Hi, I'm Ryan J. R.

I am a college student. I hope to be a force for good in the medical world. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a college student majoring in Biophysics. Doesn't that just sound cool! I am using this bachelors degree to prepare me for medical school to be a doctor or graduate school to develop robotic prosthesis: fake but functional arms and legs.
I love to play games boardgames, video games, sports. Basketball is a favorite of mine. But they aren't so fun by yourself so I love to play them with other people. Going to watch my favorite sports teams is always exciting to me! I enjoy watching movies and occasionally reading a book that is not required for school.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because I believe this church has the truth. I have been very blessed for keeping the commandments of God. These are found in the bible, and further talked about in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, which are also books of scripture. The Book of Mormon brings me closer to God than any other book, although the bible is right there with it. Prayer has been and will be essential for finding and maintaining my faith. I believe God hears and answers prayers. He is my Father in Heaven. He loves me as a son, which love gives me hope for eternal life. Simply I am a Mormon because I have hope through Jesus Christ that if I follow his gospel I can be saved.

How I live my faith

I live my faith, by living the best I can. I serve my brothers and sisters in the church as Elders quorum (the Church's male organization) 1st Counselor, and as a Home teacher (I visit a few assigned people and talk with them and share a spiritual message). I enjoy being a home teacher, because I get to know people. I hope to be a force for good everyday, by making good choices. I like to say hi to people I know and sometimes strangers. I try to look for ways to help others. I do my best to remember Christ and his teachings. I follow the counsel given to me by the Leadership of the Church as a whole, Local leaders, and my parents. My potential occupations as mentioned above are so I can help others which I few as being in the service of my God.

Why is family so important to Mormons?

Ryan J. R. answered...

My family is so important to me, because of the many times they helped me and showed me unconditional love. It is a taste of Heaven. Family is important because without it God's plan for all of us as his children is slowed. I know that the family is the best place for people to begin to understand our relationship to our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. I started life as a son of a father and a mother and someday I will be a father. Through these relationships, I have begun to see the great love that God and Jesus have for me.
Kevin answered...

We believe that our families are the basic unit of any society, and that failure in the home means that we've failed as a nation and a people. We've heard that it takes a village to raise a child, and that's true enough. But our leaders have told us that the most important work we can do in life, even more than any professional pursuits, is to raise our children in righteousness.

Think about it. If each father and mother were just a little more engaged in their family's lives i'm not talking about controlling their family, helping their sons and daughters with the challenges they constantly face, the crises we find ourselves in as a nation would become much less. We'd more good in the world as a result. You may think that naive or unrealistic, but I know how much good one family can cause, and how much pain another can cause. We want to change the world, and to do that we need to change ourselves and help our families become better too.

Why are only some Mormons allowed into temples? Is there something secret going on in Mormon Temples? What goes on in Mormon Temples?

Katie answered...

I used to play in a Balinese Gamelan ensemble here in Washington, DC on weeknights and had some of my friends ask me this question. First, I pointed out that anyone can go into the temple during the open house to see what it is like. After it is dedicated, it becomes holy ground and you have to make yourself clean or holy to go in. I told them that EVERYONE can go to the temple, as long as they are wiling to go through that process of becoming clean. I reminded them that you can't just waltz in to the White House either (much to the chagrin of many tourists here). You have to go through a background check that takes 6 weeks and that is just to get into the East Wing, the West Wing requires a job and security clearance. Our protectiveness of the temple is not a sign of secrecy, it is more a manifestation of how special and important the the building and its rituals are.

And I hope people don't get intimidated by the word "ritual", everyone who has gone through a school graduation has experienced a ritual. It just means that we are participating in life-changing experiences that turn our hearts to God, our families and our fellow men. The real difference is that we believe that process of making devotional promises to God in a sacred place is necessary for our salvation. That is why we encourage everyone to join with us and make their way to the temple.

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