Hi, I'm Mandy

I grew up in the southwestern United States. I'm a writer and editor. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I have a master's degree in English literature and I love to read. I also love anything creative - writing fiction, oil painting, embroidery, crocheting, scrapbooking, playing the piano, ballet, etc. I'm going through some tough financial problems right now as I try to find a job and make ends meet with a temporary job. It's hard sometimes, but I try to look for the joy in my life - like my little dog Milo. He's my best mate.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born in the church, to an active LDS family, but eventually, every member of my immediate family left the church for one reason or another. Some have returned, but many haven't. I've chosen to always be active in the church and to live the gospel because I've always known that this church is true. It's often a struggle when my family members mock me for my beliefs, but I know that living the gospel is what matters most. I have confidence that someday every hurt, sorrow, and sin will be healed through the atonement of Christ. I know my Savior came to earth to atone for me, that He willingly died for me because of love, and that He lives again. I have read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it, and I have a received a witness of its divinity and truth through the Holy Spirit. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called by God, to restore Christ's true church on the earth again. I love being a member of this church because it teaches me everything I need to know to prepare me to live with Him and my Heavenly Father again.

Personal Stories

Can you talk about the missions of the Church and your participation in them?

I served in the Russia Samara Mission from 2001 to 2002. It was thrilling to go halfway around the world to a place so different from where I grew up. I shared the gospel, taught English to Russian students of all ages, and served in countless other small ways - cleaning the house of an invalid, helping to prepare for a funeral, being a friend to someone who was sad or lonely, etc. Serving the wonderful people of Russia in both temporal and spiritual ways helped me feel like I was able to do something of use for both the Lord and His children. I quickly came to love the Russian people and their culture. Seeing so many of them embrace the gospel and find peace and joy in it lifted my heart immeasurably. I made so many wonderful friends there. It was also the greatest adventure of my life! I was stalked, interrogated by the Russian military police, and almost kidnapped - all in the first six weeks. But I always felt perfectly safe, knowing the Lord was watching out for me. And I learned that sometimes the trials of life make things a little more interesting - especially when writing letters home.

How I live my faith

I am currently a Sunday School teacher in my young single adult ward. I love this calling because I get to teach lessons on the scriptures. There is nothing more exciting to me than discovering new insights into the scriptures and sharing them with my class.

I also work in the temple one day a week. It's such a privilege to associate with the wonderful people who work there and to feel so close to my Heavenly Father and Savior in that peaceful, beautiful environment that is dedicated to worshiping Them.

Why do Mormons perform proxy baptisms in their temples?

Patty answered...

Proxy baptisms are Heavenly Father's solution to the conflict between the need to be baptized in order to obtain eternal life, and the fact that not everyone gets the opportunity to be baptized in this life. We preform baptisms on the behalf of our ancestors, and then our deceased ancestors, in the spirit world, are given the opportunity to choose whether or not they want this baptism to be valid for them.
Donna answered...

We have a loving Father in Heaven, whose work and glory are to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. He is our Father, and wants each and every one of us to return to him. Some of His children never had the opportunity to receive the blessings of the gospel and be baptized in their lifetime. Because our Father loves all of His children, each will have the opportunity to accept the gospel, even if it is taught to them after this life. We do baptisms in the temple by proxy so that those who did not have the opportunity in this life to be baptized into the church may receive this ordinance if they desire it.

Why do Mormons perform baptisms for the dead?

Stuart Clark answered...

We believe that baptism is essential for salvation. It is a covenant with God to obey his commandments. Christ taught that we all must be baptized. Some people die without being baptized or knowing about the Church of Jesus Christ. They must also have an opportunity for salvation. Those who have died are taught the gospel in the world of the spirits. But, baptism is an earthly ordinance. So we can perform that ordinance for them by being baptized for them, just as Christ died for us as a proxy for us, we can be baptized for others. This is authorized by Christ in his church to be performed in the temples. The person who died can either receive this gift or reject it. They still have their agency.