Hi, I'm Nate

I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I am a recent college graduate. After graduating from college I moved to South Carolina to pursue a graduate degree and a career in coaching basketball. I also own a small business running summer basketball camps around the country. In order to make ends meet on a meager coaching stipend I work for a landscaping company during the day. I am also the oldest of four brothers. I'm very happy to have their support as I chase my dreams.

Why I am a Mormon

My family has been Mormon since my great-great-great grandfather joined the church in the 1840s. Although I have a lot of family tradition in the church I have had my own journey trying to discover my own religious beliefs. Growing up in Utah, most of my friends shared my family's religious beliefs and there was a lot of social pressure to maintain the values I had been taught growing up. These values were not negative in any way, but I always wanted to forge my own path and have views independent of others.

I met with leaders of the Mormon faith in my area and asked them difficult personal questions about our doctrine and beliefs. I read the Book of Mormon from front to back. I prayed. I guess you could say that I did my homework. Throughout that process (which is ongoing) I have come to feel confident, peaceful and excited about being a Mormon. In fact, my journey has resulted in deep, abiding happiness that I want to share with others. Although I still have unanswered questions about life, the more time I spend in prayer, reflection and study the more answers I find. There are few things more exciting than finding personal answers and application in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I am getting to know Him better each day. He loves me and because He loves me I love Him. I want to be like Him someday. Living His gospel brings me great happiness that provides my life with consistency.

Personal Stories

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you?

Different teachings of the Savior seem to influence me at different times in my life. I think the Savior's teachings about what love is have influenced my life the most.

Just a few months ago I was reading some of the Savior's teachings about what it means to love others and I became motivated to see others as God sees them. As I made a prayerful effort to see others as God's children and feel His love for them in my heart, things started to change. More correctly, everything started to change. My motivation changed, my thoughts changed, my entire demeanor changed. All of the sudden I was letting people merge in front of me on the freeway because I could see them a child of God with an equally valid and important purpose.

Although many of my charitable actions remained the same, my motivations behind them became pure. I have never had so much happiness as I did when I was trying to follow the Savior in this way.

How I live my faith

I am doing my best to live my faith everyday by emulating the example of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I do my best to treat others along my path the way He would treat them. Often these people bless my life more than I am able to bless theirs.

The church I attend is specifically for young single adults who are ages 18-30. I attend several church activities each week including firesides, dances and sporting events.

I serve in our congregration as a "teacher development coordinator." I am responsible for helping our volunteer Sunday School teachers improve their teaching skills. I couldn't ask for a more fulfilling responsibility! My teaching and coaching background lends itself perfectly to this opportunity and the teachers and I have a lot of fun! There is no doubt that I am learning and growing as much or more than the volunteer teachers I am responsible for.

Who wrote the Book of Mormon?

Nate answered...

This is an interesting question. I recently went to thecirculation desk at the library to find a copy of the Book of Mormon and was asked who the author was. I didn't know what to say. Asking who wrote the Book of Mormon is like asking 'Who wrote the Bible?'

Certainly God is behind the inspired words that testify of Him and His Son. However, the actual authors of the Book of Mormon are ancient American prophets. The book is named after the prophet who was primarily responsible for abridging an assortment of ancient writings into one book. His name was Mormon.

In the early 1800s God led Joseph Smith to this record and helped him translate it into English. Since then our church has translated the book into more than 100 different languages.
Show more of my answers Show less of my answers One Moment Please
Casey Dickson answered...

The Book of Mormon is a record of the ancient inhabitants of America, and their dealings with God; namely, the native Americans. God is no respector of persons; He loves all His children. He wants us all to make it back to live with Him; the Book of Mormon is proof to me that God loves all people of all nations; why would he only give His Word to just the Children of Israel?
The Book of Mormon was written by the prophets that were called of God on the American Continent; they too testifed that Jesus is the Christ, and he would surely come to redeem us from our sins. The book gets it's name from the prophet Mormon, who collected the individual records kept by prophets throughout the centuries, and complied them into one volume, written on gold plates. He gave them to his son, Moroni, who buried them in a hill by what is now known as Upstate New York. Centuries later, a young man named Joseph Smith, who wanted to know which church was true, had a vision of God the Father and His Son, who told him the truth was lost over the years, and he would be a tool in the Lord's hands to restore what was lost. A few years later, that same Moroni who buried the plates, visited Joseph as an angel of the Lord, and directed him to the ancient record. Through the gift on power of God, he was able to translate the book into English. The Book of Mormon helps us understand the fullness of the Gospel; with the Bible, we can discover God's will for us.

Why are Mormons asked to donate 10% of their income to their Church?

Megan Cosgriff answered...

Latter Day Saints(Mormons) donate 10% of their income to the church because the Lord has commanded us too! In Proverbs 3:9 it says, "Honour the Lord with substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase." This is talking about tithing, tithing literally means one-tenth, which is 10%. So when the Lord commands us to donate one-tenth of our increase(income) that is what we do. If you look at Malachi 3:8-10 you will see that the Lord is asking for us to give him our tithes (10%) and in return he will open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings, so many that we won't be able to contain them. Wouldn't you want to receive innumerable blessings for just giving Him 10% of your pay check? It seems like a pretty fair trade to me.