About Me
I was born and raised in a small town in southern California. I have an older sister, two younger brothers, and two incredible parents. My family is such a blessing in my life. We have so much fun together. We love doing things outside--riding bikes, hiking, swimming. I have wonderful friends and roommates who are great examples to me. We have so much fun together, no matter what we are doing. I am studying Communication Disorders at Brigham Young University. I want to get a master's degree and become a speech pathologist. I love all sports, but especially volleyball and soccer. I am a competitive person I love to read, long board, do puzzles and eat ice cream.
Why I am a Mormon
I became a Mormon because I was born into the church. My parents taught me the gospel and I relied on their testimonies while I was young. I have always loved the standards of the church. From an early age I saw how they blessed my life and I knew that I always wanted to follow them. When I turned nineteen I realized that I was now old enough to go on a mission, but I had no idea if I should or if I even wanted to. I started praying to know if it was something that I needed to do. During that time in my life, as I was thinking a lot about serving a mission, I realized that I had never had a big burning confirmation that the gospel was true. I decided that I wanted and needed one -- if I was going to spend eighteen months teaching people about the gospel, I needed to know for sure. I read my scriptures, fasted, and prayed to know the truth. An answer didn't come right away, it took a little while, and it took effort. I had to do my part to show Heavenly Father that I truly did have a desire to know the truth. The answer didn't come in a way that I was expecting. One day I was writing in my journal and I realized that I did know. I already knew that the gospel is true. My conversion took place gradually throughout my life. The experiences I had in life, and my daily decisions had been building my testimony piece by piece. As I've gone through trials in life, I have had to turn to and rely on my Savior, Jesus Christ. On my own there are many things that I cannot do, but I know that through Him I can do all things. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for His Atonement. It has blessed my life immensely. I know that because Christ paid the price for my sins I can return to live with Heavenly Father after this life, and that I can be with my family forever. I am so glad that I have this knowledge. It brings me so much joy.
How I live my faith
My faith is an integral part of my life. I try to stand as a witness for my Savior, Jesus Christ in everything I do. It seems like it would be a lot harder to do this at home in California than here in Provo, Utah; however, when I came to college I learned that there are always ways that we can stand as witnesses of Christ. I think the little decisions we make on a daily basis play a key role in how I live my faith. It is the little things that keep us headed in the right direction. There is a quote that I love by Boyd K Packer that describes this well: "Our lives are made up of thousands of everyday choices. Over the years these little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value." I try to make decisions each day that will bring me closer to my Savior and uplift others. In two months I am leaving to serve a full time mission in Australia. I am nervous, but excited to dedicate eighteen months of my life to serving the Lord and the people in Australia. Every other Sunday I teach a group of girls at church. It's been a blessing in my life because I've discovered that when you teach someone, you are the one that learns the most. I love the girls I get to serve, and I am so grateful for their examples to me.
