Hi, I'm Derek

I am the father of 5, a faculty member at Maryland's iSchool, and an avid Ultimate Frisbee Player. I am a mormon.

About Me

I enjoy my hectic, but fulfilling life filled with children (4 girls and a baby boy), attempts at staying active (playing ultimate frisbee, tennis, & trail running), and my job as a faculty member studying social media and information science.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because I have had a lifetime of authentic and substantive spiritual experiences related to the church. I was raised as a member of the church, but as a young teenager (and at other times throughout my life) I questioned the reality of God and the idea that he is personally invested in us. I vividly remember the first time I prayed and asked God if He was there, and if so, if he could forgive me of my sins. I was filled with a powerful feeling of light and assurance that permeated my entire soul and seemed to come from a source outside of myself. I couldn’t help but smile and I had a burning desire to live righteously, which I committed to do. I recognized this as the Holy Spirit testifying of truth. I have had similar experiences when looking at my newborn children for the first time (as I’m sure many of you have), when pondering on the beauty of nature, when listening to inspiring music, when reading and discussing eternal truths, and especially when teaching and testifying of Jesus Christ and his prophets such as Joseph Smith. Although I have many unanswered questions about God and his dealings with man, I cannot deny the spiritual experiences I've had or the happiness that comes from following the teachings of the prophets past and present.

Personal Stories

Can you talk about the missions of the Church and your participation in them?

When I was 19 years old I received a call to serve in Novosibirsk, Russia. It was a new mission in Siberia that had started not long after Russia became more open to those from the West. For me it was a dream come true, as I’d been fascinated by Russia from a young age and had even had the rare chance to study the Russian language in High School.

I have many fond memories of the wonderful people of Russia who opened their hearts and homes to us and kept us warm through the cold, dark winters. My favorite memories all stemmed from seeing the change in people’s lives as they accepted the Gospel and became fearless champions of it, even amid a skeptical and largely godless society. Most areas that I served in didn’t have any members when we arrived. It was always clear that the Lord had prepared people well before our arrival, and he had a way of leading us to them either through the direct promptings of the Holy Ghost or through our diligence at knocking on thousands of doors. The joy and appreciation of those who accepted the gospel far outweighed the challenges we encountered of hostile people, separation from family, and the comforts were used to. I still feel privileged to have witnessed the miraculous way in which the Lord introduced the gospel to a people that nobody expected would be able to receive it in my lifetime.

How I live my faith

First and foremost, I try to be a good father to my 5 children. This includes doing things like spending the Sabbath day with my family, taking family vacations regularly, going on "daddy-daughter dates" with my girls, going on family bike rides and hikes, volunteering at the elementary school (as a running coach), praying and reading the scriptures each night, and having family home evening each week to discuss issues important to our children and us. Most of all, it means being an active father.

I currently help organize activities for members of the church and their friends in the Silver Spring Stake, which includes hundreds of people in Silver Spring/College Park/Beltsville/Laurel area. One nice thing about being in this area is that we have members from dozens of countries around the world that meet in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language congregations. Activities include service projects, cultural activities (e.g., film festival, musical, valentines dance), and sports activities (e.g., basketball, volleyball). Although I would never have signed up to be an event planner, I’ve learned a ton from my experiences and have been amazed at the talents and generosity of the members of our Stake. It’s a good example of how accepting "callings" (volunteer positions in the church extended by church leaders under the inspiration of God) in the church can help us grow in new and unexpected ways.

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

Mike. answered...

First, I wholeheartedly believe in the "Official Church Answer" to this question. Homosexual behavior is, as the scriptures clearly state, against God's law, just as fornication and adultery are against God's law. There are no exceptions, but there is always repentance.

God loves all of his children. Christ died to redeem all of God's children. To these statements there are also no exceptions. I am firmly conviced that whether a person experiences same gender attraction or not, he or she is still a child of God. God's love for us is constant, but that does not mean that He will always approve of our choices or our behavior.

Through the atonement of Christ, all of our hurts and pains, all of our sorrows and anguish, will be taken away. All of our sins will be forgiven on condition of repentance. All these are His. He paid the price for them, and we have no right to hold on to them.
Dennis answered...

I grew up in California and was in the middle of the same-sex marriage debate. The Church believes that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that children have the right to be brought into the world with a mother and father who love and honor each other and their marital vows. I agree with this doctrine, so I, along with others of my faith, supported Prop. 8 in 2009. Any time I spoke with someone, I explained that we all, regardless of our side on this issue, are motivated by love. Love of mankind, of God, of society, etc. So much of the debate turned to hatred, but it's important to remember that love is always our initial motivation. I know people, good friends, who live a homosexual lifestyle. They've shown love to me, and I love them, but I believe their lifestyles are contrary to the will of God. That doesn't mean that I can prevent them from doing what I think is wrong, but their liberty does not translate into license. Liberty in America has never been about license to do whatever we choose. When we, as a people, believe something is wrong, it is our democratic right to enact laws against such things. Likewise, if we believe something is divinely inspired, like the institution of marriage between a man and a woman, it is not only our right but our duty to stand up for it. If we don't, I'm afraid that America will lose the protective hand of God that has embraced us for so many years.

What do Mormons believe concerning the doctrine of grace?

Andy answered...

It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. Grace is the only way that we can have eternal happiness. To acess that grace, we need to do the things that He has asked us to do: have faith in Him, repent, be baptized by someone holding His authority, recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, and follow Him and keep His commandments throughout our lives.