Hi, I'm Leanne

I'm from Arizona and I'm looking forward to graduating. I live with my grandparents and I love sports. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a survivor of child abuse and I have been living with my grandparents since I was removed from my parents 4 years ago. I am now a Senior in High School and I love being on my school's Cross Country and Track teams. I have been an MVP Hurdler for 3 years, and I am active in various clubs and church functions such as choirs, young womens, and National Honor Society. I am looking forward to college and hope to be able to become an Astronomer!

Why I am a Mormon

The church helped me pull my life together. As a victim of abuse, I used to suffer from depression, a lack of self confidence, and guilt. Through wonderful teachers and people who loved and cared about me, I was able to learn that I am a child of God, who loves me and is with me through all the hard times and trials. I know that God has a plan for me and my trials will continue to make me a stronger person and leader, and I hope that I can use my experiences to strengthen my testimony of Jesus Christ and his Atonement and the Book of Mormon.

Personal Stories

How does making right choices help us make more right choices?

When I strive to keep the commandments and live a good life, I feel good about myself and it becomes easier to live righteously because I have experienced the blessings and feelings of peace that come with it. While I still experience hardships and trials, I know that if I continue to live as I have been taught, I will be able to overcome everything that comes my way, and I will become stronger and blessed for my efforts.

How I live my faith

I am a class president in Young Womens, our youth group for teenage girls, and while many of the girls in my class share different opinions towards me and the church, I strive to do all that I can to show that I care and love them. I go to Seminary every morning and I enjoy being able to learn about the gospel with others who share my same standards and goals. I try to be an asset to my community by doing community service and joining school clubs such as the National Honor Society so I can help other people. when other kids at school ask me about the church and why I have such high standards, I answer their questions cheerfully and strive to invite them to church so they can understand me a little better and why I am always so happy.

How can I know Mormonism is true?

Leanne answered...

Pray!! Develop a relationship with Heavenly Father and he will make all things known to you through the Holy Ghost. Search within yourself and let your heart decide, and don't be swayed by peer pressure!
Evelyn answered...

One of the best things in life is that we can freely communicate with God; our Heavenly Father. Because He loves us so much, He has blessed us with the precious gift of prayer. Through prayer we are able to counsel with Him and whatever we ask sincerely, He will make it known unto us. The scriptures can give you a surety of this. In Matthew 7:7 it says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Another example is in the book of James 1:5-6, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

If you would like to know that what you have heard is true after learning or taking the discussions from the missionaries or any member that has shared a message with you, go to Heavenly Father in prayer and ask Him. I know that He will send His spirit to testify the truth of it unto you. His spirit will give you feelings of peace, hope, comfort and happiness.

Sometimes we do not get answers to our prayers as soon as we may want them to come but never should we lose hope nor get discouraged; as you continue to earnestly study and search for the truth and exercise patience, the truth will gradually be unfolded unto you. I have a testimony of this, for my answer came as I earnestly and patiently continued to investigate the church.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

Garth answered...

I just saw news footage where a minister called the Mormon Church a ‘cult’ and the news commentator turned around and said it wasn’t. The news commentator was right. One definition listed for ‘cult’ in Webster’s Dictionary is “a religion regarded as unorthodox.” ‘Unorthodox’ according to whom? Catholicism and over 2000 churches who broke off of the Catholic Church or the original teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ? We believe some of the original doctrines contained in the original Church of Jesus Christ fell into apostasy and were changed by men. One example is the definition of the Godhead as laid out in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds that are widely accepted by most Catholic and Protestant churches today. We believe the Godhead is made up of three separate and distinct individuals that are one in purpose not in body. When I read about the atonement in Matthew 26:39 (KJV), “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” I believe God the Father, Jesus Christ, Peter and the other Apostles would find the teaching that ‘Jesus Christ was praying to himself’ as quite ‘unorthodox’. I choose to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, not the teachings of men…regardless of the names they choose to call us.