Who is Gramps?
Gramps is a hopeful, wise fave among young and old. Gramps provides a moral voice in a world oft awash in immorality. Gramps is considerably conservative, unabashedly God-fearing. He invites you to sit with him on the virtual bench, to find answers to “It’s complicated” and “What if” and “I don’t get it” and “Why did God say” and “What does it mean when”–sorts of questions. And Gramps writes with down-home wit and knows something about everything (while unashamed to admit that he often solicits help from experts to answer some questions). Join the Ask Gramps family, where you can find easy-to-access, caring, positive answers to perplexing questions, changing circumstances, or debilitating doubt. You’re at home here. Got questions? Ask here. There’s a spot on the bench for you.
How Gramps Started
Clay Gorton, a real-life grandpa, began corresponding with his grandchildren via e-mail when the Internet was in its infancy. His grandkids called him “Gramps.” As a prominent scientist, devoted family man and servant in the Lord’s vineyard (including six LDS missions, service as the mission president in Argentina and president of the Missionary Training Center in Santiago, Chile), Gramps was able to offer unique answers to a myriad of real-life questions. As everyday interest in his sage advice grew, the online Ask Gramps column was born. As readership mushroomed, Gramps decided to develop a dedicated site to better field and share this rich repository of questions and answers.
Unfortunately, in 2008, Clay succumbed to cancer and passed away peacefully. In wanting to keep Clay’s vision alive, a vibrant team was developed to adopt Gramps’ site and answer the questions continuing to flood in from site visitors. The members of the current team have a wide range of knowledge and experience through which they hope to effectively carry on Gramps’ tradition. Welcome to the Ask Gramps family.
Photos of Clay
Snippets from Gramps
Question: I don’t know how to tell if revelation is from Heavenly Father…
Answer: Perhaps the most common way in which revelations are given to those who ask of the Lord is through what is known as the “still, small voice,” which may also be described as an impression in the mind and on the heart. D&C 8:2-3…Read more
Question: I hear everyone in the world say that everything happens for a reason. Does it?
Answer: We exist for a purpose. We know that God has created a body for us that we might gain knowledge and experience through the gift of moral agency…Read more