Hi, I'm Colin

I am an average Mormon Canadian city boy.

About Me

I am a design draftsman working as a project coordinator for an engineering company in Alberta, Canada. In my spare time I like to GeoCache with my wife. Being Canadian, I naturally love hockey.

In January of 2006 I married the woman of my dreams and have enjoyed many wonderful memories together.

Why I am a Mormon

I have always felt out of place in the world. No one seemed to have the same standards that I did. When I was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ, I felt like I belonged and that I had found what I have always looked for.

How I live my faith

I've enjoyed helping others. Providing a helping hand seems to have always been a part of me, even as a child. In the various positions I've had within the Church, I've always had the opportunity to help out others. In return I have been given many different experiences to teach me a new skill or learn something new.

What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' attitude regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage?

Jacob answered...

We all have the freedom to pursue happiness in their own way, and I would even be willing to allow that some desires may be genetically given. This does not make our desires right. In the scriptures we read " For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord." (Mosiah 3:19) We all have "natural desires" that place us in opposition with God's purpose and desires for us and we must each seek to correct them if we wish true happiness.

I sympathize with those whose desires are powerful and poignant; you face a sore trial indeed. The scriptures give us hope though; "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) God is merciful and Christ is compassionate, while there may be yet an effectual struggle to be had perhaps for many years or the rest of our lives full repentance and change is possible.

If a homosexual individual desires to continue as such and marry only by the laws and rites of the state, then I have no qualms, I will do my utmost to be a friend to such an individual. I only ask that my rights, beliefs, and Church are respected.
Mandy answered...

We believe that God loves all of His children and that none of us are mistakes. Earth life is a time for us to meet challenges and overcome our weaknesses as we rely on the Lord. We are all unique, and so it makes sense that different people have different challenges. Just because one challenge seems harder than another, that doesn't limit God's ability to help us understand and overcome it.

As disciples of Christ, we are to love everyone and look for the goodness in everything. The family is central to God's plan. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and this relationship allows us to grow closer to God. Marriage is more about what you can offer and sacrifice for your spouse than for what you can receive out of it.

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

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.