Hi, I'm Emily

I'm a return missionary. I'm a sister and daughter. I love to laugh and make others laugh. I'm a mormon.

About Me

Hey! I recently got back from serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arizona. I loved it and would not trade it for anything. I learned so much about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what I need to do to become more the daughter that God knows I can be. Before my mission, I had gone to college for 3 years learning about Biology, but since I've come home, I've decided to switch my major to Criminal Justice. I don't know much about it, but I'm excited.

I love to make my family laugh. I try to make heavy situations lighter and light situations happier. I love to quote movies with my sisters and spread love around. My goal is to get laugh lines around my eyes someday. I love to read fantasy books. I have quite the collection at home. But I would have to say my all time favorite is The Book of Mormon. I came to love reading it on my mission and will never stop reading it. I love to play soccer. I'm attempting to learn how to draw. I love to play the piano, especially when I am stressed out. I love the rain. I love being a Mormon.

Why I am a Mormon

My parents are both converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and they decided to raise their family in that faith. But always growing up I had the choice to accept and act upon the things I was learning. I never did live in a high population of Mormons so I learned how to stand up for what I believed in. Through those experiences, I learned that if I believed that what I had been taught was true, then I would defend and live it to my dying day. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ has made me the happy person I am today and will help me progress in being the best person I can be. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and meant to help us learn of Him. I love this book. I love this Gospel.

Personal Stories

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

For a long time I have had a hard time seeing how I can help others. After all, I'm one in 6 billion. But I know that God has given us gifts and talents to help other people. We just have to look for those ways.

I love to make people laugh. That is a gift that God has given me. I know that I can bring a ray of sunshine into their life. I am a depenable person and so a lot of times, my friends and family will look to me to make things better. No pressure right?

No only do I do that but I have othe gifts and talents. I know that I have to constantly work on these talents to become better. Learning how to play the piano didn't help overnight, but now my family and friends can enjoy a well-played song every once in a while.

Each talent is a gift that we have been blessed with. I have learned to use them wisley to bless other people's lives.

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Prayer for me was always something hard for me to do. I had been taught to how pray, ever since I was a little girl, but it never really clicked as to why. I understood the reason: Prayer was how we communicated with God. But I had the hardest time figuring out how to recieve answers to prayers. So to me, it was something pointless. Why pray if I don't get answers to my questions? It has taken me a long time to understand that answers to my prayers don't always come the same way or the way that I expect.

Thankfully, God has placed in my path people that have helped me learn how to have more meaningful prayers and thereby recieve more specific answers. I have gotten the answers to the questions that I have had through other people, and most of the time without them realizing it. As I study the scriptures daily I get the answers to the questions that I need, or the next step to finding the answers that I need.

I am so grateful that I have learned how to pray and how to recive answers to my prayers. I can feel the love of my Father in Heaven when I do so. I haven't always had a testimony of the power of prayer, but I do now and I know that He will always listen to me. It takes me a little while to get the answers, but as I strive to put my will in accordance with His, I will get my answer.

How I live my faith

Since I just came home from my mission, it is easy to keep up the little things that I need to do in order to keep the Spirit in my life. Reading the scriptures and saying my prayers between the weekly trips to Church on Sunday help me stay in line with what my Father in Heaven wants me to do. I try every day to set the same example that the Savior did. I try my best to serve those around me, especially my family. I want all those who know and see me to know that being a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ will make one happy.

How can I know Mormonism is true?

Emily answered...

Simplest answer that I can give is to earnestly pray about it. We have been given a promise from God that if we ask Him with faith, with the intent of acting on the answer we will receive, and with sincerity, He will give us an answer to know the truth.
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Sean answered...

Before I was baptized, a missionary told me that I could read the Book of Mormon and find out for myself if it was true. I liked that idea. I've always been a person who wanted to know the truth for myself. After the missionary had suggested I read it, I decided to try. It was a big step of faith to pick up a book and read it without knowing for sure. Over time, I developed a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true.

The same goes for knowing if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true Church of Christ once again established on this earth. A simple prayer to your Heavenly Father can open so many doors of truth.

The real way that I know it is true is how it has helped my life. Without the Church, I'd be lost. I am grateful for it, and for the knowledge I have that it is true.

What is the Book of Mormon?

Scott answered...

It is my conviction that if one simply examines the patterns and information given about holy writ in general that they ought to be inclined to ask and pray about whether or not the Book of Mormon is inspired. I say this because the Book of Mormon is not just a book of prayers or ethical teachings. The Book of Mormon is a historical record that has a deep and powerful impact on millions of people every single day. Religion aside, a book as influential and striking as the Book of Mormon is worth the investigation of anyone genuinely seeking truth. There are very few books that have entire study manuals, curriculum, books, thesis papers, scientific research, grammatical and literary research, live performances, and general discussion entirely about its content. The Bible might be the only other thing with as much extensive literature and documentation pertaining to its writings and doctrines. The Book of Mormon is at the very least intriguing when supplemented with archeological finds, external historical information, unique writing patters such as chiasmus, and overall literary competency and beauty found within the writing. From a non-religious stand point it is impressive, but from a religious perspective it is life changing. To have a testimony of a thing is powerful, but to hinge an entire belief system on 530 pages is another thing. To be so emotionally and spiritually connected to a thing is powerful, but when that thing is a book - that book must be something more than just written words. That book must be something inspired by God, preserved by His hand, and prepared by His grace. I believe that the Bible is one of those books. I also believe that the Book or Mormon is one of those books. There is no proving the Book of Mormon just like there is no proving the Bible. We believe that the teachings and doctrines found in the pages of the old and new testament are real and trustworthy. We cannot explain how, except perhaps the mercies and merit of God, the Bible was preserved for our days. But though we cannot explain it, we simply know it. If you ask any latter-day saint to prove the Book of Mormon to be true, they will simply reply that they cannot prove it, but they know it to be true. One should not demand evidence for the bible, they should read it study it and pray to know if it is true. It is the same for the Book of Mormon. Now the interesting thing about the Book of Mormon is that it something that you can feel, see, test, and try. It is real and tangible. I am confident that if anyone who is level headed and reasonable reads what is in the Book of Mormon and then simply asks if it is true that they will have a profound feeling come over them. But this feeling cannot come if there is an ulterior agenda for the reader. If you don't want it to be true or want to find flaws and errors in the text then you certainly will not obtain this profound feeling. You have to grant the fact that all things are indeed possible with God, and that he certainly could provide something more to draw us even closer to his will. Think of the Book of Mormon like the New Testament to the Jews. During the time of Paul and Peter, the Jews were very set in their ways. They had the Old Testament, and that was all that they felt that they needed for salvation. There was no mention of 12 apostles or a New Testament in the Old Testament; it was doctrines that were added upon to bring Gods children even closer to him. To say that the Bible is all that is needed is to say exactly what the Jews said about the teachings of Paul and the apostles. Must we be so quick to limit Gods ability to speak to us? Is it not a blessing to have more of his written word? I can understand a skeptic of The Book of Mormon. Many and man has tried to con the world into believing his new religion. But that is simply not the case with Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I challenge anyone to read unbiased biographies about Joseph Smith and his character. Read the entries of the people who knew him and what they thought about his life and motives. What you will find is not a usurper or power, nor a charlatan, but rather an amazing individual whose life was taken in the pursuit of preaching revealed doctrines. The Book of Mormon is something that people have sacrificed their entire lives for. Its teachings have a daily effect of millions of people worldwide. Its doctrines bring peace and Joy to the hearts of the humble and faithful. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God. I have to doubt of that.