Hi, I'm Ethan

I'm from Walla Walla, I play the drums and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I've always had an interest in computers, both the hardware and software. I love music as well and play the drums. Life has been an adventure and I've met some great friends along the way.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born into the church, yet after my parents got divorced life was hard. Through frequent church attendance and great friends I came to realize the significance of being a member of this church and the real blessings that came from being such. I know my Savior Jesus Christ lives. I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows our true potential and wants to help us if we but ask. That knowledge alone has helped me through hard times, knowing that the future is bright and that we always have someone to turn to. We are never truly alone.

Personal Stories

Why do Mormons go on missions?

Deciding to go on a mission has blessed me and I believe will continue to for the rest of my life. I have more direction, meet great people, and know I am doing the work that the Lord would have me do. It is wonderful to teach those without the Gospel and see how they change as they come to find their Savior.

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope is to have faith in things that we can't see or prove, but know are true and possible. Not only that, but to also act on what we believe, doing those things that will allow us to reach our goals.

I hope for a brighter future and to be able to learn from the experiences in my life. I hope to begin a family in the future and to return to live with our Heavenly Father when my time has come to leave this Earthly life.

How has your knowledge of the Plan of Happiness changed/benefited your life?

It gives me hope when I'm down. I remember that there's so much more to life than just in the moment. (See: mormon.org/plan-of-happiness)

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

The Prophet Brigham Young taught:

"The sooner an individual resists temptation to do, say, or think wrong, while he has light to correct his judgment, the quicker he will gain strength and power to overcome every temptation to evil."

We hold onto this "light" that we get when we make the right choices that makes us want to make more right choices. Christ himself taught: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven". Not only do we grow, but others see this light and it affects them as well.

Evil is like darkness, but even in the dark all it takes is a spark to ignite in order to penetrate the obscurity, which if the conditions are met, will slowly spread into a flame of visibility.

How I live my faith

As a youth we visited elderly members of the church and befriended them. We sang to them. We helped them move. We talked with them about their lives and about the Gospel of Christ. I have also made the decision to serve a mission, declaring the Gospel of Christ in a new place, away from my family and friends for two years.

How is the Book of Mormon different from the Bible? How did Joseph Smith obtain the “golden plates” or Book of Mormon?

Ethan answered...

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ, containing the fullness of Christ's Gospel. Prophets in the Americas, way back in the late B.C. era and early A.D. era, wrote on golden plates to testify of Christ and preserve the Gospel of Christ in its fullness. Joseph Smith found and translated these ancient records by the gift and power of God. Today it is called the Book of Mormon.
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Why are only some Mormons allowed into temples? Is there something secret going on in Mormon Temples? What goes on in Mormon Temples?

Keith Proctor answered...

In the Temple we are taught some pretty powerful truths about who we are, where we came from, and why we are here. It's not the kind of experience you can just walk into and get. There is significant spiritual preparation and learning needed first. It's better to be prepared and enjoy the fullness of the experience than to rush into it too quickly and end up confused. The ordinances in the temple also require that you prepare yourself to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. The best way to prepare for the Temple ordinances is to begin living their teachings consistently before entering the Temple. This is your way of showing Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father that you love them, obey them, and are ready for additional light and knowledge. Without this preparation, any ordinance of the Gospel would be an empty set of rituals. The Temple, in its fullest sense, prepares men and women to return and live with God as His sons and daughters. Anyone in the world can experience the power and beauty of the Temple, but a wise Heavenly Father has set out certain guidelines for their personal preparation first. Those who love Jesus Christ and walk in His ways will find in the Temple a power beyond their comprehension and a closeness to God not possible anywhere else in the world.