Hi, I'm Elizabeth

I am a graduate student and a wife. Two years ago, I became a Mormon.

About Me

First and foremost, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My husband and I, recently married, grew up in sunny California. We're currently attending graduate school and love to watch movies together when we're not spending all hours of the night studying. I am a runner, a kickboxer, and a rock climber; I also love music and play the saxophone, oboe, and piano.

Why I am a Mormon

I grew up in a Non-denominational Christian household. My family is anti-Mormon, and although it was difficult for me to give up my previous vendettas toward Mormons, I couldn't ignore the feelings of love and peace I had when I read from the Book of Mormon. When I walked into a Latter-day Saint church building for the first time, I felt like I was truly at home for the first time in my life. With prayer and an open heart, I came to know of the wonderful truth of the Church of Jesus-Christ of latter-day Saints!
This gospel has transformed my life. I feel the blessings and indescribable joy of faith every day.

How I live my faith

My husband and I make it a priority to help those individuals and families around us whenever possible. I like to make meals and babysit for our neighbors, and I visit women from church every few weeks to say hello and ask if they need anything. I am also involved with several community-run and church-run projects around town, such as volunteering at food shelters and canned food drives.
But why?
I am a Mormon, and I believe that every human being is a wonderful and unique child of God. I strive to meet others, serve others, and love others for who they are because our Heavenly Father loves us.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

Elizabeth answered...

It's funny, I used to call the Mormon Church a cult too. I just didn't understand it.

Mormonism isn't weird or strange. Its members don't perform satanic rituals or brainwash teenage boys into walking around from door to door in suits and name tags (nor is anyone forced to -- everyone who chooses to serve a mission does so out of their own free will and choice).
I used to call Mormonism a cult because it seemed foreign and unfamiliar, which I deemed scary. The same thing happened to Jesus' first followers as well: they were accused of cult worship too! Others who understood little of what Mormons truly believe told me lies about so-called "practices" in the church which, in reality, were just made-up stories and falsehoods intended to give the church a bad name.
When it comes down to it, a lot of people just don't understand this church, and lies about it spread like wildfire. Mormons believe that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world, plain and simple.
Is that so weird or cultish?
Today, there are close to fourteen million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide, and more live outside of the United States than inside. That doesn't seem very cult-like to me!
Dan answered...

I grew up thinking, at one point, Mormonism was cult. I made this assertion based on nothing but hearsay, and didn't actually know any tenets of the LDS faith. Now, as a person who has thoroughly investigated the sincerity and divine truthfulness of this Church, I can resoundingly say that the Church of Jesus Christ is by no means a cult. I find that the major reason why people think Mormonism is a cult is simply due to a lack of understanding of the Church. For instance, not many people really know that Mormons believe in and strive to be closer to Jesus Christ we believe Him to be our personal savior and redeemer of the world. We read the Bible and know it to be the word of God. We take communion. We have an unpaid clergy. We live to serve others as Christ would have done.

When people take the time to understand what Mormonism is really all about, like I did, they will understand that Mormons are normal people with normal problems, and each of us relies on God to be a better, more Christlike person.

Why did your church previously practice plural marriage (polygamy)?

Clayton answered...

Why did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and Solomon practice plural marriage? Because God told them to. So why did Mormons practice polygamy? Because God commanded us to. There is nothing new about the concept of polygamy. It is only a tool that the Lord sees fit to put in place on his own time.

Any other reasons for it are God's reasons and the fact of the matter is that an all knowing, perfected being, who also happens to be the father of our spirits commanded that it should be done. It really all comes down to your faith in God.