Queens in New York City is where I began to live the gospel—and where I learned how central service is to gospel living.
When I was 11, my mom requested a free Bible from a TV commercial. The missionaries delivered it, and my mom, brother, and I were later baptized.
Our branch was amazing. I especially was ministered to by my Young Men leaders. Every other month, we’d pile in their cars and drive to New Jersey to go camping. The time I spent with them shaped how I’ve lived the rest of my life.
One leader who was especially influential was Bryce Wisan. He repeatedly told me that I was a child of God who had divine potential. He said again and again that I could overcome my trials and build a happy life.
And I needed to hear that perspective.
Our neighborhood was riddled with drugs and crime. The counselors at my high school were just trying to get kids to graduate; no one talked about college.
And at home, we faced serious financial struggles that seemed to set limits on my future.
But whenever I was depressed or felt like a failure, Bryce was there to tell me I could overcome my circumstances.
Thanks in large part to my branch as a teenager, I went on a mission and later graduated from BYU.
My wife, Bethany, and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple and now have two daughters. We try to integrate the gospel as deeply as we can into our lives so that our daughters can see how fun, interesting, and rewarding this path is.
Note: A longer version of this article first appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of LDS Living magazine.
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