Hi, I'm Brooke Vandegriff

I am a Chemical Engineer turned Stay at Home Mom to my three wonderful boys. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a mom to three busy boys. I enjoy being involved in their kindergarten/preschool classrooms. I enjoy cooking/baking, sewing, and all crafting. My background is chemical engineering so I also enjoy working with my hands. I also love college and professional football!

Why I am a Mormon

I'm a Mormon because the Church teachings just make sense. It makes sense that a loving Heavenly Father would not leave His children with no direction. It make sense that He would still call prophets to guide us. I love the plan of salvation and to know that I can be with my family forever. I love the feeling I get when I am in the presence of other Saints. the warm, comforting feeling that the Holy Spirit provides is a secure feeling that I love to have with me at all times.

How I live my faith

I am very involved in my boys' school. I volunteer and chair many activities and interact with so many different people daily. I love the opportunity to share His light daily. I also work closely with the women in our church, coordinating enrichment meetings. Through these meetings I get to work with different women in our congregation and draw on their strengths and talents. I participate in the watch care program of our church by making monthly home visits to women in our congregation. This fosters such wonderful and lifelong relationships.

Why do some call Mormonism a cult?

Elizabeth answered...

It's funny, I used to call the Mormon Church a cult too. I just didn't understand it.

Mormonism isn't weird or strange. Its members don't perform satanic rituals or brainwash teenage boys into walking around from door to door in suits and name tags (nor is anyone forced to -- everyone who chooses to serve a mission does so out of their own free will and choice).
I used to call Mormonism a cult because it seemed foreign and unfamiliar, which I deemed scary. The same thing happened to Jesus' first followers as well: they were accused of cult worship too! Others who understood little of what Mormons truly believe told me lies about so-called "practices" in the church which, in reality, were just made-up stories and falsehoods intended to give the church a bad name.
When it comes down to it, a lot of people just don't understand this church, and lies about it spread like wildfire. Mormons believe that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world, plain and simple.
Is that so weird or cultish?
Today, there are close to fourteen million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide, and more live outside of the United States than inside. That doesn't seem very cult-like to me!
Scott answered...

Perhaps because they see how close-knit we are as a community, and it can be somewhat hard to understand this support network if you have never been part of something quite like it.

Sometimes we hear that some others may perceive or presume that members are 'brainwashed' with information and forced to conform to some standard. To those I would say that is exactly the opposite of what actually occurs under the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, Satan's way is to force people to conform. Study the life of Christ and you'll understand that He never forces, but instead always invites.

Freedom to choose is something that we believe is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind, and is fundamental to our faith. All people (Church member or not) are always free to choose what to believe and how to act (we call this agency) and are encouraged to seek understanding of the reasons for any invitation that Christ or the living Prophet extends to them.

What is a ward/stake/branch?

Adam answered...

There is a lot of vocabulary that is unique to Mormonism, including the terms we use for our congregations.

A ward is a local congregation, usually made up of between 200-600 members. Wards have specific geographic boundaries, so which ward you attend would depend on where you live. A ward is presided over by a lay priesthood holder called a bishop.

A branch is similar to a ward, except it is smaller. They range in size from a single family to the size of a small ward. Generally, branches are in areas without a significant Mormon population, specific to a language, or for individuals who are single. Branches do not have bishops, but are presided over by a branch president.

A stake is a larger organization in the church. Several wards and branches, frequently around 12, will comprise a stake. The stake is able to support the wards and branches through additional resources and leadership. Stakes are presided over by stake presidents.