Hi, I'm Jess

I'm a dancer, a singer, an athlete, a volunteer, a missionary and a goofball, I love my family and I'm a Mormon

About Me

I am a ballroom dancer and love to hang out with friends and sing. I grew up in a rather odd family of seven boys and two girls. My family and I love to play and watch sports together you can say that those are our family activities.
I enjoy listening to spiritually uplifting music, but I still need a good beat to dance to. I know that my family is the most important thing to me and I look forward to having a family of my own someday.
I know that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ my family will be together after this life. That is such a comfort to me during trialing times. I guess I am just a family orientated person.

Why I am a Mormon

I am mormon because it just feels right. Some people need "proof" but what a better way to know then to just Do it! That has always been our family moto. Do it or live with regret. After reading The Book of Mormon and praying to know for myself I came to realize that it truely is the word of God. I am a mormon because it gives me comfort and peace to know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and each of us. That our lives are not just useless, but have great worth and gives me true freedom.

Personal Stories

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

One of the things I have come to know about my talents is that they do bless people's lives. I have been singing since I was young and my family swears I will be the next Maria Carey, but it is only because what I sing about it uplifting and inspirational. I may not sound like the pop stars of today, but what I have to sing about is what matters most, living a life that shows ones belief in Jesus Christ and God. When I dance I am able to help bless people to see and feel what the artist of the piece wants portrayed. Everyone has different talents and mine just happen to be those that can touch the heart and soul in ways people cannot understand. God is amazing in giving u different things because we can then appreciate and be blessed by others talents.

How I live my faith

Well now I am serving a mission and so as a missionary I strive to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone I meet. No one is exempt from the love and sacrifice of His atonement.
I read scriptures and pray daily. I help those in need and do the best I can to love all those I meet.
I stand up for what I believe in and also respect the beliefs of others. I have been a youth counselor and have helped them find confidence in themselves and in the Lord, while living in this amazing world.

Who wrote the Book of Mormon?

Casey Dickson answered...

The Book of Mormon is a record of the ancient inhabitants of America, and their dealings with God; namely, the native Americans. God is no respector of persons; He loves all His children. He wants us all to make it back to live with Him; the Book of Mormon is proof to me that God loves all people of all nations; why would he only give His Word to just the Children of Israel?
The Book of Mormon was written by the prophets that were called of God on the American Continent; they too testifed that Jesus is the Christ, and he would surely come to redeem us from our sins. The book gets it's name from the prophet Mormon, who collected the individual records kept by prophets throughout the centuries, and complied them into one volume, written on gold plates. He gave them to his son, Moroni, who buried them in a hill by what is now known as Upstate New York. Centuries later, a young man named Joseph Smith, who wanted to know which church was true, had a vision of God the Father and His Son, who told him the truth was lost over the years, and he would be a tool in the Lord's hands to restore what was lost. A few years later, that same Moroni who buried the plates, visited Joseph as an angel of the Lord, and directed him to the ancient record. Through the gift on power of God, he was able to translate the book into English. The Book of Mormon helps us understand the fullness of the Gospel; with the Bible, we can discover God's will for us.

Why did your church previously practice plural marriage (polygamy)?

Leo Ebbert answered...

The short answer is that, for a time, God commanded it. It was a challenge for those families commanded to practice it, but they accepted the challenge with faith.

There have been many times throughout history that God has asked His people to do difficult things or things that go against the norms of society. For example, God has commanded plural marriage in the Bible. He commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, stopping it at the last minute. He commanded the ancient Israelites to destroy all inhabitants of many of the settlements in the land of Canaan when they returned to the promised land.

The knowledge of these things challenges our faith but we must recognize that God's ways are not our ways and He controls all life.

If plural marriage is something that keeps you from the church or keeps you from investigating further, I invite you to consider this: it really comes down to one thing. Was Joseph Smith a true prophet or not? If he was, then the commandment came from God and He restored His church through Joseph. Answer that question and the rest falls into place. I am happy that I did.