Hi, I'm Kathy Neumiller

I am a mother of two and a grandmother of seven. I live in Flowery Branch Georgia and I am a Mormon.

About Me

I grew up the youngest of 5 children and was raised in a good Catholic home. I attended Catholic schools for 12 years but when I was a junior in high school something happened to make me doubt my current religion so after high school I began my search for the truth. I was married at 18, had a son at 19 and a daughter at 20. I worked in various jobs from the time my son was 5 until October of 2009 when I retired from the US Postal Service with 27 years of service. I had married and divorced more than once during those years and always I kept looking for that thing that could fill the God hole in my heart.

Why I am a Mormon

I continued my search for truth for many years, even until my son had grown and gone into the Marines for 4 years and returned home. He came to me one day to talk about his new beliefs. This was a rare thing for my son to approach me about religion and so I listened. He had the missionaries teach me along with him. The missionaries gave me a Book of Mormon to read and asked me to pray about it to know if it was true. Each night I would read the passages they had marked for me and then get down on my knees and ask to know if it was true. The response didn't come immediately but I went to church with my son while doing this investigation and one day in church I felt a complete peace come over me. I knew that I was right where I was supposed to be. As I continued my prayers about the Book of Mormon, I suddenly knew both in my head and in my heart that it was true. I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 16, 1992.

Personal Stories

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Prayer is an essential part of my life. Even as a child my parents taught me to kneel down beside my bed in the morning and at night to talk to my Heavenly Father. There were many years that I did not do this and my life was filled with confusion and poor choices. After becoming a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I again was back on my knees morning and night, thanking Heavenly Father for sending His son to sacrifice Himself on the cross for me, yes and for you, too. I pray to thank Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for the many blessings in my life, I ask for guidance when making a decision, I ask for help when I am confounded and do not know which way to turn. Prayer is the way that I communicate with my Father in Heaven and my elder brother Jesus Christ. He is considered my elder brother because I, too, am a child of God.

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

The Holy Ghost is known as the Comforter or the Testifier. I have found comfort when praying to know if the church was true and if the Book of Mormon was true. The Holy Ghost testified to me in my heart that it was true. Once I received that testimony, I never had to doubt again. As long as we are obeying the Commandments and living up to the covenants we make at baptism, the Holy Ghost will always remain with us. If there is contention, the Holy Ghost withdraws and I can feel an emptiness that is not there when I am doing the things I am supposed to be doing. When I am amidst struggles in my life, the Holy Ghost will comfort me and I will know that even though things may not turn out the way I want, that I will be alright.

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

We can develop greater harmony in our home by having a Christ-centered home. A family needs to make time for each other which will benefit every member much more than all the individual activities each family member does. For instance, a family should eat meals together so children can share their achievements, their doubts and fears while the listening parent can guide them in an atmosphere that is loving and caring. A family should do activities together, to strenghen the bond of family. If done early in life, and continued through the teen years, those bonds will remain strong and unbroken. A family should pray together, with each member being able to express their love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If we teach our children always to give thanks for their blessings and give them guidance in any obstacles that they will encounter during their growing years, they will better know what to do and how to handle an uncomfortable situation when it does come. The family that prays together, stays together is not just a nice saying, it truly does bring families together in peace and harmony.

How I live my faith

Over the years I have had many callings in the church. Since we have an unpaid ministry, we, the members of the church fill many roles, including teaching the youth, teaching the women, teaching singing to the youth. There are many ways to serve as a faithful Latter-day saint. The bishop gives us a calling and we can accept or refuse. My favorite calling that I have had was teaching the children to sing. I have always been very shy about having others hear me sing so I was a little skeptical when I received this callling but knowing that the bishop and his counselors pray about each calling before extending it to anyone in the church, I knew that the Lord could see how I could have personal growth while doing this calling. I loved the children and they responded well to me. I have always loved to sing and now I have gotten over my fear of having others hear me. Each of the calllings we receive are to help us with some area of personal growth that we may not even realize we need.

Another way I live my faith is by trying always to remember that people will notice things that I do differently than they do, such as not shopping on Sunday or not smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages. I want to be a good example and represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the very best way I can. I attend church regularly because I know that there I receive the spiritual food I need to make it through each day and each week, especially when adversity comes my way.

Does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints endorse political parties?

Dallin answered...

The Mormon Church does not endorse political parties. It does, however, strongly encourage political participation. We believe that one of God's greatest gifts to his children is the freedom to choose. With this gift comes the responsibility to do our part to make good choices. It is a great blessing to live in areas where we have the opportunity to vote for our leaders.
Fred answered...

No. Our leaders have always operated from the concept that if we teach one another correct principles, we will then make correct choices and govern ourselves. The Church encourages each person to carefully consider every issue and each candidate and to prayfully seek guidance and then to vote responsibily. We are encouraged to be involved with our communities and nation but the Church does not take political positions or endorse parties or individuals.

Do Mormons practice polygamy?

Clayton answered...

No, we don't. People typically mix up Mormons with their reformed break offs. Several of those groups practice polygamy, even though historically the commandment from the Lord to have plural marriages has been repealed.