Hi, I'm Jim M.

I'm a Mormon. I was baptized by my father in 1958 in Cambridge Massachusetts.

About Me

I am a 61 year old lifelong member of the Church. I have 5 grown kids and 6 grandchildren. I am also an employee of the Church in the Security Dept. at one of our temples. I enjoy making music with my wife and son, reading good books, and watching sci-fi and adventure movies. I identify a lot with younger people perhaps because I'm still a kid at heart. I love life and am open to discovering new things on the Internet.

Why I am a Mormon

Both of my grandmothers joined the Church back in the 1930's (?). As a result, I had the opportunity to be born into the Church. I have visited other churches and have a fairly good idea of what they teach, but I have come to realize that there is so much more to learn about what I feel are the three most important questions in life: Where did I come from?; Why am I here on earth?; and where do I go after death? This Church answers all three of those questions - and so much more.

Personal Stories

How has the Book of Mormon brought you closer to God?

Even though I know that the Bible is the Word of God, I am blessed to have other scriptures today that shed further light on this sacred book. With so many groups and people all using various "versions" of the Bible and so many different ideas about what certain scriptures mean, it can certainly be confusing to someone who is simply searching for answers about his or her place in the world or the universe. The Book of Mormon is indeed a "Second Witness for Jesus Christ" because it fulfills the requirement of the "Ancient Law of Witnesses" in the Old Testament: two or more witnesses shall establish the truth. I feel much more at ease knowing that a loving God has provided a second witness of His Son and has revealed what kind of beings they are.
To know that God and Jesus Christ both have bodies of flesh and bone helps me related to them in so many ways. They understand what it is like to be human with all the trials and the joys of this "school" that we call mortality. The Book of Mormon gives us many insights as to who the Father and the Son truly are and what their plan for us involves. They really want us to return to live with Them and enjoy the kind of life that They live.

How does making right choices help us make more right choices?

I often like to quote from an unknown source: "A smart man learns from his own mistakes, but a wise man learns from others mistakes." I believe one does not have to make all the mistakes possible before learning that some choices are better left unchosen. There are some addictions, for example, that require only a short term exposure to them and you are "hooked" and it becomes extremely hard to free yourself from this physical enslavement.
I feel that once a person constantly makes good choices, he realizes that it just makes sense to stay on that path. I have never known a person who was happy about being a "slave" to a bad habit. There are so many positive things in life to be experienced, why limit yourself by letting bad life choices hold you back from achieving your full potential? You can never feel really good about doing a bad thing.

How I live my faith

I have read the scriptures many times over and have had the opportunity to teach various classes at church which has helped me to learn even more about what is contained in these sacred writings. These teachings have helped me to become more centered in what I earnestly believe are positive values. I have seen many of my friends take other paths which did not seem to bring them the happiness and peace I have found by trying to live the commandments given by a loving Father in Heaven to His children.

Why is self-reliance important to Mormons? Why do Mormons talk about emergency preparedness?

Jim M. answered...

In a nutshell, I would say that Mormons have always been taught to be self-reliant. Ever since the early days of the Church, we have been taught to take care of our family's needs and then we are more equipped to help others.
As we see the many natural and man-made disasters in the world around us today, it seems extremely wise to prepare for the worst, while at the same time still enjoying normal life. ("If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear").
We don't or shouldn't constantly obsess about calamities and disasters, but try instead to make preparations in case they occur. It could be a "small" event such as a temporary power outage or as "large" as a major flood or severe storm. We are also taught to share our resources even with those who did not plan ahead for whatever reason. We are strong believers in helping each other in our neighborhoods and communities. We seek to associate with people of good will who love their families and desire to live in peace and harmony with one another.

Why don’t Mormons have paid clergy?

Susie answered...

A ward or branch is the local unit of the church. This is the place where members have the opportunity to develop friendships and to help one another. We get support and lessons on the scriptures and how to improve our family relationships.

Our Heavenly Father expects us to lift and serve one another in this life. This is the principle behind a volunteer clergy. The local leader of a ward or branch calls on various members on the ward/branch to volunteer their services in teaching and leading the other members. We all donate our time and thus are able to lift and serve on another. The leaders seek divine guidance in making these callings. We who have been called to also seek divine guidance in fulfilling our positions.

We each try to follow the teachings of an ancient prophet who taught that when we are baptized we "are willing to bear one another's burdens, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort." (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 18:8-9).

Through our volunteer service, members lift one another's burdens and express our love to one another.