Hi, I'm Allen

I joined the church at age 19.

About Me

I am a kid at heart. I was lucky enough to marry my college sweetheart over 30 years ago and she is still my best friend! Life has been wonderful and we have enjoyed raising our five children. We are an active family and have enjoyed watersking, backpacking or staying at our family cabin in the mountains.

Now that our children are all married, I am playing a lot of golf and am getting back into raquetball. My wife and I are also doing a lot more traveling. We enjoy going to places where we can scuba dive! We are also very passionate about the arts and love classical music.

While active in our church, I also serve on a few community boards. I feel a need to give back to our community. In particular, in enjoy being involved in organizations that serve our youth.

Why I am a Mormon

I do believe in God and believe we were all created in His image. This church has taught me so much about my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. I do feel their love and know they care for each and evey one of us.

The church has also been a great place for me to learn to be a better husband and father. I have so many wonderful examples around me. Christ continually taught about being selfless and caring for others. The members of this church continue to be living examples of serving others. They inspire me to be a better person. They are so accepting of all of God's children.

I do feel God's love. I know we are all here for a reason and we need to prepare to return to Him. I do believe I can be with my sweetheart forever and also believe our children can be with us in the eternities. Life is eternal and families too can be eternal.

While this mortal existence presents challenges, each challenge presents opportunities for growth. I know these mortal experiences prepare us for a bright and glorious future.

Personal Stories

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

I am a big believer in saying things like "Thank You," "Please," and "You're Welcome." Life is wonderful and we should do our part to treat everyone with kindness. I believe people are generally trying to do their best. Our job is to support them and love them. That means serve them.

I feel one of the greatest challenges placed before us is selfishness. If we could all change our focus towards serving others and not be so focused on "what is in it for me," the world would be a much better place.

Want a better marriage? Then learn to serve your sweetheart - put her needs about your own. Love is not what you get, it is what you give! Do you want to enjoy your kids? Then learn to serve them too! Treat them as a gift from your Father in Heaven and always remember they are His kids, not yours. They will return to Him someday. In short, it is not about YOU, it is about THEM!

How I live my faith

I have always loved the youth. These kids are AWESOME! The church has continually provided me with opportunities to serve (and play) with the youth. It does keep my young!

I currently serve as a Bishop. That is the equilavent of a minister. While I do not give a "sermon" each week, I do have leadership responsibilieis and am asked to minister to all members of our community - be they a member or nonmember of our church. My principal responsibilities are to the youth. I hope I am a good example to them. They certainly inspire me to be a better servant!

We do not have a paid ministery. All of our members, including the Bishop, provide service out of love for our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. As such, I do have a full time job and have other responsibilities in my community.

Yes.... life is busy. However, we are here to serve. If this world is to get better, we need to be anxiously engaged in doing good works. Each of us has the ability to improve the world around us!

What do Mormons believe about "eternal life?"

Allen answered...

Life is eternal. I do believe we lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to this mortal existence. And, I belive we will return again to our Father in Heaven. As a result of the attoning sacrifice offered by our Savior Jesus Christ, we can return to our Father in Heaven.

How can I know Mormonism is true?

Evelyn answered...

One of the best things in life is that we can freely communicate with God; our Heavenly Father. Because He loves us so much, He has blessed us with the precious gift of prayer. Through prayer we are able to counsel with Him and whatever we ask sincerely, He will make it known unto us. The scriptures can give you a surety of this. In Matthew 7:7 it says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Another example is in the book of James 1:5-6, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

If you would like to know that what you have heard is true after learning or taking the discussions from the missionaries or any member that has shared a message with you, go to Heavenly Father in prayer and ask Him. I know that He will send His spirit to testify the truth of it unto you. His spirit will give you feelings of peace, hope, comfort and happiness.

Sometimes we do not get answers to our prayers as soon as we may want them to come but never should we lose hope nor get discouraged; as you continue to earnestly study and search for the truth and exercise patience, the truth will gradually be unfolded unto you. I have a testimony of this, for my answer came as I earnestly and patiently continued to investigate the church.