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Hi I'm McKayla

I'm a writer. I'm a sister, daughter, fiancee, and returned missionary. And I'm a Mormon.

About Me

My name is McKayla. I'm a returned missionary from the Ohio Cleveland mission, and I'm currently a student at BYU. I love to learn, write, read, act, sing, and play outside, especially four-wheeling and snowmobiling with my family. I'm also currently engaged! I'm so excited to begin my own family, and I'm grateful for the gospel to help make our marriage stronger. I love people. I love life. There is something good to be found in every situation. It's important to find the joy in the little things in life and to smile every day.

Why I am a Mormon

I was born into the church. However, that doesn't mean that my testimony is superficial or not my own. I was baptised at age eight, and since then I've tried to live up to those covenants I made at baptism. Slowly, over the years, I've discovered the truth of the gospel. I haven't been manifested to by angels or received grand revelations. Instead, as I've learned about the gospel and its principles the Holy Ghost has manifested to me the truthfullness of the things I've learned. Even though I can't pinpoint a day when my testimony was uncovered in a miraculous way, I can confidently and honestly stand up to anyone and tell them that I know the church is true, because I didn't need angels to tell me.

How I live my faith

I try to live my faith in everything I do. Our faith is not a Sunday-only faith; it encompasses and improves every aspect of life. That means that every day I need to pray, read my scriptures, serve those around me and do what Heavenly Father wants me to. He doesn't just need me during our three-hour church block on Sundays: He needs me every day. Little things like dressing modestly and being kind help my light shine brighter. Learning about the gospel and Heavenly Father's plan for me help my testimony grow. I want to live every day so the Lord can use me whenever He has need of me.

What do Mormons believe happens to us after we die? What do Mormons believe about life after death?

McKayla
Death is just another step in Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness. After we die we go to the Spirit World, and eventually we have the chance to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again. Even if someone has died without a knowledge of the gospel, proxy baptisms and ordinances in the temple give them the chance to accept the gospel in the Spirit World and thereby receive Eternal Life. We also believe that we can be with our families forever if we are sealed for all eternity. Death is not the end; God loves us too much to end our chance of eternal happiness with our families at death. Show more Show less

Are Mormons Christians?

McKayla
We believe in God, our Heavenly Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. The belief in Christ is what defines a Christian, so yes: We are very much a Christian religion. We know Christ lived, walked on the earth, and atoned for our sins. He is our Savior, Redeemer, and Brother. We worship Heavenly Father in the name of Christ, and believe that faith in Him is essential to salvation. Show more Show less

Why do Mormons perform proxy baptisms in their temples?

McKayla
We know that baptism is a saving ordinance: That means that we have to be baptized to live with Heavenly Father again someday. The thought that someone can't live in His presence because they weren't born during a time when the gospel was on the earth goes against the nature of God. He is merciful and loves us, so He has created a way that we (the living) can help our ancestors receive the blessings of baptism that weren't available to them during their lives. Show more Show less

What are Mormon women like? Do Mormons believe in equality of men and women?

McKayla
I am a young Mormon woman. I love my faith and my Heavenly Father, and I know that He loves me just as much as He loves His children who are men. God is no respecter of persons (Doctrine and Covenants 1:35) and so does not love me less because of my gender. In fact, He loves me because of my gender: He created me. I am His child, and just as much His child as my little brothers and my guy friends. In the church, men and women are equal in love and respect, but with different responsibilities. Just like having a different job than your neighbor doesn't make you unequal, having different gender roles does not make men and women unequal. We are all children of God, created in His image and equally worthy of His love and grace. 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?

McKayla
I love the temple! I have the wonderful opportunity to spend one morning a week serving in the temple, helping those patrons who come to participate in the sacred ordinances done inside, and showing my Heavenly Father how grateful I am for His temples. The temple is the house of the Lord, and so we must be worthy to go inside. Heavenly Father has set His standards; those standards don't discriminate between those who are members of the church and those who aren't. The standards require baptism into His church and living certain gospel standards. That goes for anyone who wants to enter the temple. The best way I've ever heard the temple described is as sacred, not secret. We make sacred promises, covenants, with God through ordinances, which are how we outwardly show our inward commitment to God. We also can bless our deceased family members by performing those ordinances in their behalf. The reason it's not talked about outside the temple is because of how special, how sacred it is. God does not want us to treat those things lightly, so we do not talk about them outside the temple. The temple is a beautiful, wonderful place. Spending time there buoys me up more than anything else because I know I am serving the Lord, and that He is blessing me for my service. Show more Show less