Hi, I'm Courtney

I'm a Chicagoland native that loves reading, Jimmy Stewart, and Dominican food...and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

Growing up outside of the Second City, I was raised on good food and good friendship. I am an English Education major with a Spanish minor - hoping to teach high school one day with a great passion for reading and writing. I love poetry, music, and all creative endeavors. I try to find a way to appreciate all art and ways to connect with all kinds of people. There is nothing more exciting to me than the broad functionality of languages and the understanding that can be developed between people. I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I try to honor Christ in all things I do, and find the truths of His gospel in all I study and see.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because through the gospel of Jesus Christ I have never been without joy or direction.
Trials and heartaches come, but with them I have always had those two things. I grew up in a close loving family that taught the principles of Jesus Christ through word and example. I felt like I began to know Christ personally at a young age through studying The Bible and The Book of Mormon and truly trying to be like Him. When praying, I felt so much peace and love from my Savior that my desire to obey His commandments grew. I know that Jesus Christ lives and is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I know that this is His gospel because I have put it into practice. I have felt my sins, anxieties, sicknesses, heartaches, and tribulations be lifted from me through the atonement. I have felt the peace of knowing that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who knows me, loves me, and helps direct me in my purposes here on the earth. I will continue on this path so that my family will not be separated at death, but instead be together forever. I glory in the Lord Jesus Christ and God our Eternal Father for this great blessing. I know that it is true.

How I live my faith

Every day for me is dedicated to trying to do what Christ would do, and trying to live my life the way my Heavenly Father would want me. Normally that means, just loving people.There is nothing I want more than to help others come unto Christ and feel the peace and joy that comes from living in harmony with His restored gospel. I can honestly say that all of the bliss in my life has come through my Savior Jesus Christ - I can't continue my life without helping others find that happiness.

Who founded Mormonism and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Mark answered...

The most direct answer to the question is a group of six men who signed their names to a founding document on April 6, 1830. The room was filled with believers, but six signed to fulfill New York state law. Preeminent among them was Joseph Smith, Jr. who was designated the first elder and apostle by revelation. It is Joseph Smith, Jr. who is most often referred to as the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Joseph, as a young man of eighteen years of age, was visited by an angel, the one mentioned in Revelation 14:6, who told him where an ancient record was buried which contained a history of a group of ancient, American Christians, and which also contained the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This record was translated by the gift and power of God by the young man with the aid of others as scribes and witnesses of the translation.

During translation they learned of the need of further organization, and this tiny group sought out God who sent additional angelic messengers which conferred authority from God to organize His Church again upon the earth, as it was in Biblical times. This group and those who believed their stories of miraculous events met in a farmhouse on April 6, 1830 in upstate New York to create an officially recognized organization that could hold the copyrights to the record that was translated as the Book of Mormon as well as other rights granted to religious societies.

It is called the Mormon church because of the book revealed from heaven, which is unique from all other Christian churches.
Joseph answered...

I went on a bicycle ride one day with a friend of another faith. He was a believing Christian but told me as we rode that he believed churches and organized religion are unnecessary and that the best way to find truth is to look everywhere. He bought into the notion that there are "many ways to the top of a mountain."

I think there's truth in that view, too. I believe that God wants us to find truth everywhere we can get it. And yet something nagged at me about his view. As we hit the steeper part of our ride, I said, "I think that's a cop out." (We have a pretty comfortable relationship - we talk pretty bluntly with each other). "If there is a God, don't you think He'd have an opinion about what's right and what's wrong? And don't you think He would have a plan for His children? And finally, don't you think He'd want us to know the truth about that plan? If so, how can you believe He would not create some credible and organized way to help us figure out what is true?"

Throughout history that way has been to reveal the truth through prophets. As my friend and I spoke he saw more clearly that there was no reasonable argument for why God would say, "2000 years ago prophets were a really good idea. But today I changed my mind."

Joseph Smith did what prophets always do. He revealed new scripture that confirms all that we had before. He restored God's full Gospel. And he pointed us to Christ. I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. And now my friend does, too.

How can we stop the spread and influence of pornography?

Chris answered...

Since I do not think legislation will ever be enacted against it, we will have to stop it one person at a time. I think the key to this is placing the proper barriers between your life and the damning influence of pornography. That means staying away from unwholesome places, and putting the proper protections on your electronic devices. It also means controlling your thoughts.