Hi, I'm Ryan

I am terrified of June bugs, I love sushi, and I'm a Mormon

About Me

I grew up in Southern California, i love surfing, rugby, and a good cup of herbal tea. I am currently living in Oregon as a missionary spreading the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why I am a Mormon

I grew up a member of the church, but had never known for myself if it was true. After an extended period of avoiding the search for God, I felt a desire to find out what was real in this world. I was very impressed with the way the missionaries invited me to pray constantly for an answer. After a few weeks of reading from the Book of Mormon and praying to my Father in heaven, I came to know that these things are true. With my question answered, I continued with the church and have been greatly blessed because of it.

Personal Stories

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

The Book of Mormon has helped me to see that our life here has a purpose, and more specifically, my life matters. The Book of Mormon is proof that God loves and cares for you and I just as much as he did with the people in biblical times, because it is a history of another civilization that had communications with God, and through a modern day prophet, the Book of Mormon was translated and given to us. I know that God loves me, and I can see that when I hear the words of a living prophet who has been called to help us all return to God in these times of confusion. The Book of Mormon is another example of how God ALWAYS guides his children back to him.

How I live my faith

I live my faith by trying my best to be an example. I'm very grateful that my Heavenly Father has given me my own personality and allowed me to be an individual, and because of that I feel very indebted to him. I do my best to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in hopes to help others receive the same blessings that I have.

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

Ryan answered...

Just as baptism is a covenant, or a promise between two people such as God and man, to follow Jesus Christ and live righteously, temple covenants help us to grow closer to our Heavenly Father by making other promises to serve him, and in return he blesses us. All people are allowed to go through the temple, so long as they are faithful to the commandments of God, accept the gospel of Jesus Christ through baptism into His church, and prepare to enter into His house the temple. There is nothing secret or weird in the temples, rather there are very special promises and blessings that we as church members hold very sacred. I can promise that the temple is a great blessing, and should be a goal for all people to go through and see what God has set aside for you.
Keith Proctor answered...

In the Temple we are taught some pretty powerful truths about who we are, where we came from, and why we are here. It's not the kind of experience you can just walk into and get. There is significant spiritual preparation and learning needed first. It's better to be prepared and enjoy the fullness of the experience than to rush into it too quickly and end up confused. The ordinances in the temple also require that you prepare yourself to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. The best way to prepare for the Temple ordinances is to begin living their teachings consistently before entering the Temple. This is your way of showing Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father that you love them, obey them, and are ready for additional light and knowledge. Without this preparation, any ordinance of the Gospel would be an empty set of rituals. The Temple, in its fullest sense, prepares men and women to return and live with God as His sons and daughters. Anyone in the world can experience the power and beauty of the Temple, but a wise Heavenly Father has set out certain guidelines for their personal preparation first. Those who love Jesus Christ and walk in His ways will find in the Temple a power beyond their comprehension and a closeness to God not possible anywhere else in the world.

Are Mormons Christians?

Charlotte answered...

Living in a place where Mormons are a small minority, this is probably the question I get asked the most. For me, nothing is more sacred and personal than my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe he was born of Mary and is the Son of God. I believe he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and died on the cross on Calvary so that all of us might be saved by the gift of His atonement. I believe he was resurrected three days later and that he will come again. I absolutely whole-heartedly believe in and love Jesus and am teaching my children to do the same.

Generally though, I've found that when people ask me this question more often they are asking what makes Mormons different from other Christians. There are 3 major differences: 1) We believe that God, the father, Jesus, his son and the Holy Ghost are distinct beings (the first two having a body of flesh and blood, the third being a spirit) that are united in purpose. So, we don't believe in the concept of the "Trinity." 2) We believe in an open cannon, meaning that God still reveals scripture. We believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God but we have companion scriptures as well that we believe are holy and inspired, most notably "The Book of Mormon." It is another testament of Jesus Christ, in addition to the Bible. 3)We believe that God still talks to man. Revelation didn't stop with the prophets in the Bible. When Christ's church was restored through Joseph Smith, prophets once again returned to the earth. We having a living prophet today, President Thomas S. Monson, to whom God speaks. In addition, we believe in personal revelation. Rather than telling people they must follow unquestioningly like sheep, Mormons are encouraged to ask God themselves about doctrine, actions and anything else they are concerned about. He answers prayers.