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Hi I'm Gary
I'm a Mormon. My family has been Mormon for the past 5 generations. My wife is among the first in her family to join the Church.
About Me
Normal. Growing up in the Church was what I thought of as normal: two loving parents, siblings, a home. Things that I assumed were the norm for everyone. I was baptized when I was 8. I was a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout, an Eagle Scout (and I didn't realize at the time that not all boys became Eagle Scouts - looking back at the Eagle plaque hanging in the hall of the Church where I grew up, I see that there were three Eagles from my age group & troop. Two were the Scoutmaster's sons). I have a better appreciation now of what I took for granted back then - and the heritage I have received from past generations. Today, I'm the father of six kids, and the grandfather of seven. I'm still involved in Boy Scouts and family history research. I have an interest in cars - the smaller, the better.
Why I am a Mormon
Not simply because my family has been Mormon for over 5 generations, but because this is the only Church with doctrine that makes sense to me. I believe in a personal Heavenly Father and that if we live worthy, that we can live together forever with our family, as families. At the end of the day, if we haven't take time to build relationships with our families, then we've missed out on the purpose of life. Family is not just for now. God is literally our Heavenly Father and family is the structural unit for eternity. Today, the church is not just a congregation, but an extended family and a vital part of building eternal families. Part of building that eternal family is in receiving the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ (our elder brother) that will allow us all to live together with our Heavenly Father. We are all brothers and sisters.
How I live my faith
I try to be a good example in all I do. A positive outlook and willingness to try to help others are important parts of my life. We are taught that when you are in the service of your fellowman, you are only in the service of God. (It doesn't hurt, though that in my 9-5 job as a computer programmer, I get paid for my service - it's still service to my fellow men and God). In my spare time, I seek out information on my ancestors and help others, where I can, to do the same. I volunteer as a trainer for Scout leaders in the Varsity Scouting program, and help support our local Varsity Scout Team and Venture Scout Crew. I also direct our choir (what's life without music?) and teach a couple of Sunday classes each month.