Hi, I'm Bryson

I'm serving in the Chicago Mission, and I am a Mormon.

About Me

I am 19 years old, and I have chosen to serve a mission for my Father in Heaven as a representative of Jesus Christ. I have been called to the serve in the Chicago Illinois Mission and I absolutly love it! I have 3 Brothers two older and one younger. My parents are divorced, but my family is not broken, it has only brought my brothers and I closer together, and I have come to appreciate and Love my Dad so much more because of his loving example of putting his trust in the Lord. Right now I am giving myself completely to the Lord by talking to and inviting people everyday about Christ and to come unto Him. It is the greatest blessing I have been given, to preach this wonderful truth.

Why I am a Mormon

well I grew up in the church, but that time eventually came when I had to know for myself if what I have learned is ture and to become truly converted to this Gospel. it started when my parents began the divorce. I was unhappy and I felt lost. I didnt think that what I had grown up with was really true, and I just felt alone. I thought if God really loves me then he wouldnt allow these things to happen or for me to feel so unhappy. but there was still that thought that I could not reject that there was a God. it wasnt until I felt so lost and so unhappy that I finally seeked for an answer, for feelings of comfort from Father in Heaven. it took many days of prayer and sincere faith to receive an answer. I did receive an answer, and the love and comfort I felt and what I heard was so powerful, so profound, that I knew to the very core that there is a God and that he does love me and all of us. I knew that what this Church teaches no other church has, because this is the restorted church of Christ, and it is the only ture and living church on the face of the earth. Not an ounce of my body can deny what I know to be true and what I have felt. I am a Mormon because this is His Kingdom once again established on the earth.

Personal Stories

How has your knowledge of the Plan of Happiness changed/benefited your life?

From my knowlege of the Plan of Happiness my life has changed so much because it has taught me, where I came from, why I am here and where I will be going, and what comfort that has brought me. It has taught me that I can be with my family for eternity and experience joy that I dont even know exists. I cannot wait to be with my family in eternal happiness and to be with my loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. The benefit I have from knowing this is that I feel more comfort and experience more joy because of what I know and I can prepare myself to live with God and my family once more.

How has attending Church services helped you?

Attending Church helps me in many ways. There I have the opprotunity to partake of the Sacrament, and as I partake I renew my convenants with God. It is like be baptized all over again, I am by no means perfect so I need to sacrament to help refreshen me for a new week where I will make more mistakes but continue to do my best to be like Christ. Also the Spirit is always so wonderful there, as I look for it and allow it to teach me. There is always sunday school to teach about the doctrines of Christ, which help me receive a better understanding of this Gospel. I get to hear from people just like me who have grown in the Gospel. What I love most about it is that we all teach each other, and we are like a family. I go to church because It helps me focuse my life more on Christ and teaches me what Heavenly Father wants me to do to return to with him. And of course because he commanded us to "Keep the Sabbath-Day Holy". I feel a great sense of comfort and Love at church and that helps me through my week.

Why/How do you share the gospel with your friends?

Sharing the Gospel with friends is the greatest thing! I like to share the gospel with my friends because I know the happiness they can recieve from the Holy Ghost and the knowledge that they will recieve as they come to know it is true. the Gospel strengthens families and guides us in the right direction. As members of the church we have made a promise to Heavenly Father to preach the Gospel, and who better to share this with then our friends. How is a good question. The best way I have found is to live the Gospel. Always live it and people will notice and they will see the happiness that you have and desire to have that! Also always be prepared to answer questions, and they way to do that is, or course living it, but also daily scripture study and praying for opportunities to share your testimony with others. That is all it takes to share the Gospel, telling people what you know to be true, and the Spirit will do the rest. And just love everyone, love who you are sharing the Gospel with, they will feel that, and you will feel it as well.

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

I always wondered how my talents and gifts from Heavenly Father could bless others. I struggled to be a good leader for a while because I felt that I didnt have anything that could help other people. Apparently the Lord thought otherwise. I was recently called as a District leader in my mission, which means I lead a group of 7 missionaries and Help them become better missionaries. I have discovered however that being a leader is a position of service rather then seniority. Being a leader has been very difficult for me because I really do want to help others but again I have felt, "what do I have that could help them?" the Lord has blessed me to recoginze the talents and gifts that I do have and I have been able to see that I can help them, Mostly by being an example to them. We all have our own talents and gifts. I think of the parable in Matthew 23 about the talents. we are given talents to use and as we use them we are given greater responsiblity, but if we dont use them then they will be taken from us. We may not always see how our Talents can help others but as we use them and ask Father in Heaven to help us develop them he will bless you to see how you can bless others. It is one of the greatest joys in life to help others and to see them recieve happiness from your service. And with great power comes great responsibility.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

I am on a mission right now, and that is a very good question! why would a 19 year old boy want to go on a mission? I have a whole life ahead of me! so many other things I could be doing for two years, I could be getting a start on a career, or a family. But there is nothing else I would rather be doing for these two years then serving my Father in Heaven. I am on a mission because I want to be here. The Lord has done so much for me through out my life. He has provided me comfort and direction in times of great darkness, and he has touch my heart to know without a doubt in my mind that this is His Church, His fulness. I have recieved a witness and I want to share this truth with other people so they can feel that same comfort and joy that I have. I am here for my God, for Others who know not of His truth, I am here for the blessings of my Family, and I am here lest of all for myself. There are so many blessings that come from serving the Lord, giving everything to him for these two years, most of which I wont reap until later in my life. The joy that I receive when someone accepts and receives this gospel is so great! That is what makes me want to be a missionary. We see more rejection then anything else, we experience more heartach and tribulations then joyful experiences, but the joy we recieve when we bring this gospel to those who are waiting for it, who are thristy for truth, that joy outweighs all of the rejection, heartache and any amount of tiral I could ever go through. These are the experiences I will hold with me forever. to put things more simply, I am on a mission to spread the Lord's Word, I am here to "invite others to come unto christ by helping them receive the gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost."

How I live my faith

I live my faith of course by deciding to serve a mission. I strive to do better everyday, because everyday I make mistakes. But I know that through the Attonement of Christ I can be made perfect and that is what I strive for, perfection. I do my best to follow the Example of Jesus Christ, by doing as he did, preaching His Gospel, helping those in need, loving everyone and always putting my trust in the Lord.

How are the activities of the Mormon missionaries funded?

Bryson answered...

I am a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and in order for me to come out and serve I worked really hard every summer working many different jobs to save up and pay my own way instead of haveing my parents pay. So generaly our activity is funded by us. Most missionaries do save up to pay for it on their own or their parents help them out. and if they have no means to pay for it but really desire to come out and serve then the tithing that members pay helps them out. I am personally greatful that I was able to work as hard as I could to save up as much money as I could to come and serve a mission. it has helped me appreciate what I am doing so much more and has helped me desire to work that much harder because I sacrificed so much to come and serve the Lord.
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Why don’t women hold the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How do Mormon women lead in the Church?

Cynthia answered...

Family is very important in the church for more reasons than can be explained here. Holding the priesthood is just one of these reasons. Husbands act and bless their family with their priesthood, but wives benefit and honor the priesthood through their husbands. It is a symbiotic relationship. As I have participated in the church in various activities I have come to understand my importance as a woman in the church. There cannot be one without the other.