Hi, I'm Mac

I'm a Mormon. I grew up in the Midwest as a Presbyterian. I was an Air Force pilot in Vietnam, and then my career was high tech.

About Me

I'm now 65 and retired. I manage our own rental properties and fly my own airplane to do the management in Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Our son is an attorney in San Jose, CA and we fly there to visit our grandchildren. Actually, any excuse to fly is my mantra. I'm ready to go fly at a moment's notice.

Why I am a Mormon

As an active Presbyterian Church member, I was fine with people being any variety of Christian--Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic or whatever. All that mattered was that they believed in Jesus Christ as their savior. I saw that Christianity has suffered so much over these past decades, and I felt all of us who professed to be Christians must stick together. But, of course, I thought Presbyterianism was a little more right than the others, plus my ancestry is Scottish and most of them are Presbyterian. My grandfather was somewhat prosperous and was a leading figure in building the Presbyterian Church building in Waterloo, Iowa. So, I expected to be a Presbyterian for life.

When I found out about the Mormons, that all changed. As I heard of the many differences from the Christianity I had known my whole life, I was curious and intrigued. I "suspended disbelief" long enough to listen to the explanation of the many different things in this church such as The Book of Mormon, a living prophet leading the church, 12 apostles, the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood. I must tell anyone reading this that the only way anyone can know what is true is by the Holy Ghost telling you in your heart. That happened to me after awhile. The Spirit was prompting me that what I was hearing was truth, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was truly the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ which he established when he was on the earth. It was lost during the dark ages and was the apostasy spoken of in the Bible. I was a strong Christian, but now through the Mormon Church I had more of the gospel. It's been a great, no a magnificent experience for me and my family.

Personal Stories

How has the Holy Ghost helped you?

I have read that the ideas coming into our heads come from one of three places, ourselves, the Holy Ghost, or the devil (or satan). If the idea is bad or urging bad behavior, it's most likely from the devil. If the idea is good or encourages me to do something good, it's probably from the Holy Ghost. Routine daily timeline or activity processes like shopping lists and To Do lists are probably from ourselves.

I've learned to think in these terms, and if I'm cut-off in traffic I recognize the urge for revenge as coming from the devil and I do my best to resist the urge. If I get the urge to help a little old lady get her groceries into her trunk, I'm pretty sure that the Holy Spirit is prompting me. I try to always follow these prompts.

I've learned that if I respond quickly to these GOOD promptings, I get more of them and I'm a happier person. Of course, the converse is true if I start to follow the devil's bad ideas.

How I live my faith

My wife and I go to church every Sunday for three hours where we take the sacrament in memory of Jesus' great atoning sacrifice, then have Sunday school, learning more about the scriptures. We go to the Temple in another city at least once a month and try for more frequent visits but "life" gets in the way. We pray daily and read the scriptures or good books about the gospel. We also visit other church members, have parties and quite a few other get togethers. The church has really become family for us.

Does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints endorse political parties?

Mac answered...

I'm a convert, so my answer is based upon my observations. The church DOES NOT endorse political parties, but it does make a stand on certain issues in the public arena such as the family, morality, homosexuality and so forth. Other than that I've observed no involvement by the church in political affairs other than to encourage us members to get involved. I guess the idea is the old, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

My guess is that there are far more Republicans than Democrats, but there are no figures discussed or published by the church (or any other group that I know of). The church pushes personal responsibility for one's life. There is church welfare given out, but it's a short-term safety net only and people are told to look to themselves and their families to help them through tough times. That's more the conservative view of Republicans. Democrats seem to favor handouts and longer-term assistance, even generations on welfare, that I believe the church views as hurting rather than helping people. People become dependant on handouts and think it's a "Right." That's why I think the church members lean conservative and Republican more than Democrat.
Fred answered...

No. Our leaders have always operated from the concept that if we teach one another correct principles, we will then make correct choices and govern ourselves. The Church encourages each person to carefully consider every issue and each candidate and to prayfully seek guidance and then to vote responsibily. We are encouraged to be involved with our communities and nation but the Church does not take political positions or endorse parties or individuals.

Why don’t women hold the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How do Mormon women lead in the Church?

Leeny answered...

This is a question I had to really consider before joining the Church. My mother is a non-denominational chaplain, and both my sisters are pastors. Female leadership in church settings is very important to my family.

It is to me as well. I think many people become offended when they learn that only men hold the priesthood because they misunderstand it. The priesthood is a tool given to men in order that they might serve others more. It does not in any way give them power or dominion over women. Those people who suppose the priesthood is a way to control others are deeply mistaken.

My husband is a priesthood holder, this means I am too. I have claim on my husband's priesthood power. Even more than he does. If I am sick, discouraged, or in need of help I can call upon my husband to give me a blessing through the priesthood that he holds. I then recieve many blessings because of my husband's worthiness to work in behalf of Christ. My husband is never able to give himself a blessing though. If he is sick or discouraged he must call on other priesthood holders to administer to him. My husband holds the priesthood so that he can bless me and our child - never himself.

The priesthood is the power of Christ on the earth. It allows those who hold it to serve their families in the same way Christ served the Church. Did Christ do any deed for himself during his earthly ministry? No. Christ spent all his energy serving the people. This is what the priesthood does for my husband. It infuses him with Christ's compassion and ability to love, and then my husband is able to use that celestial love in our family.

Why don't women also recieve this special gift then? The simple answer is women don't need it. As women we are innately endowed with compassion, selflessness, and love. Think about the way a mother loves her child. I believe there is nothing more pure and similar to Christ's love for us, than a mother's love for her children. Women naturally have the ability to love as Christ does.

In an ideal situation, which is what God always intended for us, there are two partners in marriage. There is the husband and father, a priesthood leader who can be called upon to administer blessings and serve in Christ's name. And there is also the wife and mother, who is blessed with the ability to love as Christ loves and sacrifice for her family. These are two seperate and divinely appointed roles. Each complementing the other. Both make a complete home.

Women do not hold the priesthood because they do not need it. Women have other God-given powers that raise them up to the task they are called to. A man is appointed to serve his wife and children - it is the power of the priesthood that enables him to do this.

I am grateful to have a husband who is worhty to use the priesthood in my behalf. It has blessed me many times and I know that it is a special gift from God - not only to my husband, but to me as well.