Hi, I'm Pete

I'm the son of Vietnamese refugees. I'm in the Army. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

My parents were refugees of the Vietnam war. In 1975, when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, my parents along with my brothers and sisters jumped onto small fishing boats packed with other refugees and made a long treacherous voyage to America. I'm the only member of my immediate family to have been born in America. Thanks to my parents and my family, I graduated from college with a degree in communication. During my time in college, I joined the Army ROTC program and shortly after receiving my degree, I received my commission to be an officer in the United States Army. Today, I'm married, I have two beautiful children a boy and a girl and I grateful for all of it.

Why I am a Mormon

There are a lot of reasons why I'm a Mormon, but the single greatest reason deals with prayer. As I was meeting with missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints they taught me a lot about God. They taught me that He was my Father and that I was His son. They taught me about what happens after death, and they taught me about the purpose of life. The amazing thing was, they told me that I didn't have to take their word on anything they taught. They told me that I could pray to my Father in Heaven and that He would tell me if they were teaching me the truth. I prayed, and God spoke to me. He told me, through intense feelings in my heart, that the missionaries were teaching me the truth, that Jesus Christ did re-establish his Church, that The Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture like the Bible is a true book of scripture and that after death, our families can be reunited for eternity. I know God is real because he answered my prayers and today, he continues to answer my prayers.

Personal Stories

Could you talk about your baptism?

I've actually been baptized twice. My first baptism was when I was a baby and it was in a Catholic church. Many years later I was baptized again, as an adult and it was into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I remember my baptism clearly As I was immersed into the water I could feel my sins being washed away. A great warmth of love covered my body and I could feel the grace of Jesus Christ fall over me.

How I live my faith

At church I'm a volunteer Sunday school teacher. Actually, everybody at church, from the bishop to the nursery leader is a volunteer. I teach a class for visitors and people who've recently joined the congregation. It doesn't mean I know everything, in fact, I'm certain I learn more from the people in my class than they learn from me. It's a great blessing and I love it. What's awesome is that, in Sunday school, everybody has something to contribute. We're a big Sunday school family.

Why is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called Mormons or Mormonism?

Pete answered...

We're referred to as Mormons because of a book we use called, "The Book of Mormon." Like the Bible, The Book of Mormon teaches about Jesus Christ and how we can increase our faith. Regardless, whether people call me a "Christian," "Mormon," "LDS," or "Latter-day Saint," it's who I am and what I believe that matters most, not what someone calls me.
Show more of my answers Show less of my answers One Moment Please

How does the Church finance its operations?

Clint answered...

The Church finances its operations primarily through voluntary donations from its members, generally referred to as Tithing. The Lord commanded his people in the Old Testament to bring their tithes to his servants. Many Church members today voluntarily donate a portion of their income help the Church bless the lives of millions of individuals through providing meetinghouses for worship, schools for education, supplies for humanitarian aid, food and housing assistance to the poor, etc. In addition, the Church owns and operates taxable for-profit business enterprises that generate income to help fund Church initiatives. The Church invests a portion of its gross receipts to maintain a financial reserve, and income from these investments provide an additional source of funds.