Hi, I'm Jared

I was born in northern California. I Grew up in Utah. I attend college and volunteer at a hospital. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am currently attending college as a pre-med student and plan on going to medical school to become a physician. I love school and I enjoy studying science. I love helping people and I volunteer at a hospital. I enjoy hiking, running, swimming, and playing games. I also love animals and my dog is one of my best friends. I enjoy being outdoors. One of my favorites things to do is to go hiking with my friends. I also have a job as a lifeguard at a local pool. My goals in life are to have a family of my own and to become some kind of doctor.

Why I am a Mormon

I was not always a Mormon. I joined when I was fifteen. Before then I was a young boy who knew nothing about God nor did I have any reason to believe in Him. That all changed when I met the Mormon missionaries for the first time. When they told me about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon I had to find out for myself if it was all true. They told me how to find out and I got my answer. I was the only one in my family to go to church. My mother had been a member since she was young but hadn't gone to church since then. She didn't consider herself a member. After I was baptised, I attended church on my own. Since then I am proud to say that I myself decided to serve a mission when I turned 19 and to tell others what I know to be true. I served faithfully for two years but I will not stop being a missionary. Just like everyone, I'm not immune from doubts that creep up. But I have a sure knowledge that surpasses any kind of logic or reasoning known to man. The Book of Mormon is true not because of theological or scientific evidence. But because of what it does to my life. This knowledge has put me on the right path.

Personal Stories

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Praying has a big part of my life. Praying helps me overcome temptation and challeges that I face daily. When I pray, I ask for strength. Strength to overcome my weaknesses. Whenever I ask for help to do whats right, it always comes in some form. Without talking to God, I would be so confused about life. Sometimes I still get confused when the Lord expects me to think and ponder more thoroughly about something. Sometimes the answer is right in front of me. God becomes more involved in my life when I pray to Him in Jesus's name.

How I live my faith

Like I said before I volunteer at a local Hospital. In the Church I am an assistant ward clerk I do office work in the ward I attend. I enjoy meeting and visiting with other members of the church and talking with them about the church. I enjoy going to church to learn how I can better live my life and also how to help other people. I go every sunday to commit myself to doing something better to become more of what I want to become. My beliefs are not just put into practice on sunday but every day I try to live by them.

What is the priesthood?

Jared answered...

The priesthood is Gods authority. This autority is given to men who are worthy of it. The priesthood authority is always given by God through what's known as the laying on of hands. This authority is what makes this church Gods church.
Ethan answered...

I like to approach questions by looking at the words of things

"priest" has reference to either the concept of one who leads, one who is elder, or one who is holy I like to remember that the words 'holy' and 'whole' are linked by a common ancestry. When something is 'holy' it's essentially saying that it's complete, that it's healthy..

And "-hood" makes reference to the state of being, and not just any state of being but a state of being that's worthy or correct for it's placement. That is, that it's done properly.

So one could say the priesthood is leadership or a point of reference that's completely suited to the position in which it's been placed.

Another way to look at it is to say it's God's perfect order. That is, it's God's perfect arrangement.

In our Church we often give a definition of priesthood as being "the authority to act in God's name" and that's exactly what it means to be a part of God's perfect order. If God commands something to be done by you, and you do it, then you are acting under, and with that portion of God's authority that he's permitted you to exercise within his perfect order.

Just as with any instance where someone tries to act in the name of someone else there are bound to be those who try and do so falsely. That's why God has things ordered in such a way that one can know for certain if someone has His God's authority, or not.

What is the Relief Society?

Karen answered...

To me, Relief Society means friendship. It's an opportunity to know and love and learn from other women from so many different backgrounds and situations and ways of looking at life and yet they are truly my sisters! I can't tell you how many times I have been wrestling with an issue in my own life and there, during the course of our class or other conversation, comes the answer. I know that Heavenly Father so often works through others to answer our prayers, and to me Relief Society is a huge example of that. I'm grateful not only for those who reach out to me, but for the opportunies to reach out to others through Relief Society. It is an inspired program and a wonderful asset to my life!