Hi, I'm Jessie.

I'm a regular person who makes a lot of mistakes but keeps fumbling along, trying my best. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a mother of two little girls, ages 2 and 5. I am happily married for almost 8 years and love living in the South. When I am not mothering, I love to create. I love to sew, make as much as possible by hand, bake, and otherwise feather my nest. I love working to create a home in which there is beauty, harmony, and safety. Homemade bread and good design don't hurt!

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because I know that this is His church. I know that this is the same church that was on in the earth in Bible times, restored in the latter days by the prophet Joseph Smith. I try to follow Him because I have received many witnesses of the truth of the gospel, and I want to be counted among the faithful.

Personal Stories

What is hope and what do you hope for?

I believe hope is a trust for things that are desired, and a trust in the future. My greatest hope is in Jesus Christ and His atonement for us. Because of His atonement, I have hope in the resurrection and that we can all live together once more. This hope is greater than a finger-crossing wish for something I want- it is a real trust that things are true.
Specifically, one of my greatest hopes in the gospel of Jesus Christ is to see my first-born child again. My daughter, Lola Jane, was stillborn less than a year after my husband and I were married. My pregnancy was full-term, without any complications are cause for concern. When I went into labor, we arrived at the hospital in eager anticipation to meet our first child and bring her home. We did not know that she had already died. We delivered her that night and held her for a time, weeping in our devastation and bitter disappointment. We buried her a few days later, and even in my desolate grief I rejoiced. I rejoiced because I knew that my daughter lived again, that she was still mine, and I would hold her in my arms again. I knew that I would have the opportunity to raise this perfect child in the eternities, and that she would forever be a part of my family. I feel blessed that the Lord sent such a sweet spirit to our family, that He has entrusted me to live worthily so that I may return to be with Lola once more. We have since had 2 more sweet girls, and we talk of Lola often. She is counted as a member of our family, one of our 3 girls. My daughters on earth know they have a sister beyond the veil.
Above all things, I hope for eternal life with my family and thank the Lord for making it possible through His sacrifice and atonement.

How I live my faith

I am the music leader for our children's organization. I teach them the hymns for children and find great joy in those precious little people and their willingness to learn and to obey His commandments.

What do Mormons believe about family?

Jessie. answered...

We believe that the family is the foundation of society, both here on earth, and in the eternities. Because of the importance the Lord places on the family, we hold that unit in the highest regard and with the sanctity it deserves. We believe that the family should be preserved, protected, and nourished daily in our homes and in society at large. We also believe that our families are forever, organized and sealed for all eternity, if we live righteously and preserve them while on the earth.
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.

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

Maia Lynay Rodriguez answered...

Many of the prophets of the old testament practiced plural marriage under Gods direction; among them Abraham, Issac, Jacob, David and Solomon. It is an ancient practice. I know that God only allows it's use under his authorization. There have been instances, one in the Book of Mormon to be exact (Jacob 2:27-30) where God has condemned the practice. Given the fact that God has, throughout history, alternately prescribed and condemned the practice I believe that it is a situational doctrine where God, having all of the information, and us not having it all, reserves the right to make a judgment call, taking all things into consideration, and either prescribes it or ends its use, basing his decision on the needs of the moment and all other factors involved. So the answer to this question is that the church practiced polygamy because God prescribed it at that time, and we don't anymore because God revealed that the practice was to be discontinued. When plural marriage was practiced only a handful of men were selected by God to participate. It was, by far, not practiced by all men or women in the church. The ones who participated were obeying a commandment from God, not necessarily seeking out the practice.