Hi, I'm Camie

I taught basic Spanish literacy in rural Mexico. Now I teach literacy at home to my three children. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

Growing up, I always had a passion for education. My grandmother was a lifelong educator and I always wanted to be a teacher. I also loved the Spanish language. In college I put both interests together and became a Spanish teaching major. I had the opportunity to live in rural Mexico and teach basic literacy in Spanish to adults. Through this experience I truly found myself and realized how important education was and would always be in my life.
Now I am trying to instill a similar love of learning in my own three children. We love to spend time at the library, the park, the zoo, or anywhere that satisfies our curiousity! When I'm not exploring with my kids, I also love to work in my yard or my garden, cook, or curl up with a good book

Why I am a Mormon

I was born into a Mormon family and I grew up believing that there is a God, that I am one of His daughters, and that He loves me. This knowledge has blessed me and has guided my decisions and outlook on life. Throughout my life I have studied and prayed to gain my own understanding of His plan for me and the truth of the things I have been taught. The teachings of the Church have brought me so much peace and happiness. My greatest blessing in life is my family. I am thankful to know that my children were sent to me from God and that they are His children. He has entrusted them to me to teach and guide so that they can return to live with Him again. I believe that the teachings of the Church will guide me through the challenges and opportunities of my life.

Personal Stories

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

I believe that the key to having peace and harmony at home is to follow the example of the Savior Jesus Christ. In our home we often ask our children, “what would Jesus do?” when they have treated someone unkindly or been disrespectful. This simple concept of living our lives like Jesus can help us feel more love at home. Right now we have little hearts cut out and pasted in several places around our house that read “Love is Spoken Here.” I believe that the way we speak to each other has a major impact on the feeling in our home. It is important to me that each member of our family use kind, respectful words and tone when talking. The signs have been a good reminder to all of us! I also believe that having family and individual prayer can contribute to unity at home. When our family kneels together and prays, it helps us feel united and it is hard to hold on to grudges or arguments. I love when there is a feeling of peace in my home—it feels like a reprieve from the daily challenges of the world.

How I live my faith

My faith is an integral part of my everyday life. I begin each day by kneeling in prayer, thanking God for all that He has given me. Then I spend my days trying to do the things I believe God would have me do. I look for opportunities to reach out in service to friends and neighbors, and more often, to my own little family. I want them to feel God’s love for them and to understand that they are His children. Right now I hold a leadership position in the Relief Society, the women’s organization of the Church. My role is to organize weekday meetings for the women. Each meeting is different; we learn new skills, discuss parenting issues, provide service for local organizations and build our faith. It has been a wonderful experience for me to learn from and be inspired by the women I have associated with. I live hundreds of miles away from my nearest family member, so these women and their families have truly become an extended family to me.

What is the role of the husband and the wife in the family?

Camie answered...

My husband and I often say we make a great ‘team.’ We have played many different roles in our family as we have each finished graduate degrees, lived in multiple states, and faced several kidney surgeries with an infant son. Throughout each of these times, we have worked as equal partners, each contributing to our ultimate goal, which is to create a loving family that works, plays, serves and worships together. My husband’s primary role is as the provider, and my primary role is to care for and nurture our children. We rely on each other daily, and try to show love and gratitude for each other’s service to the family. I enjoy having a ‘teammate’ in life and in raising my family.
Jocelyn answered...

The role of husband and wife in the family is to first and foremost love each other! Wow, revolutionary!!!
I have found that when there is love and complete commitment between my husband and I, there is no problem that we cannot face together. It is much easier to teach the children with love and to handle life's challenges.
My husband and I are equals. I feel loved, respected, and appreciated by him. I hope he feels the same things from me.

What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' attitude regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage?

Joshua answered...

I am sexually attracted to other males. For awhile, I struggled with how a loving Heavenly Father could allow for me to be attracted to other males, and then ask me to abstain from same-sex relationships. However, as I have tried to deal with my attractions in a Christ-like manner, I have found that He really does love me. I have grown so much spiritually as I have learned to deal with my same-sex attractions. I now understand that everyone has challenges in this life. I am no different.

The Church has a high standard on morality. The only sexual relationships that are permitted are between a man and his wife. This may prove difficult for both people with same-sex and opposite-sex attractions. However, I believe that by obeying this law, we can gain greater peace and happiness. God does know what is best for us, and He gave us this law to bless us.

Same-sex marriage distorts what marriage is all about. It is based on the lie that because you are attracted to the same sex, you need to be in a same-sex relationship in order to be "true to yourself". Many members of the Church can testify that this is not true. Some have found peace and joy in celibacy, and others gone on to have faithful and fulfilling marriages. For a long time, I thought I couldn't get married, but the Lord has blessed me to develop a sexual attraction to a beautiful woman and we have a wonderful marriage.