Hi, I'm Ken.

I'm a Mormon and a career Infantry Soldier.

About Me

I am a convert to the Church. I have been a member for twenty years. I met a returned missionary in Army basic training that introduced me to the gospel, never listened until then, even though I had been partly raised in Utah, had some Mormon (LDS) friends, and my wife was a member also.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a Mormon because I chose to be. I always believed in Jesus Christ and that family's should come first. The Church had all of the elements I was looking for, i.e. youth programs, Book of Mormon, eternal families. I continue to follow His gospel because I believe in it. I have a testimony of the teachings of Jesus Christ, His Prophets, and Apostles. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and living church that contains the gospel in its fullness. I know that Pres. Thomas S. Monson, who leads our Church today under the direction of Jesus Christ, is a modern day prophet, seer, and revelator. Joseph Smith restored the true Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth and gave his life for it.

Personal Stories

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

Well, being in the Army, I have acquired alot of skills dealing with survival, using firearms, first aid, land navigation, knot tying, etc. These skills can be taught/used to benefit boys in our Scouting program in church. Some of the boys are from divorced families and may not have father figures, or participatory ones; I can be a positive male role model and bless the lives of these young men, help mold and develop their character. In this way they can emulate later the fathering they receive through the Young Men's and Scouting programs, same holds true for Cubscouts. I have a talent and gift for talking with young people and making them feel that their lives are important, have meaning, and empowering them for a greater purpose. I am good at asking questions that spur excellent conversations and give me an insight into their special talents, abilities, and concerns. I learn alot about their family and situation, during these conversations, also so that I can decide how best to support their home and family. Sometimes their self-worth needs to be focued back on to the Savior.

How can we develop greater harmony in our homes?

We can develop greater harmony in our homes through uplifting comments, accentuating the positive, and not being critical of one another. Complimenting your family members and friends helps build their self esteem and shows genuine gratitude for each God given talent. My son Christopher has always been an example for me in the way that he conducts himself, with his peers and people he's coming in contact with. He never says anything negative about anyone unless he has a plan to help and support them.

How has your knowledge of the Plan of Happiness changed/benefited your life?

Well, the Plan of Happiness has benefited my life in that I know my family can be with me even after death and provides comfort and reassurance to me. Knowing that what we have here can be improved upon and continue throughout the eternities is an excellent opportunity that should never be passed up. Knowing Jesus Christ has brought peace into my own life and hopefully I've learned to better emulate his characteristics and traits within my own family.

Why/How do you share the gospel with your friends?

Well, I point out to my friends, when they ask, what brings me joy. I have joy in my life because of my relationship with my family and the peace this brings into my life. I tell them that I know our families have the potential to be together forever. People talk about the difficulties that they have trying to build family relationships and I respond to them about what I do to try and bring closeness, i.e. family traditions, Family Home Evening, trips to the local temple to provide service, outside recreation. I share the gospel with my friends and colleagues because of the many problems they have and I want to help them to be happier so their families stay intact and healthy, if at all possible.

In what ways have your prayers been answered?

My prayers have been answered in many ways. I am happily married with children that are unselfish and put the needs of the family first. I also have been blessed with good health and the ability to provide for my family, another answered prayer. I am blessed enough to be raised in the US, even though born in Korea, because of the freedoms I enjoy here. The Gospel in my life was an answer to prayer because I kept getting numerous opportunities and finally I just accepted, going from a half lit room to complete and total illumination.

How I live my faith

I live my faith day to day. I help out at our neighborhood Salvation Army Soup Kitchen, Deseret Industries, visit the elderly and/or widows, read the scriptures daily, and pray to my Heavenly Father to help me with my shortcomings. I am our local Bishop's exectutive secretary and am in charge of making sure that people have acccess to him, organize his calendar and agendas, and am a clearninghouse and/or liason between the ward members and the members of the bishopric. I teach and support, spiritually and temporally, three families in our local ward with another male Elder in our congregation on a bi-monthly basis. I also provide support and supervision for a variety of youth activities. At work people know that I don't do some things that they may do and that would violate my cherished principles. They often come to me for advice and counsel which I am more than willing to share. I try to encourage and see the good in others and hope that I am a good example to them as well.

Are all Mormons required to serve a mission?

Ken. answered...

Being a convert to the Church, I always thought that Mormons were obligated to serve a mission. After becoming a member, I found that everything you do, in Church, and in life is a choice. We all have to make up our minds on how we want to serve. My wife and I would like to serve a mission when I retire from the military as LDS Military Liasons. We know that it will be a sacrifice and we are preparing spiritually, physically, financially, and emotionally for this awesome opportunity.
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Austin. answered...

No. Every worthy young man is expected to serve a mission, though there is no punishment for not doing so. Also, not every young man is physically or mentally capable, so there are circumstances where a young man may be excused from service. Young women may also serve missions, but are not expected to do so.

Serving a mission means a full-time commitment, leaving family and friends to preach the gospel in a place assigned by the Church.

I served my mission in Los Angeles, California.

Why is family so important to Mormons?

Kevin answered...

We believe that our families are the basic unit of any society, and that failure in the home means that we've failed as a nation and a people. We've heard that it takes a village to raise a child, and that's true enough. But our leaders have told us that the most important work we can do in life, even more than any professional pursuits, is to raise our children in righteousness.

Think about it. If each father and mother were just a little more engaged in their family's lives i'm not talking about controlling their family, helping their sons and daughters with the challenges they constantly face, the crises we find ourselves in as a nation would become much less. We'd more good in the world as a result. You may think that naive or unrealistic, but I know how much good one family can cause, and how much pain another can cause. We want to change the world, and to do that we need to change ourselves and help our families become better too.