Hi, I'm Tom

I love motorcycles, sports, movies and people and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm from the west coast. I enjoy riding motorcycles and playing sports-not watching them,camping, shooting guns, and working on cars. I am currently serving a mission and am planning on going to college when I get back. I plan on going to school for business and either starting my own in contracting, or running my dad's businesses. I enjoy building things and fixing things. I love the Gospel.

Why I am a Mormon

Well I was born a Mormon. But I have found out for myself that this is the one and only true Church on the Earth. I am currently serving a mission and have seen people's lives flip 180's and change for the better. I know that only the true Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that.

Personal Stories

Can you talk about the missions of the Church and your participation in them?

Well I am currently serving a mission right now in Nebraska. One of the biggest things for me before I left is everyone kept telling me that I would love the people and not want to leave. I had no idea what people meant. How could I love random people that I had never met before to the point that I wouldn't want to return home? Well its true. Although I still want to go home at the end of my mission and start a family, the people here have become my family. I love the people in Nebraska and will miss them like crazy. Good thing I still have more than a year left.

Why do Mormons do family history or genealogy work?

Because in Malaci it says that before the coming of the Lord. God will send the prophet Elijah, and he will turn the hearts of the children to their fathers......

We believe that familys should be sealed together and that the prophet Elijah has been sent and restored the power to seal on earth and in Heaven to the prophet Joseph Smith. As we do genealogy we are able to do sealings to our forefathers and mothers. So we can all be sealed together in chain all the way back to our first parents.

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

When I was about 9 I got lost. I was wondering around and had no idea where to go. I walked by several houses. Finally I felt like I should knock on a certain door. So I did. The man who answered was very nice and had a son close to my age. He told me he would help me find my way home. He did and I still remember that man 11 years later. I know that the Holy Ghost is the one that told me to knock on that door and not on some other door where I could have been in danger.

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

Well right now I share it by serving a mission to share the gospel with everyone who will listen. But when I get home I plan on sharing it with all my friends to show them the happiness it can bring.

How has The Book of Mormon helped you understand the purpose of life?

It just explains why we are really here on earth. It helps you to live your life the way your supposed to. Once you realize that this earth is only a temporary trial that we live to gain experience and that we have a divine goal to acheive then it is so much easier to make the right choices. I know that everyone on this earth has the potential to live with God again. We just need to get back on the right track.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

Well we all go for diffrent reasons. I went because I wanted to share the happiness that this Gosple has given to me with other people. I love to help people. I know that helping other people is one of the best ways to grow closer to God. If you think about it everything Jesus did was for other people. He did nothing for himself.

In what ways have your prayers been answered?

In tons of ways. God always answers prayers. I invite all of you to pray everyday. When you pray give God a chance to speak back to you. Sometimes we forget that prayer is a two-way conversation between us and God. When you pray, pray the same what that you would talk to Him if you were talking to Him face to face.

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

I love to build things and fix things. I can use my skills to help people. I have had tons of opportunitys to help people fix their cars and electronics. Also there is tons of chances to serve people through the programs in the Church.

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

Pray together as a family. Have family home evening. Read the scriptures together, Serve one another. Those are my suggestions.

What have you done successfully to shield your family from unwanted influences?

The biggest thing that is harmful to the family is things that come through the media. I'm not saying that all media is bad. But most of the bad things that do come into the home is through the media.

Block bad shows from your kids and don't watch them yourselfs. Have your internet filtered and have your computer out in the living room where everyone can see what is on it. Limit your tv time. All of these things can help tramendlessly.

Can you think of a specific challenge in your family that Gospel Principles helped overcome?

About 3 years ago my good friend Ross drowned in the ocean while he was trying to save a boy that was caught in a rip-tide. He was just walking on the beach with no intention of going in the freezing Oregon Coast water. But when he saw the boy struggling he ran in the water in his jeans with his phone and everthing in his pocket still to attemt to save this boy he didn't know. My good friend Ross was also caught in the tide and dissapeared in the water. The boy was rescued by the Coast Guard but my friend was no where to be found. The boy later passed away at the hospital. A month later Ross was found. I was able to be a pollbearer at his funeral. And an usher at his memorial service with over 500 people there. I was completey shocked at this. It woke me up to the fact that teenagers arn't really invincible. But the Gosple of Jesus Christ made all of this better for me because I knew that the answer to the question in JOB "if a man die, shall he live again" was answered by Jesus Christ's ressurection. YES. I know my friend Ross is alive and happy and I will see him again someday. I know that he will be rewarded for laying down his life. Greater love hath no man that this, That a man lay down his life for his friends.

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you?

All of the Savior's teachings have influenced me in some way or another. I love reading the Sermon on the Mount. The Savior teaches us how we should act and treat other people. He also gave us the higher law. He told us to not only love our friends but to love our enemies too. The Savior also taught by His example. He loved everyone the same. We can let His example be an outline on how we should live our lifes.

How I live my faith

I am currently living my faith literally because im am serving a mission. So everyday is centered on Christ as it should be. Back home before my mission I lived my faith by attending church regularly and participating in church activities. It is much easier to live my faith when I am around other people who also live it.

Why are only some Mormons allowed into temples? Is there something secret going on in Mormon Temples? What goes on in Mormon Temples?

Tom answered...

Just as in the biblical times, only certain people are allowed to enter the Lord's house. Any member of the Church has an opportunity to enter the Temple as long as they are worthy and are living the standards of the Church.

The things that happen in the Temple aren't secret, but sacred.

We have the opportunity to do ordinance work for the deceased. In 1 Corinthians 1529 it talks about being baptized for the dead. Baptism is an ordinance that is essential for salvation. In order to be baptized a body is required. So we are able to use our body to be baptized via proxy for the dead.

We also have the great opportunity to be sealed to our families. In Malachi 45-6 it says that before the last day the Lord will send Elijah the prophet. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. This means he will restore the priesthood keys to perform sealings to our familys.
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John answered...

We want everyone to be able to enter the Temple and feel of the sweet and beautifully peaceful aroma and spirit there. A Temple is a holy and sacred place. Unlike regular church buildings which are also sacred, Temples are specially reserved as places to be separate from worldly influences. Therefore, only those who are living such a life may enter, so as to preserve the Temple's sacredness. But we want everyone to qualify so that they may enter and feel of that spirit. It isn't hard to qualify, but it does take some effort. All that is required is for one to live a Christlike life with a heart that only desires to do good.

Can a husband and wife be together forever? Do Mormons believe that families will live together in heaven?

Daniel answered...

When married by earthly power and the authority of man, our vows are "Until death do you part."

We believe that families can be together forever as part of our Heavenly Father's Great Plan of Happiness. His Work and His Glory is to bring to pass the exaltation and eternal life of man. He wants us to be even as He is and to return home to live with Him again.

Through the ordinances of his Holy Temples, God's son's and daughter's are able to make covenants. Through the power of His Holy Priesthood, be sealed together for all of time and eternity as Husband and Wife, parents and children.

Families were designed and instituted by God with the intent that they be forever. The love we feel in this life does not need to be cut off when we die. Those who have already died are not lost us forever. God has mercifully made a way by which all who would accept these saving ordinances can do so, living or dead.

We perform these ordinances for those who have in the past died so that they may have the opportunity of accepting them on the other side if they so choose to do so.