Hi, I'm Brian

I'm married and with my wife am raising 4 energetic boys - life is never quiet! I love sports and my Savior and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I grew up in a household where I was one of 8 children, 6 boys and 2 girls. We were always busy with something, usually sports. Growing up I played Baseball, Football and soccer and just loved being outside and competing and using the talents that I was given. Despite a large family, we were all involved in supporting one another. Some of my greatest joys was watching my siblings reach their goals and perform well.
After completing college, working at a startup company for 5 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, and then going to Business School, my wife and I have settled down and are raising a family of 4 energetic boys. They too love sports and our yearly calendar seems to be divided not by months, but by the sports seasons. One of the great joys is having the opportunity to coach my boys at different times as well as to watch them give their effort. Win or lose, the smile that is on their face when they are having fun is worth every minute of time spent with them. Truly my greatest joys in life have come from my family.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born to parents who raised me in the church from infancy. I found, however, that being 'born' in a religion wasn't nearly sufficient to sustain belief. That sustaining conviction had to come from within myself. As I grew physically I also grew spiritually. That growth was principle by principle, truth by truth, just as you build a home brick by brick. I had wonderful siblings who provided an example to me of service and of dedication to the Lord. As a child and a young man I observed the goodness in their lives and recognized the blessings they received and understood it was in part because of how they lived.
As I got older and studied the teachings of the Savior, that same desire to serve him grew within me. As I served him and followed his teachings I felt uplifted and fulfilled. Not only that, but as I tried to keep the commandments, I felt his guidance in my life and came to realize that he really did know me and care for me. As I reach out to serve others, to try to follow the Savior's example and commandments, I have felt the Savior's power in my life.
The truths taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help me to draw closer to my Savior Jesus Christ. As I draw closer to him, I am guided in all that I do in life. As parents, we daily seek help with raising our children, he provides that guidance to us. As an individual, I need guidance and direction, he provides that to me in his own time. I know that I have a loving Father in Heaven and a Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that they know me and love me, personally. This understanding provides meaning and purpose in my life and is the basis for all that I do and am.

Personal Stories

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

The whisperings of the spirit have guided me throughout my life, particularly as an adult. When deciding to leave my full-time employment to return to school, I was scared and concerned. As I prayed for guidance and direction, I felt the peace of the spririt and knew that the Lord wanted me to pursue the path I was taking. When it came to choosing a school for my masters degree, I felt the Lord guiding me, via subtle promptings of the spirit, as to which university I should attend. The school was far from my wife and I's extended family and was not the "obvious" choice for us, but the spririt reassured us that this is where we needed to be. After spending 2 years at that University, meeting life-long friends, having resources available to help the specific needs of one of our children, I know that the Holy Ghost was helping us in making our decision. Many similar experiences, some smaller, some larger have happened to me and my wife. The Lord does want to help us and guide us and it is through the Holy Ghost that he does so.

What have you done successfully to shield your family from unwanted influences?

First we try to have open communication with our children. We try to provide opportunities and a forum where they can talk with us openly and freely. This allows them to ask questions they might have or talk about things they may have seen or done without understanding what they were doing.
We also try to monitor and limit their use of TV, games and internet. We much prefer our boys (as do they) to be outside running around, playing with friends or using their minds as they make lego creations or read books. While they do play on the computer or watch TV we try to help them make good choices as to what they watch and do.
Most importantly, we read from the scriptures as a family each morning and we pray together after reading. We do so to learn the gospel, but also to have the spirit with us each and every day. As my children learn to feel the promptings of the spirit, they will be better prepared to make choices that will protect them from unwanted influences in their lives.

How I live my faith

Opportunities abound for me to be about helping others - that's the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ - serving and helping, just as the Savior would. I have the chance to serve my family - before school each day we come together and spend time reading the scriptures and end with a family prayer. We, as a family, daily have an opportunity to learn the teachings of Jesus together and start our day of with those things that really matter the most - God and family.
I currently assist the Bishop (congregational head) in many of his duties. Among the assistance I provide, I have the chance to be with the young men and young women who are 14 and 15 years old. We meet weekly on Sunday's to study the teachings of the Savior and learn the gospel, just as I did many years ago. We also meet once during the week to participate in different activities whether they be service projects, a scouting item or social event. I also enjoy getting to know these young friends and support them in their school and community endevours like sports or performing arts.

What is the priesthood?

Brian answered...

The priesthood is the authority to act in God's name. Just as prophets and men of God anciently held the priesthood, so too do men hold the priesthood today. We know of Moses using the priesthood (which he received under the hand of Jethro his father-in-law) and of the miracles of Elijah and Elisha - all performed by the power of the priesthood. The miracles of the Savior, Jesus Christ were done by and through the power of the priesthood. Today the blessings of the priesthood are again on the earth.
Show more of my answers Show less of my answers One Moment Please
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.

Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

Christopher answered...

No. We admire Joseph Smith and consider him a prophet of God and follow his teachings as we do with Moses and other prophets of old. The thing that makes Joseph Smith unique amongst prophets is that he helped to bring the Church of Jesus Christ back to the earth after a period of darkness which is known as the Great Apostacy.