Growing up as a faithful Latter-day Saint, Brandon often heard his parents and others describe what it means to have faith. He knew that his childhood heroes such as Nephi, Alma, and Captain Moroni had faith, but the concept itself seemed very abstract and mysterious. Brandon’s parents worked diligently to teach him the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he did his best to apply the principles they taught him according to his understanding. In those days, He often equated faith with perfection, so he strived to be the best in everything he did. This quest for perfection created a world where everything was very black and white: people and things were either good or they were bad, with very little room for anything in between. Brandon convinced himself at a young age that in order to be classified as a “good” person, he could not make any mistakes or be anything less than perfect.