Hi, I'm Heather.

I grew up in Arizona and Ohio. I'm just an average 18 year old and I'm a Mormon. :)

About Me

I was born Mesa, Arizona. Im the youngest of five kids. I have two brothers and two sisters. When I was eleven, my parents got divorced and I moved to Ohio with my mother, sister, and step-father. My family has never been completly strong in the church. When I moved to Ohio, I went inactive for 3 years. I started going back to church half way through my Junior year of High School. I am the only active member in my family. I graduated from Beavercreek High School in 2011. I am taking a year off of school to save up money. I work at Bob Evans Restaurant. I want to study at Brigham Young University-Idaho. My major is unclear at the moment.

Why I am a Mormon

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I have been my whole life. When growing up, I only went because my family did and well...because I was a little kid and didnt understand everything. When my parents got divorced, we moved to Ohio and I didn't really care about church. I went inactive for about three years. The summer before my junior year I started going back to church. During that year my testimony started to grow more and more. I began to realize the people I hung around with didn't hold the same standards I did. I decided to stop hanging out those people. For a while I didn't do much but sit around the house. I began hanging out with kids in my stake and made some of the greatest friends a person could ask for. I realized how much your friends can influence you. I have now been a strong, active member for 2 1/2 years and I regret being inactive for those three years. But im also happy about it because it made my testimony very strong and showed me what my life would be like without this Gospel. This is the true church. It is the reason why I live and breath today. It is what keeps me from making bad decisions. It is my life, my joy, and my blessing. I love this gospel and I always will. This IS the Church of Jesus Christ.

Personal Stories

Could you talk about your baptism?

I was eight years old when I was baptized. I remember I was so excited for that day. I ran around the church in my white jumpsuit yelling "Im getting baptized!!!" and doing cartwheels in the hallway. My mom explained to me why we wear white jumpsuits. She told my that white means purity and when we are baptized, all our sins our washed away and we become pure again. My uncle Greg baptized me. I shared the day with a friend of mine who was also getting baptized. After I was baptized, my Bishopric confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

How I live my faith

I live my faith by attending church every Sunday. I help out with activities in my Singles Branch. I love spending time with my friends from the Branch. They help out a lot with living righteously.

Are all Mormons required to serve a mission?

Heather. answered...

Not all Mormons have to serve a mission. It is a voluntary service. Although it is strongly encouraged that young men serve, it is up to them. Woman are also encouraged to go if they would like to. Missionaries generally start their mission at age 19 and get home at age 21. Married seniors also can serve a mission when theyre retired. If woman choose to serve, they begin at age 21.
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Nick answered...

"Required" is an interesting word when it comes to faith and religion. In the Mormon Church no one is "required" to serve a mission. Church membership is not revoked for not serving a mission. In this sense, they are not required, yet serving a mission is encouraged at many stages in life and in many different capacities throughout the world.

Missionary service is a tremendous blessing, a challenge, and one of the main focuses of the faith. The life of Jesus Christ was the life of a missionary in many respects. Performing service for one another, preaching the glad message of the gospel, and increasing the faith and dedication of God's children are exemplified in Christ's life and mirrored by those in missionary service.

To dedicate a portion of one's life in service propels those who serve and those who are served into a better life. During my two year mission to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and during my two year service mission with LDS Family Services, I was greatly blessed and strengthened. (I hope those whom I served found some value in my service as well.) That strength has taught me to better navigate this life, has kept my family relations intact, and has been the method of helping others overcome their trials as well.

Spiritually speaking, I don't find value in reflecting on what my life would be like without serving a mission. Instead, I rejoice in knowing that without that time in missionary service my life would be significantly less happy and productive. In my life, serving a mission has taken on many of the characteristics of a "required" act since I can't picture myself progressing very far without having served as a missionary. While not required to be a member of the Mormon church, missionary service has been a critical and welcome part of my life and growth spirituality. I will be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to serve missions, and look forward to serving in many more.

What are Mormon church services like? Are visitors allowed at church meetings? Can I attend church?

Julianne! answered...

Mormon church services are dignified and simple. A sacrament meeting will be conducted by a regular guy wearing a regular business suit. The organ will be played by a regular member of the congregation who is not paid for his or her service. The singing will be led by a regular member of the congretaion. The prayers will be given by regular folks. The sacrament will be blessed and passed by regular folks, usually teenage boys. The talks will be given by members of the congregation, often teenagers. Special music might be presented by regular folks, or the ward choir. Members of the ward choir are just regular members of the congregation who like to sing, and are not paid for their service. Looking around the congregation, you will most likely see some singles but also families including little children and babies. Babies tend to be fussy so the room will not be totally silent. We try to maintain reverence, but it's a learning process. The kids are not perfectly reverent, and neither are the rest of us. People are dressed in regular clothes, usually conservative and modest. Men and boys usually wear dress shirts and ties. Women and girls usually wear dresses or skirts.

You are welcome to come and attend any of our worship services. You will not be asked to stand and sit, stand and sit, stand and sit. No one will pass a collection plate or ask you for money. You come in and sit and relax. And when you come, please sit by me!