missions is motivated by our belief in the Gospel and our desire to fulfill the Savior's command to "preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15. The Gospel teaches us that we are all sons and daughters of God, and so we feel a kinship with all of God's children and a desire to help them enjoy the peace in this life that the Gospel provides.Our missionaries are not salesman and won't take much of your time, but I know that your decision to invite them into your home will change your life for good!

Why do Mormons perform proxy baptisms in their temples?

Donna answered...

We have a loving Father in Heaven, whose work and glory are to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. He is our Father, and wants each and every one of us to return to him. Some of His children never had the opportunity to receive the blessings of the gospel and be baptized in their lifetime. Because our Father loves all of His children, each will have the opportunity to accept the gospel, even if it is taught to them after this life. We do baptisms in the temple by proxy so that those who did not have the opportunity in this life to be baptized into the church may receive this ordinance if they desire it.