Hi, I'm Michael

I'm a VMI cadet preparing to go into the military, and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a 23 year old Junior 2nd Classman at Virginia Military Institute. I'm a double major in Economics/Business and Modern Languages/Cultures. I served a mission from 2007-2009 in the Hungary Budapest mission and it was the best two years of my life and am currently studying here for a semester. I love sports, mainly American Football and Baseball. I love running with my dog, hiking and river rafting.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born into the church, but because of my parents early divorce I really struggled in the church to understand the doctrines and principals taught. I remember growing up my mom always was encouraging me to serve a mission when I was 19. I would always put it off thinking the time was so far away so I could live how I wanted. When that time did come though I became very afraid. I questioned my faith. I would ask myself if I even knew the Book of Mormon was true or not. I honestly didn't know. But since I was a child my mother had taught me how to pray and I had prayed my entire life so I knew that I could get an answer to this question. So everynoght from that day on I would begin my reading from the Book of Mormon with a prayer and end it with a prayer asking if it was really true or not. And if it is true then if everything else that this church claims to be is true or not? During this process I also saw a movie called "Charly" it is a low budget LDS film, but the messege in it hit me to the center of my heart. It sent the messege to me of how short life really is, and I knew then and there that I wanted to do whatever it would take to be married for time and all eternity in one of God's temples so I could remain with my family after this life. That was one of the biggest desires of my soul. I never wanted to be seperated from my family and I knew then that I would do whatever it would take, no matter the changes that I needed to make in my life, I knew that this was more important. (Continued below)

Personal Stories

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

(Part 2 of Conversion Story) Then a couple days later while reading in the Book of Mormon I read 1st Nephi Chapter 10 verses 18-21. It talks about how God is an unchanging being and that He will reveal Himself unto His children through His Holy Spirit. It also mentioned that no "unclean thing" can dwell with God. It hit me then even harder that I had to change and live those commandments that I had been learning all of these years. I knew I wanted to live with my family and my Heavenly Father and that I didn't want to be "cast out" from His presence. I was willing to do whatever it would take. And so I did! I changed completly and have never been happier in my life than I am right now. I know that repentance is real, and that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He suffered and died for me and provided a way so I could be rid of all of the sins that haunted me for a majority of my life. It is so real, and the happiness that comes from actually "living" the Gospel of Jesus Christ and keeping His commandments is... unspeakable I don't even know what to compare it to it is so emmense. The peace that the Gospel has brought into my life is amazing, especially when I read from the Book of Mormon or pray daily and when I go to the Temple. I'm now preparing for an eternal marriage to a woman that I love so much. I know that I am living worthy of her and that she is likewise living a worthy and clean life for me so we can have the best possible marriage, and we cannot wait to begin to raise a family in the Gospel as well. How blessed we are and how blessed I am because of small principals that brought such a big change into my life. I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father and to Jesus Christ for all they have done for me to lead me to where and I'm today, and for making me the man that I am slowly becoming.

How I live my faith

I serve others as much as I possibly can. Serving my mission in Hungary was the biggest service I provided. I would teach people about the Gospel of course but I was able to help in so many other ways as well. We taught English classes weekly to help those trying to increase their knowledge of our language.I've worked in gardens and even corn fields collecting corn for pigs it was so much fun and I had so many experiences that I will never forget. But being able to see the Gospel change people's lives and seeing them creating a relationship with Heavenly Father was amazing and the most rewarding by far. Upon my return from my mission I served as a Home Teacher and a Ward Mission leader. Where I go to school there is a small oridominantly Mormon school there so every month I would visit with certain people at least once if not more to help them out with anything going on with their lives and I would help them understand and teach them Gospel principals as well. I made some really neat relationships with people over the past year and a half. It has been so rewarding. And then as a Mission Leader I would help new members and investigators to the church with questions and try to make them feel as comfortable as possible. I loved this position because I felt like I was a Missionary again like when I was in Hungary. I had the opprotunity to see many from my school even baptized and gain testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel. Now I don't have a perticular "calling" or assignment but I do spend a lot of time with the young adults here 18-30 yrs and it has been a lot of fun. Living the Gospel in Europe is a lot different than America and I have been able to have long conversations with them and help them to reach righteous goals like going to the Temple. Serving others has been the most rewarding thing that I have done in the church.

What is the priesthood?

Michael answered...

The Priesthood is the power or authority to act in God's name here on the Earth. We practice this Priesthood through certain ceremonies or ordinance such as administering of the Sacrament to the church members or Baptizing individuals who promise to live and accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ.It is a power that has been given to every prophet since the beginning of time from Adam to our current Prophet Thomas S. Monson. Jesus Christ gave this same authority to His apostles when He was here on the Earth. After His apostles death this power was taken away from thr Earth but through Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ this power has been restored. Even the power to seal families for time and all eternity.
Ethan answered...

I like to approach questions by looking at the words of things

"priest" has reference to either the concept of one who leads, one who is elder, or one who is holy I like to remember that the words 'holy' and 'whole' are linked by a common ancestry. When something is 'holy' it's essentially saying that it's complete, that it's healthy..

And "-hood" makes reference to the state of being, and not just any state of being but a state of being that's worthy or correct for it's placement. That is, that it's done properly.

So one could say the priesthood is leadership or a point of reference that's completely suited to the position in which it's been placed.

Another way to look at it is to say it's God's perfect order. That is, it's God's perfect arrangement.

In our Church we often give a definition of priesthood as being "the authority to act in God's name" and that's exactly what it means to be a part of God's perfect order. If God commands something to be done by you, and you do it, then you are acting under, and with that portion of God's authority that he's permitted you to exercise within his perfect order.

Just as with any instance where someone tries to act in the name of someone else there are bound to be those who try and do so falsely. That's why God has things ordered in such a way that one can know for certain if someone has His God's authority, or not.

Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

Ken answered...

Joseph Smith was a great man and we revere him as such because of the great and important things he accomplished. We do not worship Joseph Smith or serve him. We study about his life, because of the great significance of Joseph Smith's first vision and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the priesthood authority. It is a series of remarkable historical events.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Rochester, New York on a business trip and I found time to visit the nearby town of Palmyra and the Sacred Grove. I was able to see and study and review the circumstances surrounding the events and experiences of Joseph Smith. This was no chance happening or coincidence.

We worship Our Heavenly Father and His Son, the resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ.