Hi, I'm Julie

I'm a wife, a mother, a writer and a geek, but chiefly, I'm a Mormon.

About Me

The most important thing to know about me is that I'm a wife and a mother. I have two kids, both still quite young, that test my patience from time to time. Another important thing to know about me is that I'm an aspiring writer and artist. I like to experiment with different art forms and write poetry and stories. Much of what I do, however, revolves around my family. It's not easy being a mother in today's world. I'd so much like to see my kids grow up and be able to handle themselves as adults without making life harder for everyone else. I guess all mothers and fathers hope for that.

I'm something of a computer geek and a role playing games geek, I was practically brought up on Dungeons and Dragons. I've played just about every system known to man: Champions, GuRPS, both Marvel and DC Superheroes, White Wolf, and even some Live Action Role Playing. I still have a pretty big box of comics, although none of them are in plastic bags. I also maintain a blog (listed here) where I go to practice writing.

When I was younger, bad things happened to me. The results of this have been a near life-long depression called "dysthymia" which steals joy from your life. I have relied almost completely on the Savior and His love for me to help me get through the years of healing that these problems have necessitated. As a result, I feel closer to Him than I ever felt to any other person on the face of this earth. He's my best friend.

Why I am a Mormon

I'm a Mormon for two reasons. First, I was born in the church and I've lived with the doctrine all my life. My mother was converted when she was twelve. My father was converted in his late twenties and they were married in the Idaho Falls temple.

The other reason I'm a Mormon is because I know, for myself, that the gospel is true. When I was young, I was told that every member eventually has to be converted. I'm no exception. I know that the gospel is true. Thomas S. Monson is a true and living prophet of God, just like the prophets in the Bible. The Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture that truly testifies of the appearance of Christ in North America. Joseph Smith once said that a man could get nearer to God by reading the Book of Mormon than by reading any other book. I have found this to be true in my own life. I know that, if you read it, you will feel yourself drawing nearer to God, too.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

Well, let's think about that for a minute. Think about your parents. Then think about their parents, their grandparents and great grandparents. How many of them had the opportunity to hear the gospel and be baptized? We love our family members, both in this life and beyond. We want to give them the same opportunities that we have. This is why we spend hours sitting at computers and microfiches poring over records and forms, searching for names to take through the temple, where such work can be done vicariously.

What has helped develop greater harmony in your home?

Well, I'd say that studying the scriptures and praying on a regular basis has helped a lot. Family Home Evening, or Family Night, if you prefer that, helps a lot, too, because we have a chance to get together and discuss some of the precepts of the gospel and how they can make our family stronger. Just those little things tend to bring the spirit of peace into our home. That's when we tend to be the most in harmony.

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

I try to live as close to the gospel as possible and carry a Book of Mormon with me that has my testimony written into it. Then, when people ask me about the gospel, I just give them that. Everything you'd ever want to know about the gospel is in that book.

In what ways have your prayers been answered?

The Lord has always been a part of my life. I talk with Him in the same way and with the same familiarity as you might talk with a dear and close friend. He has helped me to understand why things are the way that they are. He's helped me find things that were lost. He's even helped me to forgive people that offended me.

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Prayer is an essential part of my life. The Lord is my friend and I know that He likes to hear me tell him what's going on in my life. However, since I have some problems with depression, I take comfort in the knowledge that the Lord knows me better than anyone else possibly could. As a result, I'm able to bring problems to the Lord that many people wouldn't consider talking about in prayer. After all, the Lord may be a busy God, but he's never been too busy to listen.

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you in your life?

Of all the teachings the Savior has given, the one that has touched me the greatest was the understanding that the Savior loved me personally because I am his sister.

Please share your feelings/testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel.

Honestly, I think that the world would be ten million times darker without the Restoration of the Gospel. Before the Gospel was restored, people were grasping wildly at straws, desperate for just a touch of light, even if it was reflected. Now, we have all the light, and it comes directly from the Source.

How I live my faith

The most important way I live my faith is by teaching my children about God and Christ. I know that they will need these habits later in their lives to help support them through life in today's world. I also try to be careful not to let my writing or role-playing stray outside of my personal values. After that, I lead my women's group in uplifting music once a week during my church meetings and visit some of the other women in my church. Everyone needs a friend. Our church just takes that a little more seriously than most. Besides, we all know that, when times are tough, we tend to lean more on our friends than at any other time. Also, the church leaders can't be expected to keep track of everyone. By visiting these certain women every month, I have a chance to check up on them and then let my leaders know if they need anything that I can't provide on my own.

Why do you have 12 Apostles? They were just meant to be around for the time of Jesus Christ, not to be replaced with new apostles.

Julie answered...

Well, Mormons believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, that is the church as organized by Jesus Christ. Jesus organized his original church with 12 Apostles. What's more, whenever an apostle died, the remaining eleven apostles would choose a new member to fill out their numbers again. We believe that the Lord, through Joseph Smith, organized us in a similar way. Since the Lord organized both the primitive and the modern church, it makes sense that both churches should be organized in the same way.
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Garet Mang answered...

Well if Jesus Christ decided to have twelve apostles to minister to the people once he was gone, then why would he change his mind and decide not to have them ever again?
The twelve Apostles are like a pedestal, a foundation, where the church which is a beautiful vase is built upon. (Ephesians 2:19-20) When there was twelve and Juda fell away, it was important to replace that lost leg of the pedestal, so they chose Matthias, to replace Juda so the foundation would continue to be strong.
But when all the apostles where killed off, and rejected. It was like pulling a leg off of the pedestal, leg by leg. once you start taking off almost all of them, it becomes very unstable. because all the legs were torn off, the vase fell. And everyone knows when a vase falls, it shatters. There were still bishops around though, and they tried to piece the vase back together, and made it look very similar to what it once was. but there were still cracks in it and it wasn't perfect. And if you place water in that vase, it's going to leak out of the small cracks. Those cracks are small and simple truths, and authority that was lost. Because even the Bishops had to report to the Apostles before they were killed
But because God loves us and is perfect, he had Jesus Christ work through Joseph Smith (A prophet) and created a new Vase exactly like the one he made before (The Church), and a new pedestal (The Twelve Apostles). Because Jesus Christ church was the way he wanted it, and so it is again.

How can we increase our faith in Jesus Christ?

Brian answered...

Faith in Jesus Christ doesn't just happen. You have to work for it. I discovered my faith increasing when I decided to study the scriptures for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Doing so has allowed me to understand the doctrines of the gospel on a deeper level. Scripture study coupled with daily personal prayer where I really try to converse with my Father in heaven, and seek to know His will concerning me, rather than give him a list of my wants and needs and ask him to grant them as if he was my personal butler. The best way I have found is to seek to do as Jesus did. Be friendly with everyone I meet. Go the extra mile and help people beyond what is expected. Avoid judging people and try to find the good in people, rather than dwell on their weaknesses. I've found that seeking to do God's will and striving to live like Jesus Christ taught us to live, has not deprived me of anything, rather by doing things Heavenly Father's way has freed me and brought me more happiness than trying to do it my own way.