Hi, I'm Aaron

I'm an engineer who writes children's books and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am an electrical engineering professor with degrees in both applied physics and electrical engineering. I've worked as an engineer for large companies and started my own company in the dot-com era. I'm also a writer and have written several published textbooks and a novel. I'm married and have three kids.

Why I am a Mormon

Being a Mormon gives me hope for a better tomorrow, for the entire world and for my family. Living the principles taught by the Church make me happy and I have had many spiritual confirmations that they are eternal and send from God.

How I live my faith

I pray and read scripture, alone and with my family every day. I attend Church with my family every week and teach adult and youth classes. I also visit two families in our congregation every month and help them however I can. I live our code of health, pay ten percent of my income as tithing, and do my best to follow the commandments found in scripture.

What are Mormon women like? Do Mormons believe in equality of men and women?

Asia answered...

Women have a divine role, as designed by Heavenly Father before we came to earth. We were given the sacred opportunity to be mothers and to work alongside the brethren of the church to serve, uplift, and strengthen others. Women are powerful and strong forces for good in the world. We must be careful, however. The world today often tries to demean the divine role of womanhood by over-sexualizing women or saying that they should be the same as men. Women and men are different for divine purposes. I don't want to be a man. I know that Heavenly Father sent me here to be who I am because I can contribute to this great work in a way that no one else can. I'm grateful to be a woman today.
Angela answered...

Yes! We firmly believe that men and women are equal in the eyes of God and are given separate, but equally important responsibilities here on Earth. Men are given the power of the Priesthood, which allows them to do things for their families and others such as give blessings or baptize individuals. Women are given the sacred responsibility of bringing children into the world and to support their husbands with their responsibilities. Both parents are encouraged to teach gospel principles to their children together and to live in harmony with the Church.
This is not to say women are not encouraged to pursue educational endeavors or career opportunities. Each family is different, we are encouraged to pray and make decisions based on what is best for our families.
Every Mormon woman is different, but we all have something in common. We are all daughters of our Father in Heaven.

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

Braden Scothern answered...

At many times in the Bible prophets were commanded to practice polygamy. Some of these prophets were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon.

We know that plural marriage is a sin unless God commands us to practice it. In the Book of Mormon the prophet Jacob tells the Lords will on the subject, “for there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife: and concubines he shall have none... for if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things” (Jacob 2:27-30).

So only as the Lord commands His people is it acceptable. While they early saints accepted this it was not an easy commandment to keep. They had many struggles with it and only under the direction of the Lord was it carried out. The Church leaders closely supervised the practice and only those who had been authorized by the Lord were to practice. In addition to that all of the marriages had to be performed by the sealing power of the priesthood which had been restored. It was not a temporary thing when it was practiced.

In 1890, President Woodruff received revelation that plural marriage was no longer acceptable to the Lord. So the practice was stopped instantly. Anyone who practices polygamy now is NOT a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.