Hi, I'm Michael

I'm a soldier. I'm a nerd. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I'm in the military, working in test equipment calibration. I have a passion for math, science, and music. I sing in a couple choirs, am working on my applied math degree, and a variety of other activities.

Why I am a Mormon

I sometimes wish I was a convert to the church so that I could have a miraculous conversion story. However, I was born into the church, which is a blessing of another kind. I am far from perfect. I have made many mistakes. What keeps me grounded in the gospel is that each time I fall, I find my way back and everything seems to work itself out. Recently, I was called to a specific calling in the church that was an area of life that plagued me my senior year of high school. I had made some seriously flawed decisions that would make this calling impossible to hold. After the long hard road back, I have taken this calling as a sign of my Heavenly Father's recognition of my journey and His love and trust in me. This and other personal experiences help me to know that I have the truth in my life, and that my Heavenly Father is truly aware of my thoughts and needs.

How I live my faith

I am currently the ward clerk, maintaining member and financial records for our ward of the church, and also the ward choir director. I am in a Young Single Adult ward, where almost all the members are exactly that, Young Single Adults. It's a unique experience compared to a regular ward, but offers some interesting opportunities. I have a knack for helping people when they need something. I feel like that's a great way to share my beliefs, through helping people not only at church, but in the community through church service.

What is a ward/stake/branch?

Michael answered...

For purposes of organization, a Ward or Branch is the group you meet with for church, based on where you live. They vary in size, branches are slightly smaller than wards, and wards vary in the various 100's of members. Wards and branches are then organized into stakes, containing several wards/branches.
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Siegfried answered...

To make the administration of this world-wide church possible, the church is organized into geographical regions and sub-regions. The most basic administrative unit is called the "ward". The wards in the church vary in size but are comprised of a geographical area with anywhere from 300 to 700 members. The ward is presided by a bishop. A group of five to twelve wards are combined to form a "stake". A stake is presided by a stake president.
In regions of the world where there is a lesser concentration of members, "branches" are formed. These branches are equivalent to wards but usually have less members. A branch is presided by a branch president.
This organization makes it possible for 14 million members to each have local leaders that can provide guidance, teaching, and administering of the sacred ordinances of the gospel

What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' attitude regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage?

David answered...

Part of our purpose here on earth is to form eternal families. A husband and his wife possess the God-given abilities to procreate. Together they are two halves of a whole. Each possess gifts and abilities necessary to the creating and rearing of children. God has ordained it such, and any lifestyle that inhibits the progression towards forming eternal families is not in accord with God's plan and purpose for life. "Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11)