Hi, I'm Chelsea

I live in Northern Colorado, I am a stay at home mother of three crazy kids. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I graduated high school from Boulder, CO. I went to school for music at UNC in Greeley, CO where I met my handsome hubby- we were married in 2005. Six years later we have three children, a four year old girl, a three year old very active boy, and a darling baby girl who just turned 1. I taught music for three years part time at a Charter School before we made it possible for me to stay at home with my kids where I still teach music from my home and have a building photography business on the side. I like to crochet hats for babies (for photographers...and friends) and our whole family does what we can to help support my loving husband who is still working his way through school. I also love to read and blog about our constantly busy lives!

Why I am a Mormon

I grew up in an LDS home, but not your "typical" LDS home. My parents divorced when I was 8 and I continued to go to church with my mother and two siblings until I graduated from high school. My dad chose not to attend church anymore, but has always remained supportive of my decision to continue to worship as a Mormon. There was a period of two and a half years where my mother moved me and my brother and sister to Idaho Falls and soon after my father moved to Rhode Island across the country so he could work for his dad and have a steady income. My mother continued to bring us to church every Sunday and I really admired the strong LDS families I saw at church there who were so giving, so generous, who seemed genuinely happy, and who sacrificed a lot to help our family in any way that they could. That's when I really feel I started to grasp a testimony of this church. When we later moved back to Boulder, I also had many leaders in the youth program who inspired me and helped my testimony to grow. I don't remember a specific moment where I went from not sure about the church to a full burning conviction, it has always built little by little, but I have had too many spiritual, confirming experiences not to trust in God and trust the whisperings he has given me that have affirmed that his gospel in it's entirety remains in this church. The faith of my mother, and my husband and his family have helped me greatly throughout my life, and it is especially the moments of peace and surety I have found in our temples that have given me sacred and eternal perspective regarding my relationship with my Heavenly Father and the purpose of my specific journey here on earth. I could not ever turn away now, knowing what I know, and it is my desire to share these blessings that I receive with others.

Personal Stories

What are you doing to help strengthen your family and make it successful?

One of the biggest things that my husband and I do to strengthen our family and make it successful is spend time with each other. Our marriage is where our family started, and we are aiding our children more than we know when we show them that tender care of our own relationship is the glue that holds families together when all else fails. My son can see his father treat his wife with respect and reverence, my daughters can see my love for my husband in how I support him in his responsibilities as father and provider for our family. They hear us pray for them and for each other in our family prayers. My parents were divorced when I was 8, and while I love both of them dearly and respect them, I want my children to be bonded to a family where their parents genuinely love and respect each other and sacrifice for each other. It teaches them virtues and principals that will last with them through their lives if we tend and care for our relationship properly. Our love for each other reinforces our love for them, and I know they can feel that.

In what ways have your prayers been answered?

A lot of people question why Mormons often have short engagements and get married so young. As I seriously dated my husband, Craig, before we were married, it is true that we did not know each other for a particularly long period of time, and I often wondered how I was able to make such a long lasting and far reaching decision in such a short time. Thoughts of marriage cropped up quickly in our courtship on both of our parts, but I knew I had a tool that allowed me to be able to know with a surety whether or not a marriage to this man would be one that would last or one that would benefit my happiness in the eternal perspective as we strongly believe that when you are married to another member of the church in our temples, it lasts for eternity, so selecting a spouse that will help you to become a better person and guide you back home with our Heavenly Father is certainly a significant choice. I knelt in prayer one night to ask my Heavenly Father if a marriage to Craig would indeed return me to His presence. I did not have an angel come and visit me, there were no trumpets sounding telling me he was my eternal companion, but some thoughts came to my mind in a quiet voice. I had the thought that Craig was indeed a good person, one that was worthy to take me to our temple to be married, and one that could help me to become a better person throughout my life. I also had the thought that the choice was mine to make. I reflect back on that, knowing that I now share a healthy and vital relationship with Craig, and I know that it was a leap of faith to act on those answers and decide to marry Craig. Because of that leap, I have been blessed beyond measure to be married to a man who is as committed to God as I am. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father answered my prayer in a way that I needed in order to make the right decision.

What blessings have come through your faith in Jesus Christ?

I can remember a time when I was pregnant with our first child and I was very ill. It seems like a trivial thing now, but being sick all day every day was a challenge for me. I have never had poor health in my life for an extended period of time, so to not feel like my body was able to do what I wanted it to do on a daily basis was an unexpected change for me and one that I struggled with. We were just getting ready to move into a new house, but there was a period of a couple of weeks where my husband and his parents were helping to repaint the inside of our house. I could not help because of the fumes and I was too ill most days to even get out of bed for very long. I remember one night feeling particularly bad and just wanting to fall asleep so I could escape my nausea for a while. I was in bed by myself as my husband was painting into the evening, and I just felt so alone and cried for a while. I looked up and saw a small picture of Christ that was tacked above the closet in our room. It was a simple picture of Him, and there was no elaborate frame, just a small pass-along card with a painting of Christ on it. It was then that I realized that I could pray to Heavenly Father to help ease my pain and my illness, which seems like a simple thing I should have already done, but I had just not yet thought of it. I thought somehow I had to overcome my illness by myself. I didn't feel well enough to get out of bed, but I folded my arms and said a silent prayer to myself. I immediately started to feel the nausea lifting a bit- not gone all together, but enough that I could drift off to sleep. It was then that I realized that the effects of the atonement of Christ reach to my physical needs as well as my spiritual ones, and that they are in fact often more linked than we realize. From that day on I prayed every day that I would have the strength to get through the toughest parts of my pregnancy and was able to manage much better than I did without.

How I live my faith

I go to church every Sunday, that is an integral part of our worship, where we partake of the sacred sacrament and in prayer, renew our covenants with our Heavenly Father. But my faith extends into my every day life because of my church attendance. I prepare to go to church and feel the spirit each week by trying to be touched by the spirit every day. That includes reading my scriptures and praying every day. Prayer is particularly important to me because if all else fails, I know my Heavenly Father is listening when I pray to him and he answers my prayers and gives me direction in my life. I often find my answers while reading scriptures or attending church and listening to the faith-building testimonies of others. In our Sunday attendance, each of the members of our ward (a grouping of Mormons into sections based on geographic locations that is headed by a Bishop and supporting counselors) we have three hours of church attendance. The first hour is dedicated to partaking of the sacrament, as well as having speakers from the ward who are assigned a topic to research and present to the congregation each Sunday. The second and third hours are dedicated to Sunday school and meetings designated to studying the scriptures and learning together. Each member of our ward is given a job, or "calling", in which we can contribute to both Sunday meetings and other meetings and church duties during the week. It is my calling to teach music to the children in our ward through songs for children that teach basic gospel principals. Once a year they are able to perform these songs in a program during sacrament meeting for their parents. I am touched by the spirit every week as I listen to the songs, learn them with them, and talk to them about my own testimony of the songs and of the gospel. I love my calling and feel that it adds to my faith and I hope it adds to the children's as well!

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

John answered...

This is one of the hardest subjects because in today's world the only accepted dialog is love or hate. We firmly decree that homosexual behavior is sinful. This does not speak to the individual, who they are or the feelings they have. Each of us face feelings and desires, some of which are contrary to the will of the Lord. This is one of them.

Our Heavenly Father does not judge us on these feelings, but how we act on them. If feelings are converted to behavior, then sin has been committed.

We believe that marriage is a sacred institution, one that God has intended to be shared between man and woman. We do not believe it is for us to redefine it, and as such would not support a change that would legitimize behavior believed to be sinful.

We love all of God's children. I have several friends who identify themselves as homosexuals. I consider them friends even though my beliefs hurt and frustrate them. I try to help them understand that I can love them and care about them while maintaining these beliefs. Likewise, I would always defend them against discrimination and bullying.
Paul answered...

The Church considers homosexuality a sinful practice that is engaged in via the agency of the individuals involved. What I mean is that those who participate in homosexual activities make the choice to do so. No one is born gay as that would be contrary to God’s plan of happiness for His children. Nor would He (God) place someone on earth who was wholly incapable of keeping His commandment pertaining to sexual conduct. Our Heavenly Father has revealed that sex (all forms of intimate relations) are to be exercised only between a man and a woman who are legally married to one another and in no other forum. The genders of the two parties and the exclusivity of their participation in sexual activity is central to acceptable obedience to God’s commands in this area. Additionally the first commandment given to Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden was to “multiply & replenish the earth”. This important commandment is thwarted by homosexuality. While it is no secret that many (including members of the Church) struggle with feelings of same sex attraction this does not (nor will it) change what God has revealed. As a result the Church has (& will continue) spoken out on this subject all the while insisting that the “one man, one woman, married” paradigm is God’s design for the happiness & destiny of all of His children. As far as the importance of the topic goes it is certainly relevant as numerous members of the Church struggle with homosexual feelings or actions.

It is my understanding that as long as an individual does not act on homosexual feelings or tendencies (there’s the agency again/the ability to choose) and conducts himself or herself in accordance with God’s commands no disciplinary measures are taken and standing within the Church is maintained. Members who engage in homosexuality on the other hand face disciplinary measures that may restrict their membership in the Church or remove their membership altogether.

Many people are aware the Church has been active in causes that support marriage as a union between one man and one woman. This institution supports the traditional family composed of a father, a mother, and children. Since we believe the family to be the basic unit of society and the foundation upon which good communities and nations are built we are concerned with any institution that strikes against that model. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage is incompatible with our understanding of the plan God has for His children. A great summary of the Church’s view on families is encapsulated in The Family: A Proclamation to the World (on the Church web site)

Can you tell me about Mormon customs: how you dress for church, what holidays you celebrate, etc.?

Graeme answered...

Mormon customs throughout the world do not vary widely. In fact in my travels around the world, the church is one big family which welcomes you as one of their own. Most of the major national and Christian holidays are celebrated Christmas, Easter, New Years when ever oit occurs, and nation's founding, and personal birthdays. Mormons dress up for Sunday services. When traveling, casual, modest clothing is normal. For other activities, any modest attire is acceptable. There are occasional "theme" activities with approprite dress.