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Hi I'm Barbara

I'm happy to be a Mormon.

About Me

I am sixty two years old and live in the Isle of Anglesey, in North Wales, part of the United Kingdom. I joined the church when I was twenty six years of age in Liverpool where I was working at the time. I was an extremely worldly person who had lost any belief in God. A temporary clerk introduced me to her family and friends who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was impressed by their happiness and a wonderful atmosphere that surrounded them. Walking through the chapel with my colleague one day I heard a song being sung, 'I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me...' As a child I had feelings for Jesus and my heart was touched by that song. I wanted to know more...

Why I am a Mormon

Everyone is tried and tested in life and that applies just as much to members of the Lord's church as to anyone else. Before I joined the church I decided that if I wasn't married by the time I was thirty I would kill myself. I am a pensioner now and I still have not married. The thing I wanted most in life has been denied me and I have been extremely distressed lots of times over the years. However, I am still here! Being a member of the church helps you carry on even in the midst of the most awful experiences. Where my own family have failed to be as supportive as I would have wished, the 'family' of church members have been unfailing in being there for me in all my twists and turns. I have applied the teaching of the Lord which says, 'If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine...' I know therefore that God lives and he has performed miracles for me and has guided me through stormy waters. I have an eternal perspective - I know I shall have my heart's desire sometime, maybe not here in mortality.

How I live my faith

At first the adjustment to being a 'mormon' is challenging but I found I was amply compensated - I gave up nightclubbing, drinking alcohol, smoking, and worldly thoughts and behaviour, but the wonderful feelings which replaced those things because I made a conscious effort to keep the commandments, especially those found in the 'Sermon on the Mount' (New Testament, Matthew chapters 5 - 7) made any so-called sacrifice worth while. Since my early involvement in the church I have had things to do, Sunday School secretary, single adult leader, teacher, and currently a family history consultant. In the church there is no paid clergy as in other denominations so talks and lessons are prepared and presented by the members. This seems daunting at first and still is sometimes but it is a learning curve which is never regretted. Heavenly Father helps our inadequacy by revealing what he would like to be said or taught, receiving revelation from God in this way is such a joy and an education for us as ideas and concepts leap into our minds as we prepare our assignments.

What blessings can you receive from reading the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other scriptures?

Barbara
I had the view that the Bible was contradictory and did not understand it very well. Before I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I hardly touched it. I felt good as I read the Book of Mormon when I was challenged to do so by the missionaries. After joining the church and reading it fully I found it was a key to understanding the Bible. I started a course of study of the New Testament soon after becoming a Mormon and tried earnestly to put into practice in my life the counsel given by the Saviour. This gave me great joy and deep roots of testimony of the truth of his existence and teachings that have remained with me through many storms of life. Show more Show less

How can we stop the spread and influence of pornography?

Barbara
Sadly I think we can only try to achieve this one by one by one. We can avoid such things ourselves and advise our families, friends and fellow church members to do so. We can and should complain to our local and national governments about this matter. In reality I think that generally people's minds are so corrupt that they would not see the sense in giving up the sensuous nature of the publications and programmes that prevail in our society today. The teachings of the Mormon church are the most positive solution to this problem , we seem to be a lonely voice in understanding the meaning and necessity of such words as sacred, pure, and holy. Show more Show less

Why don’t women hold the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How do Mormon women lead in the Church?

Barbara
I must say I had a hard time with only men holding the priesthood for the first few years of joining the church. I was a teenager in the sixties when equal rights for women was prominent in the news. It eventually dawned on me that women are regarded as equal in the teachings of the Mormon Church. However our responsibilities differ and for this we are given different tools to enable us to function in these roles. As I understand it Priesthood and Motherhood are equally holy and valid in our Heavenly Father's eyes, the men have the one blessing and the women the other and each being an asset to all. Men are needed to work largely outside of the home but because of the demanding nature of children women's responsibilities are mainly home based. In addition to motherhood many women serve in presidencies of organizations within the church and on almost all committees where decisions are made for the benefit of members, however everything is conducted by direction of the priesthood of God which is the power of God delegated to man on earth. In addition I should add that the true priesthood of God belongs to God and it is up to Him to decide how it is to be used and distributed .In the days of Moses, for example, not every man had the priesthood. It is only in our day that every worthy male may be ordained into the priesthood of God. Show more Show less

What do Mormons believe is the purpose of life?

Barbara
We believe in becoming like Christ in our nature so that we can comfortably exist in his presence. We believe His teachings lead us to being happier and that the whole of society would be more peaceful and happy if they lived the way He has prescribed. Show more Show less

Why do Mormons believe in the Bible?

Barbara
I love the Bible. It contains the word of God. It has the account of the Saviours' ministry, it has the wonderful experiences of many great men and women of faith and courage, it has the purity of the teachings of God through his prophets, so is a delight for those who can understand and appreciate them. Show more Show less

How can faith in Jesus Christ influence us in our marriages and family relationships? in our friendships?

Barbara
The teachings of the Saviour include the how to's of maintaining good relationships: love being a doing word, apologizing quickly when in the wrong, even when not in the wrong doing anything to put things right, taking the blame on oneself if necessary. When we really keep the commandments and are baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are given a gift, the Holy Ghost as potentially a constant companion. The good feelings which come from this gift are such that when we are under his influence we wouldn't dream of harming those we love or even those we don't, loving our enemies in fact. In addition we have a more sensitive conscience when we live the doctrines of the gospel of the Saviour. We can and should pray for another gift, the pure love of Christ so we can learn to love as he does. Show more Show less

What is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' attitude regarding homosexuality and same sex marriage?

Barbara
The object of mortality is to become like God - man was created in the image of God, male and female. The whole plan of happiness that God envisages revolves around the human family, mother, father and children. Sexual purity aids us spiritually to become like God and is essential to us feeling comfortable in his presence. Any sexual activity outside the marriage between a female and a male renders us spiritually impure and harms our relationship with deity. Living God's law of chastity is not easy but is worth the effort. Same gender attraction is a trial the same as the kind of trials many of us have, but one can overcome or endure it righteously with the help of the Saviour. Show more Show less

What is the First Vision?

Barbara
A young man called Joseph Smith did not know which of the churches of his day to join. He read in the new testament of the Bible that one could ask God for the wisdom to know what to do and Joseph took this quite literally and prayed - to his surprise Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. He bravely asked his question as to which of the sects of the day he should join. They told him not to join any of the churches, 'the personage who addressed me said...they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.' When I first heard this from someone I thought it a far-fetched story, but the missionaries challenged me to pray about it. I had decided there was no God but concluded that if I went to my room and shut the door I could make a fool of myself and no-one would know but me. I prayed that night, please tell me if this church is true and if what the missionaries are teaching me is right. I went from not knowing to knowing in an instance! Show more Show less

Why do Mormons believe in “eternal life?”

Barbara
A lot of Christians believe in an afterlife - they have a vague idea of what that means. Thanks to us having modern prophets of God, who really are what they say they are, we have more understanding than most other worshipers. It is like looking at a window with curtains on it, one sees through the bit in the middle, when you listen to the Mormon missionaries they tell you that you lived before this life and describe life after death. The curtains are removed from the window, you see the whole vista. Part of that discussion will teach the difference between immortality for all and eternal life which is for those who accept the atonement and follow Christ. Eternal life is the quality of life that God enjoys. Show more Show less

Which of the Savior’s teachings have influenced you in your life?

Barbara
The Sermon on the Mount set my foundations but it is a growing appreciation of the height, depth, width and magnificence of the atonement the Saviour made for us all which is my current influence. The atonement does not only come into play at the beginning of our journey into true Christianity but is a daily assistance in bringing my mind and body into harmony with God, so that we can become one. Show more Show less

Why are only some Mormons allowed into temples? Is there something secret going on in Mormon Temples? What goes on in Mormon Temples?

Barbara
One of the saddest things about modern life is the loss of appreciation for sacredness or holiness. To preserve the holiness or sacredness of the beautiful services conducted in the temples it is necessary to restrict admission to those who do appreciate these qualities. In the temples we make the most holy covenants with the Lord and we receive the most fantastic promises on conditions of our obedience to the things we have learned there. Only those who have already shown that they are obedient to the covenants they made at baptism can benefit from going to the temple to receive greater covenants that have more responsibility attached to them. Show more Show less