Hi, I'm Abby

I'm a student, I'm a musician, and I love volunteering for hospice. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am currently a senior in college, studying music and economics. I recently got married and am now adjusting to being a wife and a student at the same time, something that not many of my friends from home experience. I love to learn and so college is a challenge, but also very rewarding. In the summer, though, I love to go boating on my parent's boat, travel, and read some good books. My love of traveling stems from the 3 years I spent living overseas as a kid. My family lived in both Asia and Australia when I was growing up and we were able to travel to many different countries and experience the amazing cultures they contained. I spent one summer studying music in Paris as well and so the travel bug continues!

Why I am a Mormon

I grew up as a member of the church, so I didn't have to search to find it. However, almost all of my friends growing up were not members and so I quickly had to decide if I would continue the lifestyle I had begun at home. I was lucky to have friends who supported my standards rather than try to change them, and when I saw the way keeping the commandments blessed my life, I was convinced that this was how I wanted to live. In addition, I love the comfort the gospel brings to my life by providing me with the answers many people crave about where I came from, why I'm here, and where I'm going. It helps me to live my life with a greater sense of purpose. I have a testimony that this church provides everyone the opportunity to live with their families forever and to repent of the wrongs they have committed. I'm grateful that this is a gospel of second chances and that the love of Jesus Christ is at the heart of this church.

Personal Stories

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

One of the complaints my friends in high school always made about the church was that we have too many rules. I never felt restricted, though, because I could see how certain rules kept my future possibilities open and hopeful. The mormon church has one notorious rule called the Word of Wisdom, in which we are counseled to abstain from alcohol, drugs, tea, and coffee, and also to take care of our bodies by eating healthily and getting enough sleep. Observing some of my past colleagues in their decisions to not follow these rules, I have seen how they are less able to make the most of their lives. There was one student who graduated with my sister and went to college, looking for a little too much of a party. He ended up being expelled from his university for possession of alcohol and drunk driving and now has to struggle with alcoholism and lack of prospects because of being kicked out of school. Other students spend late nights, drinking cup after cup of coffee until they can't wake up in the morning with one. I am grateful that my decision to keep my body free of these substances has kept me healthy and functioning so that I can excel in school and look forward to a long healthy life.

How I live my faith

There are several ways I try to be a good Mormon, and more especially, a good Christian. One way I have tried to follow the example of Jesus Christ is by volunteering for a hospice program in my state. For the past 3 years, I have had various patients who were approaching the end of their lives. Some of these women struggled with Alzheimer's or other mental illness, and all of them faced the difficult process of an aging body that could no longer carry out basic functions. Some of these women were members of my church, some were not, but all of them were widows and all of them were facing a time in their lives when a friend and a listening ear could make a big difference. As I have visited with these women, I've been touched by their gratitude for someone taking the time to visit with them, think about them, and care for them. I consider some of these women to have been my best friends and I hope that as I served them, I also served my Savior.
In my church, I have also served in various ways, especially through music. I am currently a music major, studying clarinet, and I am often asked to perform in church and also participate in our ward choir. I have also been asked by ward leaders to serve in positions where I have helped organize the music for different meetings, including the Easter program in one ward, and also played the piano. It is fun to use the talents I've been working to develop in a way that can directly bless the members of my ward by inviting the Spirit into our meetings.

Why don’t women hold the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How do Mormon women lead in the Church?

Abby answered...

Women do not hold the priesthood in the Mormon Church because they have a separate role to fulfill. For a long time, I didn't understand this concept and struggled to know what my place in the church was. I decided to learn all I could about the Priesthood since I knew I didn't fully understand it and I have learned that not holding the Priesthood does not mean I can't participate in the Priesthood. The Priesthood is the power of God on earth and is a tool for service. In order for this power to work, there must be Priesthood holders and those who receive the blessings of the Priesthood in various ways. The Priesthood is the means for the organization of the church and so all the different aspects of the church are led by that power, such as the Primary for children, the Sunday School Bible study in church, Relief Society for women, and Young Men and Young Women's programs for the youth. Without the support of women who fulfill their callings in these programs, the Priesthood would be ineffective in leading the church. Women are considered equal in status to the men of the church, because the home is the central unit of Mormonism and it is there that Husbands and Wives share the responsibility for raising a family. The same principles of equality that take place in the home take place in the church, where women have the opportunity to provide service through the Relief Society, one of the largest and oldest women's organizations in the world.
Kathryn answered...

As a primary president in my ward, I share in the direction and leadership of our ward. I don't feel secondary in any way. Whether you have the priesthood or not, you are still responsible to listen to the direction of the Savior. The priesthood is a tool and power that is the same power of the Savior. It allows the human authority to do work on earth, particularly perform ordinances, and bless others. As if the Savior was here in person during His ministry accounted for in the New Testament. I would use an analogy to compare the priesthood as a car. A car is an amazing tool allowing you to get you from here to there. I don't mind my husband driving and I can offer some navigation or work the radio, as long as we and our children get there.

What do Mormons believe concerning the doctrine of grace?

Carlos answered...

There is a passage from the Book of Mormon that can help us understand the doctrine of grace:

"And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free... there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah... he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved"

We fully belive in justification and reconciliation by grace - it is an essential doctrine of the Church, and is found repeatedly throughout the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Anyone who believes in Christ shall be saved and inherit all that the Father has; however, we need to understand what it means to believe - we need to understand the word "believe" as Christ intended it to be understood.

The prophet Joseph Smith taught that faith is a principle of action. Yes, it's true that all we need to do to be saved is to believe, but believing isn't just a verbal declaration - true belief requires action.
Knowing that the world is full of breathable air isn't enough to live - we actually need to act on that knowledge and breathe in order to keep living. Likewise, having faith in Christ isn't just something that we say we have - we have to act on that belief. I can't honestly claim that I have faith in Christ and know that His path is the path to happiness if I'm not consistantly trying to gain that happiness.

We fully believe in salvation by grace, but it's possible to fall from grace if we lose our faith - and if we are not doing the things that Christ requires of us then we do not have true faith.
All we need to do to attain grace is to develop faith in Jesus Christ, but developing faith unto salvation in Jesus Christ is a lifetime endeavor which requires our absolute best sacrifice.