Hi, I'm Jake

I'm a rockin' husband and father. I'm a Javascript Balrog. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

Man, I'm just loving life. Life that starts early in the morning, seeing the sun peak over the mountains. Listening to some groovy tunes on the way to work. Giving it all to write some awesome software and propel a booming business. Racing home to the arms of my caring wife. Tickling my little son 'til we're both rolling with laughter. Having my precious daughter give me a big smile. Falling to sleep after a good scripture study session with my family. This is the life. It doesn't always work out like this. But, I'm grateful to a loving Father in Heaven when it does. It's great to be alive. It's great to be Mormon!

Why I am a Mormon

Truth becomes evident through the feeling of the Holy Ghost. As I grew up in the Church, I was fortunate to be exposed to many opportunities to experience and learn what the Spirit of the Lord feels like. It's usually not anything overwhelming or magical, but it is a peace and a power that I feel confirming special teachings or principles of the Lord as I experience life.

Of all the things that have witnessed to me over my few years of life, those that are most apparent and meaningful to me are: The testimony given often of our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ by his living prophets on the Earth today. The strengthening of my faith in Christ through study of the Book of Mormon the noticeable testimony of my parents and associated lives lived. The power I've felt as I've born testimony of the gospel of Christ. And the many comforting moments I have experienced in prayer to my Father in Heaven.

What great opportunities! I'm very grateful.

Personal Stories

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

I believe that there are really only two ultimate powers in the universe: God's power, which is always good, and the devil's power, which is always evil. If we choose to make good choices, we bring ourselves closer to God and allow more of His influence in ours lives. If we choose to make poor choices, we move away from God and closer to the devil. Starting down a path creates momentum that can keep us going down that path. "Momentum" might be things like: our schedules fit it, our friends encourage our behavior, our mind is on that thing, it fits our interest. Since there are two ultimate powers, then all paths, in the end, lead to either God or the devil. A challenge in this life is to figure out which paths lead to God and then take those. Another important thing to remember is that when we discover we've taken the wrong path, God can always help us have the extra strength we need to turn around and follow Him.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

Elder Scott, an Apostle of Christ, promised that it was the best experience I could have:

"As a young man, the greatest growth and strengthening experience you can have at this time, bar none, is a worthy full-time mission. While a mission is not for personal advantage, the Lord richly blesses those who valiantly serve."

In "Realize You Full Potential", Nov 2003 Ensign magazine

I have definitely found that this was true for me. The mission experience strengthened me considerably, and I hope that I was able to communicate and transfer some of that strength, found in the gospel of Christ, to others.

How has attending Church services helped you?

Weekly church services are a fantastic way to get the spiritual refresh that I need for the coming week. I get to gather with others that share their experiences living the gospel of Christ with me. They inspire me to do better in the coming days. Church is a time for me to remember the promise I made at baptism to follow Jesus Christ, and I have time during the sacrament to recommit myself to Him. I'm grateful that the Lord doesn't require us to be perfect all at once. He allows me to learn little by little every week, change what I didn't do so hot at the week before, and decide how I'm going to get better at that in the coming week.

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

Everyone has unique abilities. We are all children of our Heavenly Father, and thus we have potential for greatness. None of us has done everything extremely well in our respective lifetimes, but we can all do at least something well. And with those particularly honed abilities, we can fill in where others lack. Thus, we are all needed parts of the whole body 1 Cor. 1220-22 http//lds.org/scriptures/nt/1-cor/12.20-22

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you?

The Savior's teaching of faith in Him and repentance have helped guide me to be better. We never have to give up because we have his assurance that we can change, that the bad choices of our past can be forgotten by God, and that He will help us improve in the future. The Savior Jesus Christ, through coming to Earth Himself, teaching us His gospel and then sending many prophets thereafter has shown me that God did not send us all here and then leave us alone. He is guiding us all along the way.

How I live my faith

I try to be an example of the believers in what I choose to do every day, how I act, speak, and present myself. I try to re-devote myself to my Heavenly Father every day through faith-promoting activity, such as prayer and scripture study. I serve in the Church a few days a week. I'm organist for our congregation on Sunday, and I have a great time mentoring the young men in the Varsity Boy Scouts of America program during the week. I try to be a good neighbor, and I try not to get into too much trouble. Life's good I've been helped a lot and I try to help others!

Why do Mormons perform baptisms for the dead?

Jake answered...

God, our Heavenly Father, loves all His children. And everyone is a child of God. But only relatively few of God's children have had the opportunity to hear and live the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lifetime. Simultaneously, Christ Himself told us that He is the only way back to our Father. To resolve this, in Christ teaches that everyone must be baptized to return to live with Him, and that those who haven't had the opportunity to receive His gospel on Earth will have a chance after they die and those that have received His gospel have a responsibility to their ancestors to learn about them and receive all the saving ordinances required by Christ, including baptism, for those who have not received it for when they accept it in the afterlife.
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Vinson answered...

As a temple ordinance worker for the Mesa Temple for the past 5 years, I have grown in appreciation for the temple and the ordinances that are preformed. I believe that those who have passed-on are given the opportunity to accept the work that is performed in their behalf as if they were here - physically. The initial ordinance of accepting Jesus Christ is baptism. The ordinance of baptism is performed as it was originally by John the Baptist for Jesus in the temple by emersion. The temple gives those that have passed-on the opportunity to accept the mission of Jesus Christ and all the ordinances that he performed.

What is a “testimony” that Mormons speak of?

Megan! answered...

A testimony is the knowledge that a certain principle is true, right, or good. For example, I have a testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He did truly atone for our sins. In order to gain that knowledge, I have studied, reflected on what I learned in my study, and prayed to have that knowledge confirmed in my heart. As an answer to those prayers, (for there were many--building a testimony is an ongoing process) I have felt the truth in my heart.
We can gain testimonies of many principles. Another way is to put that principle into action, as sort of a test. In order to gain a testimony of prayer, we might try praying. To gain a testimony of the principle of tithing, we might try paying a full tithe. (10% of our income.) As we strive to live these principles, the Holy Ghost will confirm the truthfulness of them to our hearts. We will know that they are right; we will have a testimony of them.

Mormons also talk about "bearing testimony." This simply means to share the testimony we have gained with other people, either in a formal setting (like in church) or in a more informal setting (like in a conversation with a friend.)