Hi, I'm Preethi

I'm a wife & mother, a marketing consultant in urban education, a dessert baker and eater, a musician, and a Mormon.

About Me

I'm a wife & a mother to a beautiful 10-month old boy who lights up my life. Being a wife and mom brings me more happiness than I ever thought possible.

I've always loved to read. As a child, I read Nancy Drew books for hours on end. Nowadays, I love classics, pop fiction, historical fiction, & engaging biographies.

We love to cook from scratch. We've participated in a community supported agriculture box this summer, & have loved receiving fresh produce & finding ways to use it. I mostly like to cook because I love to eat. I grew up with a mother who made Indian food 6 times a week (yum), and I now adore most every cuisine.

We love learning as a family. We love to travel - we went on a trip to 3 continents & 14 countries shortly after we were married, and recently took a trip to Africa (with baby!). Living in the DC area, we love all the free museums and events.

We love to camp & hike, including when I was 36 weeks pregnant, & several times since our son was born. We're currently training for a half marathon. We also love going to kinds of concerts and shows, as music is important to both of us. I love to play the violin & we enjoy singing in choirs.

Both my husband & I studied business, which makes for some interesting discussions (totally nerdy, I know). We met at a marketing competition in high school, & then went to college together. He is now a management analyst, & I just completed my MBA and am a marketing consultant in the field of urban education.

Why I am a Mormon

I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 18. My wonderful parents emigrated from India, & I was raised Hindu. When I was in high school, my family moved from Alabama to Utah, where I had many friends who were members of the Church. While I always had good impressions of them, it wasn't until about a year after I'd moved there that I began to learn about the church in greater detail. One day, I asked a friend about the statue on top of the temple. He explained that it was the Angel Moroni, and answered some of my questions about the church. A few days later, he gave me a copy of the Book of Mormon, and was kind enough to follow up with me and answer questions that I had.

At first, I thought it was a nice book. As I read the story of Alma the Younger, however, I strongly felt the Spirit and knew that it was more than just a nice book. It was the word of God, and it was true. Shortly after, I decided to be baptized.

Because I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, I know that this is His church that He has restored to the earth. I know that prophets and apostles today speak the word of God. I know that as I strive to act on my faith, that I will grow closer to and become more like my Father in Heaven. I know that Jesus Christ came to earth and atoned for every sin that I might return to the presence of the Father and be perfected, and I am eternally grateful for that.

I know that as we return to Him, we can also be sealed with our families forever. This, to me, is one of the greatest blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of His sacrifice, we can be with our loved ones for all eternity. I love my husband and son and other family members more than I can say, and more than anything else in life. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for providing a plan so that I can be with them always.

Personal Stories

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you?

The most important of the Savior's teachings, as He said, is love. The gospel and the Church teach me to do my best to love those around me. This includes, of course, my family and loved ones, as well as members of my ward. It also includes neighbors, classmates, and acquaintances.

The gospel teaches us to love not just those it is convenient to love, but also those who may be more difficult to love. The gospel teaches to reach beyond ourselves and our own comfort zones to those who may have extra need. This is a major motivation for missionary work. It is to share something that makes me happy and gives me peace with those I love. Missionary work is motivated by love, and by my gratitude and appreciation for the gospel in my life. The Savior's teaching and example have blessed me and my family dearly, and we love sharing that with those around us because we want them to share in that happiness, too.

How I live my faith

One of the most remarkable aspects of the church to me when I first became a member is the emphasis on service. Each individual is asked to serve, be it formally or informally. Oftentimes, members of a congregation will receive a special assignment, or a "calling," in which they serve in a specific responsibility.

My husband and I have had the opportunity to teach seminary twice in our three years of married life. Seminary is early-morning religious instruction for high school-aged students. We met with them at 6:30 every morning and studied from the scriptures. It was enlightening and inspiring for us to study, prepare, and teach them each morning. What was even better was to see these youth live out their testimonies of truth. It was remarkable to see them not only come to seminary each morning before school, but to also hear their stories of living their faith in their schools and communities in an area of the world that often looks on religious conviction with disdain. These students were not preachy in their beliefs, but were bold and willing to share in love and kindness. They actively served those around them and inspired us to do the same.

My husband and I now serve in the Nursery with the 18 month - 3 year old crowd. These sweet little ones inspire us each Sunday to be better and more like our Savior. It is wonderful to watch them learn and be kind, and to see their little smiles. Although they haven't learned many things on earth yet, they are pure and sincere and help us to remember how much our Father in Heaven loves each of us.

Beyond our callings in church, we try to actively be involved in our community. We love serving in our neighborhoods and getting to know our wonderful neighbors. We love how the gospel encourages us to seek out to and get to know all those around us in a spirit of love and friendship.

Why do Mormons perform proxy baptisms in their temples?

Preethi answered...

Before I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had become a Christian. However, I struggled with some teachings of other churches. As my family was Hindu, I had been told that they would automatically go to hell - including all my ancestors who had never heard of Jesus Christ. This was hurtful, saddening, and mysterious to me.

When I was learning about the Mormon church, I found out about proxy baptism. I learned that individuals could still receive the blessings of the gospel and its ordinances even after death. This, to me, was remarkable! I learned that we could participate in those ordinances and join in bonds with our deceased ancestors. While acting as proxy for ordinances on behalf of our ancestors does not obligate them to accept the blessings of the ordinance, it allows them the opportunity to choose. It ensures their agency is intact, and I am so grateful for that.
Patty answered...

Proxy baptisms are Heavenly Father's solution to the conflict between the need to be baptized in order to obtain eternal life, and the fact that not everyone gets the opportunity to be baptized in this life. We preform baptisms on the behalf of our ancestors, and then our deceased ancestors, in the spirit world, are given the opportunity to choose whether or not they want this baptism to be valid for them.

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

Christian answered...

Honestly admitting that you have homosexual feelings is often a scary and humiliating process – many are mistreated and must sort through these powerful emotions on their own. You have my deepest admiration and love. Your life is an amazing opportunity to make choices which will bring you peace and fulfillment. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I extend to you the same invitation that was extended to me: communicate your desires, fears and struggles to your loving Heavenly Father in prayer. Come to church with me! Or any other Mormon friend of yours. Give your burdens to God and trust in His plan for you—one that by design results in your greatest happiness.
And when you go to church on Sunday, know that you are on equal standing with those who do or don't have same-gender attraction. I know that faithful and obedient members of the Church will welcome you and love you.
Just like heterosexual members of our church, it is not a sin to be attracted to someone. However, intimacy is a sacred part of a loving relationship between a husband and wife. We are surrounded by a world of smut and filth which make a mockery of true love. Outside of marriage, the management of our sexual urges, whether homosexual or heterosexual, is to master the greatest power God has given His children on earth -- to create families.

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Joseph Smith

As is the case throughout history God has communicated to His children through prophets. God used a humble man as a prophet to restore His Church on earth who ultimately died defending His faith.