Hi, I'm Cathy

I'm a grandma and music teacher. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a wife who recently became a widow, mother of 7 and grandmother of 15. I was blessed to be able to stay home with my children as they were growing up. Now I'm a part time school music teacher. I also teach piano lessons and have taught for the past 30 years.

I love the outdoors and hike once a week with a friend. I love to create, especially quilts. I'm an avid reader, but have recently taken up knitting and crocheting, so now I listen to audio books and podcasts.

Why I am a Mormon

I have a strong and firm belief in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. I have felt their love for me and have witnessed many tender mercies in my life. I believe that God loves His children now, just as much as He did in the Old Testament times. He restored His Church to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith and still continues to give us relevant revelation through our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson.

Personal Stories

What are you doing to help strengthen your family and make it successful?

Six of our seven children are happily married and raising families of their own. One daughter is not yet married. All seven children are faithful, responsible people who contribute to their Church as well as their communities and schools. I attribute this, in large, to our having held Family Home Evenings all their growing up years.

Family Home Evening is held on Monday night and is a time to come together as a family to study the gospel. It's also a time to plan weekly schedules, counsel with children and have fun.

Children need to be taught values and moral codes. Family Home Evening is a time to teach children about honesty, service, love and most importantly about Christ. This is a time to teach children how to act on what they believe.

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

My husband recently passed away. This has been very hard, of course. But it has also been an incredibly sweet experience. I have felt the love of the Lord so strong in my life these past few months. Because I know the Plan of Salvation, also called the Plan of Happiness, I know where my husband is and I know that I will see him again.

I know that we lived with God before we came to earth. I know that we will live with God after this earth life. My husband and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the temple -the House of the Lord- so I know that I will remain married to him forever and we will continue to progress and grow.

I must remain faithful, be happy and help others while I experience life on this earth. Then the reunion with loved ones who have passed on will be oh, so sweet.

How I live my faith

I am the Primary President. The Primary oversees the religious instruction for children 18 months to age 12.

Are all Mormons required to serve a mission?

Cathy answered...

Boys are encouraged to serve a mission when they turn 19 years of age. Girls who wish to serve a mission can go when they turn 21.

A neighbor used to tell me what a ridiculous age 19 is, to send a young man on a mission. That is the age when they are starting their college education and need to work and earn money and find someone to marry. I looked at my 4 sons when they returned from their missions and saw young men with strong character and firm faith in the Lord, their God. I saw young men ready to get their education and enter into marriage. I saw mature, caring, responsible individuals who had served the Lord for 2 years at their own expense. Served because they wanted to help bring others the happiness that Christ can give to individuals.

My neighbor didn't understand. God works in a mysterious way--and one way is sending immature 19 year old boys into the world to do His work.
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Trisha answered...

Serving a mission is a priesthood responsibility, and young men are asked to sacrifice two years in order to serve others, gain experience as followers of Christ, and grow in their faith. However, that is a choice each individual has to make on their own and deciding not to go does not affect a person's standing in the Church. But those who do go, men and women alike, usually find that two years is not enough time and wish they could stay longer. Service creates bonds of love for the people you serve. I was unable to go in my young adult years, but I still yearn for the opportunity and look forward to a time when I can serve as a missionary.

Why are only some Mormons allowed into temples? Is there something secret going on in Mormon Temples? What goes on in Mormon Temples?

Keith Proctor answered...

In the Temple we are taught some pretty powerful truths about who we are, where we came from, and why we are here. It's not the kind of experience you can just walk into and get. There is significant spiritual preparation and learning needed first. It's better to be prepared and enjoy the fullness of the experience than to rush into it too quickly and end up confused. The ordinances in the temple also require that you prepare yourself to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. The best way to prepare for the Temple ordinances is to begin living their teachings consistently before entering the Temple. This is your way of showing Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father that you love them, obey them, and are ready for additional light and knowledge. Without this preparation, any ordinance of the Gospel would be an empty set of rituals. The Temple, in its fullest sense, prepares men and women to return and live with God as His sons and daughters. Anyone in the world can experience the power and beauty of the Temple, but a wise Heavenly Father has set out certain guidelines for their personal preparation first. Those who love Jesus Christ and walk in His ways will find in the Temple a power beyond their comprehension and a closeness to God not possible anywhere else in the world.