Meet These Mormons

We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints otherwise known as “The Mormons”. We are proud of this part of who we are! We are excited to team up with over 65+ of us strong… to extend an invitation to see a film. A film entitled “Meet The Mormons”.

This film is not meant to be an “in your face” – you must join our church film. It is simply designed and produced to uplift and inspire you through six stories of those of our faith who have followed promptings to follow Christ more fully in their lives. We hope you take the opportunity to enjoy this film. We hope your hearts are made light as you feel the goodness that comes from following Jesus Christ, our Savior. All proceeds from the film will be donated to The American Red Cross. So not only will you be uplifted and inspired, your money will be going to an amazing charity!!

We also would like to take a moment and share our personal testimonies, stories of our own personal conversions, and our own stories of how following Jesus Christ has changed our lives. The light of the gospel of Jesus Christ offers a joy and hope that only following him can provide. We hope as you click through and read our stories and testimonies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you will feel uplifted and encouraged. We are by you! We love connecting with our readers, that is why many of us do what we do! Please be kind and considerate in your comments. It takes great bravery for us to open our hearts and our mouths to share with you such a tender and personal part of who we are. We share because we feel strongly the need to share the peace and the hope that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So here is my story.

I was born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Growing up sitting in the second row of the chapel each week, I never doubted that this church was true. I don’t consider it blind faith, it is faith reinforced by many experiences in my life. I never felt forced to believe, simply encouraged to read the scriptures and ask God for myself. This faith sustained me during harder times in my life. When I miscarried my first baby and my parents separated, I did a lot of soul searching and found comfort by attending the temple. The gospel of Jesus Christ has truly shaped my life experiences.

As a young adult, I attended BYU-Idaho and felt myself come out of my shell and discover the many opportunities available to be to learn and serve. Upon graduating from college, I completed a six-month internship with the Church magazines in Salt Lake City. As an intern for the international magazine, the Liahona, my eyes were opened to the world-wide church.

Each week I spoke with church members from all over the world via telephone and e-mail. I cried with the Saints in Apia Samoa when their temple was damaged by fire. I will never forget the pictures of the members who tried to help put it out.

And then there was the story of an elderly gentleman whose home had been rebuilt by the missionaries in the area. They sent a before and after picture of the home. The first picture I looked at was a simple, sturdy, small home, but made of materials not typical for the United States. In my head I figured that it was the before picture.

I flipped to the next picture to discover a dilapidated lean-to made of even less desirable materials – the true before picture. The biggest difference in the two pictures was the smile of the man. It warmed my heart and I promised myself I would be more grateful for what I had.

During my internship and time at BYU-Idaho, I had the privilege to speak with and work with many church leaders on occasion. I’ll never forgot covering the dedication of the Spori Building at BYU-Idaho. President Thomas S. Monson spoke, but then needed to quickly exit the building to get to another engagement on campus. I was quite surprised and thrilled when President Monson stopped to talk with me as he walked down the aisle. In true President Monson fashion, he quoted a song and wished me well in my endeavors.

I have felt the same encouragement from many church leaders. One day during my internship, I was slightly turned around while looking for the General Young Women’s Offices. A nearby woman noticed the confusion on my face and approached me asking if there was anything she could do to help. It was the General Relief Society President!

These two experiences have impressed upon me that this church cares about each of us as individuals. If someone as busy as a general authority has time to encourage and guide the one, then so shall I! And this is why I am so excited to see Meet the Mormons this weekend. I cannot wait to be inspired by their stories. This week I have been listening to a song from the movie on repeat. The song titled “Glorious” and sung by American Idol contestant David Archuleta expresses perfectly the worth of the individual. Each one of us is glorious!