Hi, I'm Brad

I built a Land Rover. I love racing bikes. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a husband, full-time graduate student, work part-time for a software company, intern for an energy conservation and monitoring company, home teacher, young men's instructor, and simply love being outside - riding and racing bikes, skiing, hiking, etc. Of course, documenting it all through the lens of my camera.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because of the way the gospel of Jesus Christ has changed my life. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints not only offers a channel for me to learn His gospel but also allows me to practice following our Savior's example daily regardless of my current imperfections. The Church offers me the opportunity to serve my fellow man and reminds me to do so frequently. As a result, I feel the promptings from our Heavenly Father more frequently as I choose to do the right thing and try to help those around me. In turn, whether I realize it at the time or not, they help me. I gained my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, the LDS Church, Christ's teachings, and Joseph Smith by kneeling and praying to ask God if what I was studying was true. This happened shortly after I arrived in Brazil on a 2 year mission. More than anything, it is that amazing, indescribable, uplifting feeling of confirmation from the Holy Ghost that keeps me coming back for more. It is what brings true peace and happiness in this life and in the life to come.

Personal Stories

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

Every person on Earth has been given a portion of the Light of Christ from birth, that is, each of us knows fundamentally right from wrong. Each time we make a right choice which improves not only our lives but the lives of those around us, it gives us a small increment of the Holy Spirit. With each increment of the Holy Spirit, we gain a stronger desire for that light, we begin to thirst for it. We also gain an increased understanding of the choice we made and the future similar choices we will make. This, in turn, makes it easier to make a correct choice in the future. For it is this agency that a loving Heavenly Father bestowed upon all of us to prove us in this life. Upon gaining an increment of the Light of Christ, we become more aware of the other people around us - the other souls that are struggling through this life as we are. With the increased awareness and care of those around us, we begin to take their welfare into account in future decisions and thus the cycle continues.

How I live my faith

I participate in church meetings regularly and help out with the young men in our neighborhood and congregation. I live my faith by trying to give them as many tools as possible to live a life as full of true joy as I had.

What are Mormon church services like? Are visitors allowed at church meetings? Can I attend church?

Brad answered...

Our fundamental religious service is what we call our Sacrament meeting. Anyone is welcome to join us in Sacrament meeting as well as our other Sunday meetings at any of our buildings. Sacrament is a time when we ponder and reflect on Jesus Christ's atonement for our sins, for He is the path by which we can repent of our wrongdoings and begin anew on a correct path with additional guidance from our Heavenly Father. Furthermore, on Sunday we have general Sunday School meetings where we talk more in-depth about the various doctrine of the gospel as well as meetings where we meet in groups of similarly-aged individuals to learn and discuss gospel topics more focused to each particular age group. We welcome anybody and everybody and would love to see you in our congregation spiritually connecting with your loving Heavenly Father and drawing nearer to him and his son, Jesus Christ.
Julianne! answered...

Mormon church services are dignified and simple. A sacrament meeting will be conducted by a regular guy wearing a regular business suit. The organ will be played by a regular member of the congregation who is not paid for his or her service. The singing will be led by a regular member of the congretaion. The prayers will be given by regular folks. The sacrament will be blessed and passed by regular folks, usually teenage boys. The talks will be given by members of the congregation, often teenagers. Special music might be presented by regular folks, or the ward choir. Members of the ward choir are just regular members of the congregation who like to sing, and are not paid for their service. Looking around the congregation, you will most likely see some singles but also families including little children and babies. Babies tend to be fussy so the room will not be totally silent. We try to maintain reverence, but it's a learning process. The kids are not perfectly reverent, and neither are the rest of us. People are dressed in regular clothes, usually conservative and modest. Men and boys usually wear dress shirts and ties. Women and girls usually wear dresses or skirts.

You are welcome to come and attend any of our worship services. You will not be asked to stand and sit, stand and sit, stand and sit. No one will pass a collection plate or ask you for money. You come in and sit and relax. And when you come, please sit by me!

What are Mormon women like? Do Mormons believe in equality of men and women?

Stephanie answered...

I think this is the question that I am most frequently asked. And as a woman and a member of this church, I consider myself an expert on the subject.

Mormon women are like any body of women--we're all different. We have different goals, we have different backgrounds, and we all have our own and very different struggles. But, there is one thing that unites us: and that is the love we have for the gospel, and the love that our Father in Heaven has for us. We are His daughters. We are oh so special to Him. We have been sent to this earth with talents and abilities that He knows only we can fulfill. These are things that build His kingdom--that lift, inspire, and strengthen those around us.

We believe that we are created equally. Women are not more special or more important than men. Men are not more special or more important than women. We are equal--but just because we are equal doesn't mean the things that we do are going to be the same, or even have to be the same. We work together in equality and together we accomplish what needs to be accomplished--and that can only be done as we work together.