Hi, I'm Suzanne

I am a daughter of Heavenly Parents that love me.

About Me

I am a mother. I have 5 children. I am married to a wonderful husband who is also my very best friend! I am taking classes online and working toward a masters degree in secondary education, history certification.
I love to play almost all sports. I played volleyball in college. My husband and I met playing volleyball. We try to play as much as we can together. We also enjoy playing tennis together. I am happy at home with my family and so thankful that we are all healthy and doing well. I've come closer to Christ in my struggle to overcome depression and anxiety and still be a mother to my children and have a good relationship with my spouse. Jesus Christ is my rock and my salvation and the center of our home life.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because I was born to parents who are Mormon. They taught me well. They have 13 children. They are in their 80s, in good health, they love each other. They served a mission to South Africa together. They trust the Lord. They serve Him with their whole hearts. Seeing their example makes me want to continue down this path. They are happy.
As I have lived my life, my testimony of what I was taught as a child has grown and been refined. That process is ongoing. I have traveled to many places in the world. I have met many of God's children and studied many of the world's religions and philosophies. I have found some good things that have enriched my life. But I have found nothing that brings the peace that I have found by being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and following His prophets. There is a prophet on the earth today! I know the Book of Mormon is true and that I feel close to God when I study it as well as the Bible. I was taught as a child why I am here on earth, where I am going after this life and that my earthly relationships are eternal. Knowing those things has grounded me and helped me to make good choices throughout my life. This gospel works. As I teach it to my children, I can see that it will help them to make good choices and be happy too.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and that this is His church, the only one that bears His name and His authority.

Personal Stories

What have you done successfully to shield your family from unwanted influences?

It is simple, we limit our screen time. We aren't big gamers or TV watchers or movie goers ourselves. We play outside with our kids after dinner. We like to be active together. I guess that makes it easy for us.
We use the internet to connect with positive things. We search music we like to dance to and listen to together. Our computer is right in our kitchen and we only have one. We have one TV and it is a 26" screen. It goes on for a maximum of 1-2 hours a day. The channel mostly stays on PBS. We watch movies on the weekends together sometimes.
My husband and I get our news online and we don't spend large amounts of time in front of the computer. We read good books and share what we are reading with each other. We seek out the good and positive things in the world.
We are hoping that our children will follow our example and use media to build and add to rather than tear down or detract from their positive lifestyle.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

Why not? We have a great message, we have the desire to share and make the world a better place. I went on a mission because I could see as a collegiate athlete how much of a stabilizing, comforting influence the gospel of Jesus Christ was in my life. I saw my friends and teammates struggle with life and the choices that they made weren't always positive. I was able to avoid many heartaches and problems because of my understanding of the gospel and I wanted to help others to have that knowledge in their lives as well. I figured what better thing could I do at the age of 21 than to serve the Lord by teaching His gospel full time? It was a wonderful experience to serve among the people of the Dominican Republic.

How has the Book of Mormon brought you closer to God?

In my family growing up, we read the scriptures together. I started to read the Book of Mormon on my own when I was 8 years old. I have read the scriptures every day of my life since then, with few exceptions. Even at that young age I knew that was the best way for me to feel close to my Heavenly Father. I could feel something special when I read.
Through the years I have found specific answers to life's questions easily between the pages of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. To me they have the same feeling. They are both from God. I feel the same goodness and the same welcome answers when I read them. I love the scriptures and no matter how many times I read those stories they never get old, they never lose meaning or application to my life rather just the opposite. As I grow, my love and appreciation for the scriptures grows too. Every day when I read I feel like I am getting a special message just for me from God. I always ask Him to show me what He wants me to know for that day and I always read something that helps me feel good inside and helps me handle the challenges that I am currently facing. I know He loves me because He has sent prophets to write His word to guide and direct me.

Think about your everyday activities. What are things you act upon each day where you cannot see the end results? How does faith move you to action?

Faith is a choice. Everyday I face situations where I can choose faith or give in to doubt and temptation. As I choose faith and align my will with God's will, my faith and trust in Him and His plan for me grows. Faith is a choice I get to make everyday.

How I live my faith

I live my faith each and every day. It's not something I do on a certain day of the week, it is more about who I am and who I want to become. I can't separate my faith from my day to day activities. It is part of me and it influences all of my activities.
On Sundays I go to church with my family. I help teach the 7year old children. They are preparing to turn 8 and be baptized. It's fun! I've had other responsibilities ranging from older children to youth to adults. It's great to meet together and serve and teach each other. Sundays are a favorite day of mine.

Why are Mormons asked to donate 10% of their income to their Church?

Suzanne answered...

As a daughter of God, I believe that everything I have, every breath I take has been given to me by Him. He gives me everything and then asks for 10% of my money so that He can do what needs to be done with it. That money goes toward the building of temples, churches, missionary work, and any of the things that require money to keep the Kingdom of God running here on earth. It is a commandment with blessings promised for those who obey. If I am tempted to hold that back from the Lord, a quick review of my relationship with Him and a reminder of why I came to earth really makes it easy for me to give freely and without hesitation. I do it out of love.
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Megan Cosgriff answered...

Latter Day Saints(Mormons) donate 10% of their income to the church because the Lord has commanded us too! In Proverbs 3:9 it says, "Honour the Lord with substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase." This is talking about tithing, tithing literally means one-tenth, which is 10%. So when the Lord commands us to donate one-tenth of our increase(income) that is what we do. If you look at Malachi 3:8-10 you will see that the Lord is asking for us to give him our tithes (10%) and in return he will open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings, so many that we won't be able to contain them. Wouldn't you want to receive innumerable blessings for just giving Him 10% of your pay check? It seems like a pretty fair trade to me.

Why did your church previously practice plural marriage (polygamy)?

Braden Scothern answered...

At many times in the Bible prophets were commanded to practice polygamy. Some of these prophets were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon.

We know that plural marriage is a sin unless God commands us to practice it. In the Book of Mormon the prophet Jacob tells the Lords will on the subject, “for there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife: and concubines he shall have none... for if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things” (Jacob 2:27-30).

So only as the Lord commands His people is it acceptable. While they early saints accepted this it was not an easy commandment to keep. They had many struggles with it and only under the direction of the Lord was it carried out. The Church leaders closely supervised the practice and only those who had been authorized by the Lord were to practice. In addition to that all of the marriages had to be performed by the sealing power of the priesthood which had been restored. It was not a temporary thing when it was practiced.

In 1890, President Woodruff received revelation that plural marriage was no longer acceptable to the Lord. So the practice was stopped instantly. Anyone who practices polygamy now is NOT a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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