Hi, I'm Karyann

I recently earned my bachelor's degree and I'm expecting a little girl. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

My husband and I grew up together in a small town but ended up at the same big university. After he returned from his mission we started dating. We were married in the temple--it was the most beautiful day of my life, spent with family and close friends. Now everyday I spend with my husband is more beautiful than the last and I find so much happiness spending time laughing and living with him.

Why I am a Mormon

Raised in the Church, I feel my knowledge of the Gospel started very early. I remember times when I was in grade school and feeling discouraged about making friends and achieving my goals. Often, my belief in the Savior Jesus Christ strengthened me and helped me to know that I am not alone.

When I look up at the sky, consider the billions of people on the planet, and listen to the beautiful sounds of music, my mind struggles to conceive of the Lord's love for His children, that He provided this great place for us to be.

My faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ is what gives me the most strength. Sometimes there are days when I don't feel I've done my best--our apartment is a mess, I didn't make dinner--the small things that can get anybody down; but it's those days when I know that the Spirit of God is guiding me and strengthening me. I feel His love tugging at my heart, reminding me to pray, to seek His help again. I think of the numberless times in the scriptures when the prophets testify that "His hand is stretched out still." This is the most beautiful promise, that we are never a lost cause, and that we are always loved by a caring Father in Heaven. It is incredible to me that a God who is perfect finds beauty in me, He loves me and constantly hopes for my continued diligence in living true to what I feel is right.

Being a Mormon offers me the hope and the strength to carry on and to find endless jewels of happiness in each day.

Personal Stories

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you in your life?

The Savior's commandment to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself has been an important one to me. There are so many people who need our love, who are lonely and looking for a friend, and who want to feel like there is someone who cares about them.

When I got to college I was really worried about making friends and feeling accepted. After I was married I started to worry about fitting in again. I was waiting for someone to take an interest in me. Then one day, I felt that it was up to me to be the friend. I didn't need to do anything grand--I just felt that I should smile at those I passed on the street, to talk to people who I might not normally get to know. It has really changed how I feel about myself. I feel happier and more fulfilled. Each day I pray that I can help someone and that I can be like Jesus Christ in the way that He loved everyone.

Some days I just manage to say hello to someone I meet. Other times, I find myself put in a place to significantly help another. We live in place with lots of people from other countries and now that I am trying hard to love my neighbor as myself, the most unexpected opportunities come to help complete strangers.

What have you done successfully to shield your family from unwanted influences?

There are so many good things in the world. We have found joy in participating in what is good. We actively seek what is wholesome, rather than trying to avoid what is not. Instead of constantly worrying that something we do not like will enter our lives, we just spend our time engaged in better things. We love to see plays performed by community theaters, go to musical events performed by local choirs and dance groups and to spend time together.

The other night, we spent a little time looking through a history book at a subject that interested us both. It was entertaining to learn fun facts about historical figures, and because of that experience, we hope to buy a used biology book too, so we can look up fun facts about how our bodies work and some of God's other creations.

These sort of activities that we do together really help us avoid unwanted influences from entering our home and our life but it also has helped us spend time together doing things that are meaningful and fun. Things that we will remember for a long time and that someday, we will enjoy having our children participate in as well.

How I live my faith

My favorite part of being a Mormon is that everything I do encourages me to strengthen my family. My husband and I set aside time each Monday evening to have Family Home Evening. During this time we pray, sing, talk about spiritual topics and we do fun things too. We cook a treat together, or go for a walk to admire the world around us. We love the time we have to just focus on our little family of two (almost three now) and to look to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to give us their strength in the challenges of starting a new family. My faith isn't just a past-time it is interwoven through all time!

What are Mormon Temples used for?

Karyann answered...

The temples are places where we learn about God and about His plan for His children. There we participate in covenants or promises for ourselves that we will live according to God's commandments and in an elevated way. We promise to be clean and worthy to serve God's children. After we have made these promises for ourselves, we return and help those who have died to make those promises for themselves by proxy--or acting in their behalf.

Going to temple to do work by proxy is a wonderful time to remember our personal promises and to learn more and more about our Savior, why He came to this earth for us and what it is that we came to this life to do. The temple is a clean and quiet place where God's love is felt in every corner. It is His house on earth, and He has invited us all to come and feel His love there.
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Aubree answered...

Temples are used to perform sacred ordinances necessary for salvation. One of these is a temple marriage--making it possible to be together as a family for eternity. Since these ordinances are sacred, only members who are striving to live the gospel may enter. All members are strongly encouraged to become and/or stay worthy to enter the temple. Members also go to the temple to seek guidance, comfort, and personal revelation from God.

Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

Daniel. answered...

No. I've never even met the man.

One night I was on the front row of a concert. A big star came to the edge of the stage and held out his hand. EVERYONE rushed forward, climbing over each other, pushing and wedging themselves along, just to touch him. I almost got caught up in that too, and was about to rush ahead when a little voice kicked in "He's just a man. What's the big deal?" At that moment I vowed to never adulate anything less than deity. I will not go to my knees for anyone but a Loving God.

I respect Joseph Smith like I respect any man who tries his best to live according to his conscience. I hope maybe one day I'll get to chat with him over lunch--or over whatever kind of meal they offer in the life beyond. But I cannot worship a man, for why should I place and value one person any higher than another?