I was born in California to my God-fearing mother and father and members of the Pentecostal Church. I was dedicated into the Pentecostal Church as an infant. My family moved to Utah when I was one year old and I was later baptized into the Catholic church at the age of 4. I was always a very obedient child. I was raised by the matriarch of my family, my mother. My mother was an alcoholic and we had a very unhealthy co-dependent relationship. Even though my father was busy working to make ends meet, he was up every morning to fix my hair before school, and despite my mother’s poor choices he stood by her for better or worse.
In 1986 the missionaries came to my house and taught me about our Savior Jesus Christ. I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at age 8. My life was forever changed and even though my family was only active for a few years of my childhood, it was a very important part of my childhood. My testimony was always within arms-length and the Holy Ghost was always an active presence in my life. My relationship with the LDS Church never changed even though I was not an active member. I knew God was always holding my hand through the difficult times.
When I was fifteen I met the love of my life and he taught me how to love someone unconditionally and has always loved me in return. Another great matriarch in my life was my Granny (grandmother-in-law): she was a leader and the glue that held the family together. When she passed away 2003 I knew things would never be the same. My mother passed away in 2005 and I knew it was my responsibility to continue the legacy and lead my family alongside my husband. In 2010 my husband and our three sons were sealed together in the Jordan River Temple for time and eternity.
I know that I am a child of Heavenly Parents and lived with my Heavenly Mother and Father in my premortal life. I believe in Jesus Christ, and that women played an important role in His life and learned from our Savior: how to follow and how to lead. I believe there is an unlocked potential for women as leaders in our church, and that we should be able to carry each others’ burdens.
I believe Jesus Christ chose women to be a crucial part of the gospel. Heavenly Father chose Mary to first bear witness to life and preach of the coming of Christ. Men and women should be equal in serving as administrators of the Church. I believe that one of my purposes in mortality is to overcome adversities. I believe that my education and scripture study has taught me recognize gender inequality in our Church and recognize that we as members are not bound to traditional gender roles, and we must learn to fulfill our temporal obligations through the power of the priesthood. It was another Mary who anointed Jesus and washed his feet with her hair. Mary did not focus on the things that “needed” to be done like her sister Martha, she chose the “better part” and to learn and study of the savior, there is new promises and possibilities in following Jesus Christ.
I believe women should be ordained.