Hi, I'm David

In-house game developer, chocolate lover, and hopefully famed dancer. Siempre, Mormon ako.

About Me

A bit nerdy. A knack for fine art. A star?

No matter how much I wish I came from a Jewish background, hence the DAVID/STAR OF reference, I'm the great-grandson of an American immigrant. After living in Utah for a few years, some of my ancestors settled the deserts of Chiuaua, Mexico. Around the same time, my other ancestors were sailing around New Zealand.So basically I'm a proud Mexican and Kiwi, sounds tasty doesn't it?

I like edit video games, but I love to visit art exhibits. Some of my typical Friday nights included me going to the campus independent film club. I never had a clue what they were saying but I guess that's where my love for reading came in.

Aspiring dancer, film director, and senator, who knows what I'll be when I grow up.

Why I am a Mormon

Having never held a full conversation with a girl, I successfully completed the rigorous requirements to earn my High School diploma from the Golden State of California. Then, having never held a full conversation with a girl, I successfully earned my admissions to none other than BYU.

I was sorta a little freaked out when I arrived, everything was a little too nice, the facilities, the food, especially the smiling faces. The niceness must have rubbed off on me and I found myself smiling, having never held a full conversation with a girl. Little to my knowledge I was about to thrown into what is the biggest courtshipping community, perhaps in the entire nation, this was none other than BYU.

Naturally the university held plenty of awkward orientation activities and naturally my roommates held the same class of activities in my very kitchen. Being the rebel that I was I chose to march out of the dormitory and head straight to the library. Now you might be saying, "that's nice, you were a very special young freshmen weren't you, but what does this have to do with you being a Mormon?" I saw a girl in that library yet never held THAT conversation with HER. I was afraid, I wanted to follow what was expected of me, that was to serve as a missionary for 2 years before I got married. In my mind that meant I wasn't to even talk to any girl. With Winter arriving the weather and my heart were getting a little cold. I couldn't take it any more, both the weather and love thing, and almost a little too quickly enrolled in the Lord's army as a full-time missionary. Before I even came home for Christmas break I had already received my assignment, Philippines Quezon City.

Those next 3 months were a blur, I never wanted to speak Tagalog, nor fly across the Pacific, nor be a teacher but somehow I decided to stay. Now I know why.

Bearing witness of Jesus Christ and watching others change their lives makes it all worth it. That's why I 'm a Mormon.

Personal Stories

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

It has taught me to remember to be happy. Our purpose in life is to be happy. God is not a malevolent being, he really does want us to be happy here.

Why do Mormons go on missions?

Having never held a full conversation with a girl, I successfully completed the rigorous requirements to earn my High School diploma from the Golden State of California. Then, having never held a full conversation with a girl, I successfully earned my admissions to none other than BYU.

I was sorta a little freaked out when I arrived, everything was a little too nice, the facilities, the food, especially the smiling faces. The niceness must have rubbed off on me and I found myself smiling, having never held a full conversation with a girl. Little to my knowledge I was about to thrown into what is the biggest courtshipping community, perhaps in the entire nation, this was none other than BYU.

Naturally the university held plenty of awkward orientation activities and naturally my roommates held the same class of activities in my very kitchen. Being the rebel that I was I chose to march out of the dormitory and head straight to the library. Now you might be saying, "that's nice, you were a very special young freshmen weren't you, but what does this have to do with you being a Mormon missionary?" I saw a girl in that library yet never held THAT conversation with HER. I was afraid, I wanted to follow what was expected of me, that was to serve as a missionary for 2 years before I got married. In my mind that meant I wasn't to even talk to any girl. With Winter arriving the weather and my heart were getting a little cold. I couldn't take it any more, both the weather and love thing, and almost a little too quickly enrolled in the Lord's army as a full-time missionary. Before I even came home for Christmas break I had already received my assignment, Philippines Quezon City.

Those next 3 months were a blur, I never wanted to speak Tagalog, nor fly across the Pacific, nor be a teacher but somehow I decided to stay. Now I know why.

Bearing witness of Jesus Christ and watching others change their lives makes it all worth it. That's why I 'm a Mormon.

How I live my faith

Probably the first church-related activity I remember doing was spending time with my dad visiting a few of the single, elderly women of the church living around the area. As your average 12-year old I wasn't exactly eager to tag along, but I learned about sacrifice. That was my life, every month, for the next 6 years, no matter how "useless" it seemed at times. Now as a missionary living on the other side of the world, the one person who writes to me is one of those elderly Sisters. I didn't realize just how meaningful those short visits were. Now I write letters of encouragement, not being able to visit at the moment, no matter how many years it's been since they last stepped foot in the church.

Being in a strange land with an equally strange climate, I do probably the strangest thing a person can think of, missionary work. Before arriving here I had never held a full conversation with a girl, now they can't keep quite. Yet as a missionary we aren't allowed to court, very strange indeed.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

David answered...

We may write about vampires and werewolves, campaign for a political office, or drive that clunky Honda to your neighbors wedding reception, but that doesn't justify the term "cult" does it. The fact that we do write, run, and occasionally crash into you seems reason enough that you have seen us outside.
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Kevin answered...

I suppose that new and different things have always been a challenge for some. It seems possible that the New Testament Christians might also have been called a cult: they were few in number, taught new, or at least different, doctrines and were lead by strong, charismatic leaders (a study of the early apostles like Peter or Paul bears this out).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the Mormon church) follows the teachings of Jesus Christ as contained in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We do not worship our founding prophet (Joseph Smith) or our current prophet (Thomas S. Monson). We teach that men are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrice on the cross and that as we strive to follow Him and keep His commandments, that redemption becomes personal.

If others persist in defining the Church as a cult, in spite of our rather obvious Christian beliefs and doctrines, then we will simply have to agree to disagree.

Why don’t Mormons drink coffee, tea, or alcohol? What is the Mormon Church’s law of health and proper diet?

Braden Scothern answered...

We do not drink coffee, tea, alcohol, use tobacco, or illegal drugs because of a commandment known as the Word of Wisdom.

The Word of Wisdom was a commandment revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith in 1833. It tells us the importance of keeping care of our bodies because they are temples. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

We know that while from the outside it may seem restrictive it really gives us freedom it blesses us physically and spiritually. The things that we are counseled to stay away from in this law from our loving Heavenly Father help us keep our agency. When you are addicted to something you have given up some of your agency, it controls you. Satan tries to use addictive things to bind us down so we cannot focus on our relationships with the Lord.

In addition to us keeping our agency we are promised these things in the Word of Wisdom: "all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments... shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures... And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen." (D&C 89:18-21

So those who keep the commandment are able to be in tune with the Holy Ghost more. That is a great blessing because it is the Spirit that helps us stay on the path to eternal life and teaches us all spiritual truths.