Hi, I'm Ron

I'm an NBA Statistician and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a fifty-nine year old married man with a wonderful wife of 37 years. I'm been blessed with four children and seven grandchildren. I wouldn't trade them for anything. I love hanging out with my family. Whether it's going bowling, catching a movie or just playing cards or board games. For the past 30 years I have had the best part-time job ever... I keep the stats at home games for the Utah Jazz Basketball Team. My company, which is made up of family members, shows up at each home game, the Jazz feed us and then we keep the stats. GREAT part-time job. As far as my full-time job, I have been unemployed for the past 22 months. Not uncommon in today's uncertain economic conditions. I was a good, loyal, hardworking employee making my company successful, and yet, I was let go. It has been one of the most difficult times of my life. The discouragement, frustration, and loss of confidence were tough to deal with on a day-to-day basis. It required some REAL soul-searching to determine why nobody was hiring me. When it first happened, I felt my wife and I could survive for about 6-8 months, however, with some tender mercies from the Lord we have kept going.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born into the Mormon faith. I had very wise ancestors who heard the gospel message and readily accepted it. But just being a Mormon by birth doesn't mean you automatically have a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. Everyone still has doubts and has to find out for themselves that the church is true and its teachings are correct. I think everyone who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a convert. Whether they joined the church later in life or if they gained a testimony after being born in the church. Everyone needs to have that conversion take place in their life or they will never know for themselves if the church is true or not. When I was a teenager, I was amazed at the story of Joseph Smith. How could a young man, about my age, have such incredible faith as to see the Father and the Son? Why couldn't I have that faith? I read where Jesus taught that if you had only the faith of a mustard seed, a seed that is VERY small, you could MOVE mountains. I wanted that type of faith, not to move Mountains or to see heavenly messengers, but to call down the blessings of heaven, to know without a doubt that Jesus lived and that this was his true church on the Earth. I wanted to experience miracles, like what happened to Joseph or to the ancient apostles. I prayed often that I might have this type of faith. I quickly learned that faith is like that mustard seed. It requires care and nurturing. It doesn't happen just overnight. It might appear to those who hear the Joseph Smith story that his faith was immediate, that all he had to do was read the scripture in James (if any of you lack wisdom), pray, and have all those incredible experiences happen to him. I'm sure though that if we look a little harder, Joseph was building his faith line upon line precept upon precept throughout his entire life. Joseph's mother talked about how Joseph had ALWAYS had a special spirit about him and how close he was to the Lord. Think back to the faith he exhibited when he had his leg operated on as a young child. Now 40 years later, I look back on my life and take stock of my faith and those things that have happened in my life. Like Joseph, my faith grew a little at a time. Primarily, through reading the scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon), attending my meetings, providing service to others, and spending time on my knees. And like Joseph and others, I had miracles happen in MY life. Maybe not the earth shattering ones like seeing heavenly beings, but miracles nonetheless. I've seen bones that were broken, immediately healed. I've seen babies who were struggling to live, immediately recover. I've seen individuals; totally change their lives from evil to good. I've seen the Holy Ghost enter an individual and take over his tongue to say things that needed to be said. I've seen the spirit whisper to individuals to prevent accidents. I've seen individuals time and time again, be healed on the spot. I've felt the Holy Ghost testify to me about the truthfulness of words so many times, I have lost count. I've had events happen in my life that have directed me to my future eternal companion, events that couldn’t be fully understood until later in life. The spirit literally guided me directly to her front door. Yes, I've had miracles happen in my life because of my faith and because of the priesthood of God that I hold. I have had the Holy Ghost communicate directly to my spirit where I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt, that God lives, that Jesus is MY personal Savior and Redeemer. I know that Joseph Smith WAS the Prophet of the restoration, that the Book of Mormon is true and is the word of our Heavenly Father, that the priesthood I hold IS the power and authority to act for God while on this earth. And I KNOW that Thomas S Monson is a true Prophet of God upon the earth this day. How many more miracles do I need? What will you allow your faith to do for you?

Personal Stories

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Prayer should be a guiding principle in our lives. It's our opportunity to communicate with our Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ. Through prayer, we have the prospect of receiving personal revelation of how we should live our lives. Prayer has given me direction, comfort, and hope. Through prayers I have received answers to career moves, wife selection, and how to raise my family.

How has attending Church services helped you?

It allows me to partake of the Sacrament and renew my baptismal covenants. It provides me the opportunity associate with others that share my beliefs. I get to receive instructional information to help me be a better person and grow closer to my Father in Heaven. I feel the Lord's spirit when I attend my Church services.

How I live my faith

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about providing service to others. That is how Jesus lived his life and that is how his followers should live theirs. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I do my best to follow the example of the Savior. I visit those in need of assistance, the elderly, the sick and afflicted. When needed I give them priesthood blessings of peace and comfort. I help at a food bank and provide my time to assist in humanitarian relief work to those who have need. I donate my time to fulfill callings within the Church and assist in service projects. A great King from the Book of Mormon declared, "that when you are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." I believe that to be the absolute truth.

After finishing second five times in my job interviews, my wife and I felt inspired to go serve a mission for our Church. So we sold our dream home of 25 years, and headed out on a new journey. We are currently serving in a large city in the United States and are loving every minute of it. We are teaching individuals about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, working with disabled individuals and the elderly.

What do Mormons believe happens after we die?

Ron answered...

Our bodies are laid to rest in the Earth until the resurrection, while our spirits return to that God that sent us. The spirits go to the spirit world to await reuniting with our bodies at the resurrection. Individuals who were righteous during their time here on the Earth are received into paradise, while those who did evil during their probationary stay here on the Earth go to spirit prison.
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Raewyn answered...

We were so very sad when our very special eleven year old grandson died in 2009. He suffered from life threatening asthma from birth and was often in hospital. He caught a virus which attacked his heart causing it to go into a dangerous rhythm, which eventually stopped his heart. Every attempt was made to save him but to no avail. The night he died, I thought I might die too - I was so overcome with grief. I was grieving not only for him but for our daughter and her family too. I received enormous comfort from my family and friends, especially those in the church and the outpouring of love and support was indescribable. However, the most comfort I received was my knowledge that I absolutely knew that we would see him again in the next life and that our family would be together forever in the eternities. I was also comforted to know that our grandson would be free from his health problems and be able to have peace. Even though I miss him terribly, I know he is happy and with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I feel his spirit around me often. I know with total conviction that the Lord has unconditionally supported all of our family through this trial and continues to do so daily.

How can we come to know our Father in Heaven?

Richard Maden answered...

Just start out with a small prayer to God and just this one act will start you on a path that will bring you into a relationship with Him. Don't be afraid to ask for guidance from the missionaries this is the thing they live for.

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Joseph Smith

As is the case throughout history God has communicated to His children through prophets. God used a humble man as a prophet to restore His Church on earth who ultimately died defending His faith.

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