Hi, I'm Rachel

I'm a grad student, farm girl, sports fan, art lover and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a happy girl. I see life with a positive view and try to keep a smile on my face. The glass is definitely half full for me. My life is full of sunshine.

Currently I'm getting my master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I love people and excited to spend my career helping.

I grew up on a farm in Idaho. I love everything outdoors - hiking, camping, boating, all of it. Growing up on a farm taught me how to work hard and how to play hard.

I love sports. I played soccer and volleyball in high school. Now I do a little volleyball, a lot of running and biking and a little yoga. Most of all, I love watching sports. College football is a favorite in my family. We put on our t-shirts, break out the popcorn and all cheer together for our favorite team.

I love art. And by art I mean anything from painting to music to dance to drama. I play the flute and somewhat play piano and guitar. I love museums, concerts, plays. I spent several months in London and was in bliss for all the art I got to experience.

Why I am a Mormon

Ultimately, I am a Mormon because I have found peace and happiness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The knowledge that there is a plan for my life gives me a perspective that helps me to make decisions and get through hard times. The Gospel teaches that I am a daughter of God, that he hears and answers my prayers, that I have a Savior who suffered all things for me, that there is a prophet on the Earth today. I have questioned all of these things and found consistently a small answer of peace. As I learn more I continue to find that peace. When I live the Gospel I am happier and am so grateful for it in my life.

Personal Stories

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

When I was growing up whenever I would ask my mom about hard things in my life or decisions I needed to make, her standard answer was "pray about it." When I little I didn't really understand this and just wanted her to give me a "real" answer. However, as I grew up and started to really think of prayer as a conversation with God rather than just me talking to space, I started to understand what my mom meant. As I use prayer I can find direction in my life. I am given peace and comfort. My prayers are always answered. Not always when I want. And not always in the way that I want. But God is very much aware of me and my desires. So I pray morning and night, at meals. I pray when good things happen, I pray when I need something during the day. Prayer allows me to have communication with God on a regular basis.

How has your knowledge of the Plan of Happiness changed/benefited your life?

The Gospel offers me a knowledge of myself as a daughter of God and teaches me that as such, there is a plan for my life. This plan started before we came to Earth and continues long after. Central to this plan was Jesus Christ who came to Earth and after living a perfect life, suffered for all of our pains, afflictions, sorrows and sins, died on the cross, and was resurrected. This Atonement is what gives me the strength to go foward when life is hard. When I feel lonely or heartbroken, when I am sick I know that Jesus Christ has felt the same. When I make mistakes I can be forgiven and move forward. The plan gives my life perspective whether it is in hard times or when I need to make decisions. These things mean everything.

How I live my faith

My faith is a part of my life every day from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep. I make time in my day for studying scriptures or talks from current church leaders. My faith influences what I wear. It has helped to teach me how I should interact with others. I use prayer and study to make decisions about various things in my life from the very important to the somewhat trivial.

At least once a month I visit specific women in my congregation to share something I've learned with them. We laugh and cry together and help each other with whatever we might need. Since I am away at college right now these relationships have been very important to me.

I also get to plan activities during the month for the women in our congregation. Recently we had a pancake breakfast and went to a pumpkin patch. We'll be doing some service projects, practicing new cooking skills, and learning about true beauty later in the year.

What do Mormons believe about family?

Rachel answered...

Mormons believe that the family is the fundamental unit of society and that as such, citizens and officers of government should promote measures designed to strengthen families.

More than that, Mormons believe that the family is central to God's plan. We believe that through ordinances and covenants available in temples families can be united forever. Through families we can gain our highest potential and return to live with God.

We believe that children are entitled to be raised in love and righteousness by a father and a mother. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ. Successful families are built and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreation activities. Fathers should preside, protect and provide for their families. Mothers should nurture their children. In these things, fathers and mothers should work together, as equal partners. We know that circumstances will require adaptation and we believe that extended families should lend support when needed.

Because of all of these things, Mormons put a big emphasis on strengthening families. We expect Sundays to be family oriented and we are asked to set aside Monday nights for family time. All of the different groups within the church teach lessons and have activities designed to strengthen and support families.
Bradley. answered...

The family is a key component to support us in God's plan for gaining immortality and eternal life. All of God's children (all the inhabitants that lived, are living, and will live on Earth) are inseperably connected to each other, both (physically) by our Earthly families and (spiritually) by our Heavenly Father.

Families help us to understand our divine heritage. In this, life takes on purpose and meaning. Our immortal spirits were created by our Heavenly Father before Earthly existance, and we are directly connected to Him in this way. As a spiritual family, our collective purpose on Earth is to follow the commandments of God that lead us to live in heaven with Him again.

Our spirits need to progress, learn, and grow. In order to achieve that, Earthly existance was created as our test. Our Heavenly Father knew that being exposed to opposing forces on Earth was the only way for us to gain knowledge and wisdom.

However, we will not always choose righteousness, and so our Savior, Jesus Christ, is that great mediator to pay the debt of our mistakes. He is the only way by which we can be saved from our sins and transgressions. He is the ultimate example by which direction we need to live our lives. With the support of our earthly kin, we can learn from each other, serve each other, and strengthen our mortal weaknesses by being disciples of Christ. Our families are a gift from God, and we can be together forever.

What are Mormon church services like? Are visitors allowed at church meetings? Can I attend church?

David answered...

Come to church with us! We would love to have you. I know attending an unfamiliar church meeting can be scary and intimidating. Feel free to go up to anyone you meet and tell them this is your first time coming. You should always feel welcome to come and attend with us. Mormon church meetings may be different than other church meetings you've attended. We typically have three meetings you can attend. Our main meeting, we call Sacrament Meeting, is intended for individuals and families to attend together. Sit up front, sit in the back. There are no assigned seats. In this meeting, we try to focus on the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. You will hear several prayers and gospel messages given in this meeting. Another meeting we have on Sunday is Sunday-School. This meeting is designed to focus on specific teachings of Christ. It is often somewhat interactive, with some class members asking questions of the teacher throughout the lesson. You are free to ask questions or simply sit back and listen. We hope you feel a genuine spirit of warmth and friendship as you attend. The final meeting we have on Sunday is a Priesthood or Relief-Society meeting. Men and attend the Priesthood meeting and women attend Relief-Society. Here we focus on the teachings of Christ that are appropriate to our roles as men and women. You should also feel free to participate, ask questions, or simply sit back and listen.