Hi, I'm Matt

I'm a student of knowledge and truth. I'm a full-time missionary. I'm a Christian AND a Mormon.

About Me

When asked the question "where are you from", I typically answer "a little bit of everywhere" because I've moved with my family throughout my life. Due to that, I have developed a love for travel. However, as of now, I call home Utah. I enjoy hiking and spending time outdoors in the rugged but pristine mountainous environment that Utah has to offer.

I'm currently serving a full-time mission, but will eventually return home to begin law school. I enjoy hanging out with my friends; but I especially enjoy spending quality time with my best friends who are found in my family. It is with them that I have made my fondest memories.

I love listening to and playing music. I love nature and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. I love my religion and am loving even more serving the Lord as a missionary.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born and raised in a Mormon family who attended church regularly. I was taught Mormon values, and was raised in their ways. However, when I entered my high school years, those were the times where I really began figuring out for myself what I believed. I had a very diverse group of friends. Seeing how they had various backgrounds, beliefs, religions, and cultures and were still very good people had me asking a lot of questions about what I should really believe.

In my sophomore year of high school, I became heavily involved in early college work. Being amazed by philosphy, I enrolled in rigorous philosophical studies. I was amazed at the many things I learned and eventually concluded that there was no such thing as an absolute truth. I became very partial to agnosticism because no party could prove or disprove a superior power. I was a skeptic.

Eventually, I decided that the foundation of the Mormon church was the Book of Mormon. I read it through and through several times striving to find some inconsistency, something that I could use to prove it false. I found nothing. Since my first attempt was unsuccessful, I decided to disprove a different claim the Mormons made to pray about the things that I read, to ask God with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, if those things were true. It was promised that if they were true, the truth of those things would be manifested to me through the power of the Holy Ghost. I did just that. I received my answer in the affirmative.

As further years passed, I received several other powerful reconfirmations of the truthfulness of the Mormonism, and was also given the confirmation to serve a mission which has been the best decision I have made in my life thus far. That's why I'm a Mormon! I promise you that the promise which the Book of Mormon gives is true. I've tried it for myself. Now it's your turn.

Personal Stories

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

The Holy Ghost is the third individual member of the Godhead, and is a personage of spirit. Following baptism by proper priesthood authority, we are confirmed as members of the church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost also by priesthood authority. I was given this gift when I was 8 years old.

A wonderful thing about the Holy Ghost is that it protects us from both physical and spiritual endangerment. I have had a few instances where I have been physically and spiritually preserved because of my decision to follow His promptings. Those instances I now hold very near and dear to my heart and are very sacred personal experiences. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for having been so merciful to me.

How I live my faith

I don't do anything extraordinary. I try to keep ALL the commandments, but I'm far from perfect at that. I repent when I slip up (which sometimes is very difficult). I try to priortize my time correctly between God, family, friends, and myself. I try to read and pray frequently, and attend church regularly. I try to keep all the promises I have made with God.

What do Mormons believe about family?

Matt answered...

Mormons believe that the family unit is the most basic building block of society.

Mormons believe that "the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World).

Mormons believe that families come in many varieties: short, tall, big, or small. Some may be of a specific race or color; others may be as colorful as a 64 color crayon box. Some may have both a mother and a father; others may be valiantly led by a single Mr. Mom or Ms. Dad. Some may have no children; others may have children as numerous as the stars in the heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore. Whatever the circumstances may be, Mormons believe that faith, hope, charity, love, and family values are essential for the family to exist in today's world.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: MORMONS BELIEVE THAT THE FAMILY IS ETERNAL AND CAN LAST FOREVER THROUGH OUR LORD, SAVIOR, AND REDEEMER JESUS CHRIST WHEN SEALED TOGETHER FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY IN THE HOLY TEMPLE.
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Bradley. answered...

The family is a key component to support us in God's plan for gaining immortality and eternal life. All of God's children (all the inhabitants that lived, are living, and will live on Earth) are inseperably connected to each other, both (physically) by our Earthly families and (spiritually) by our Heavenly Father.

Families help us to understand our divine heritage. In this, life takes on purpose and meaning. Our immortal spirits were created by our Heavenly Father before Earthly existance, and we are directly connected to Him in this way. As a spiritual family, our collective purpose on Earth is to follow the commandments of God that lead us to live in heaven with Him again.

Our spirits need to progress, learn, and grow. In order to achieve that, Earthly existance was created as our test. Our Heavenly Father knew that being exposed to opposing forces on Earth was the only way for us to gain knowledge and wisdom.

However, we will not always choose righteousness, and so our Savior, Jesus Christ, is that great mediator to pay the debt of our mistakes. He is the only way by which we can be saved from our sins and transgressions. He is the ultimate example by which direction we need to live our lives. With the support of our earthly kin, we can learn from each other, serve each other, and strengthen our mortal weaknesses by being disciples of Christ. Our families are a gift from God, and we can be together forever.

What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' attitude regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage?

John answered...

This is one of the hardest subjects because in today's world the only accepted dialog is love or hate. We firmly decree that homosexual behavior is sinful. This does not speak to the individual, who they are or the feelings they have. Each of us face feelings and desires, some of which are contrary to the will of the Lord. This is one of them.

Our Heavenly Father does not judge us on these feelings, but how we act on them. If feelings are converted to behavior, then sin has been committed.

We believe that marriage is a sacred institution, one that God has intended to be shared between man and woman. We do not believe it is for us to redefine it, and as such would not support a change that would legitimize behavior believed to be sinful.

We love all of God's children. I have several friends who identify themselves as homosexuals. I consider them friends even though my beliefs hurt and frustrate them. I try to help them understand that I can love them and care about them while maintaining these beliefs. Likewise, I would always defend them against discrimination and bullying.