Hi, I'm Graeme

I am semi-retired and have two children and ten grandchildren. My wife and I live in North Carolina. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a retired computer systems designer. Attended high school in Philadelphia, spent 9 years in the Army with tours in Vietnam and Germany. Have a history degree from a college in Switzerland. Now living in North Carolina with my wife Lyn - married 50 years in Sept 2011. Have 10 grandchildren, 4 girls and 6 boys ranging from early 20s to kindergarden age. I'm kept busy with church assignments and sub teaching at all levels in the county wide school district. Hobbies include classical music, traveling, model railroading, railroad and streetcar preservation, history and science.

Why I am a Mormon

As a youth I attended and activly participed in several Christian churches. From reading the Bible I had many questions which the ministers could not answer. During my first encounter with the Mormons at the New York World's Fair during 1965, all of them were answered, Forty-five years of membership in the church have brought me great joy and many opportunities to serve others. I know the message of the church is true and that its principles are eternal.

Personal Stories

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

By sharing you talents and encouraging others to expand and share theirs you truly bless lives. It can be through basic education and life skills on through advanced knowledge and understanding. To paraphrase a scripture, whatever we learn in our earthly experience will contunue with us into eternal life.

Please share your feelings/testimony of Joseph Smith.

The triditional Christian description of the trinity was very confusing to both my wife and I. A close reading of the New Testament in various languages clearly shows that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are separate entities. The experience of Joseph Smith and others, including my own personal ones, leave me no doubt that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings who completely agree in their purpose to bring eternal life to man.

How I live my faith

Over the years my callings in the church on three continents have included, visiting the homes of members, sunday school teacher, music director, young men's leader, employment specialist, branch president, bishop's counselor, local missionary, member of two multi-congregation councils, and service in LDS temples in Washington, DC, Seattle , WA, and Columbia, SC. In the community I have served as Scoutmaster or Assistant, commander of a Civil Air Patrol cadet squadron, and was the founder of a street car preservation group. Most school days find me at high schools usually giving special lessons of all types and assisting music groups.

What are Mormon church services like? Are visitors allowed at church meetings? Can I attend church?

Graeme answered...

Sunday services are open to all ages. They include a worship service attended by all family members. It includes hymn singing, prayers, partaking of the sacrament, and talks by various members of the congregation. There is also Sunday School with classes for all age groups the children's meeting is called Primary, and additional meetings for teen aged young men, young women, adult men and adult women called Relief Society. There is pleanty of time to mix and mingle. Special classes are available for visitors and those who with to learn more about the church.
Show more of my answers Show less of my answers One Moment Please
Brad answered...

Our fundamental religious service is what we call our Sacrament meeting. Anyone is welcome to join us in Sacrament meeting as well as our other Sunday meetings at any of our buildings. Sacrament is a time when we ponder and reflect on Jesus Christ's atonement for our sins, for He is the path by which we can repent of our wrongdoings and begin anew on a correct path with additional guidance from our Heavenly Father. Furthermore, on Sunday we have general Sunday School meetings where we talk more in-depth about the various doctrine of the gospel as well as meetings where we meet in groups of similarly-aged individuals to learn and discuss gospel topics more focused to each particular age group. We welcome anybody and everybody and would love to see you in our congregation spiritually connecting with your loving Heavenly Father and drawing nearer to him and his son, Jesus Christ.

How can I find someone to talk with, in person, about the Mormon religion?

Stephanie answered...

One of the best ways to learn about basic tenants of our religion is by checking resources like this website, chatting with the missionaries, and have them send you some resources (like a Book of Mormon, videos, etc.) and then try finding the closest LDS chapel in your area by looking in the phone book or online. They can have missionaries come to your home and teach you if you wish. Another good way is to go to church with a friend or an acquaintance of yours who is LDS, and they can also connect you with the missionaries. If you don't have any of those resources nearby, chat with the missionaries and they will find a way to have someone connect with you. There's probably more Mormons around than you think.