First Birthday

12 April 1998

I can't remember if I've said much about my life and daily routine in my journal, so I thought I'd take a moment to tell a little about myself. I am 20 years old, and my life is full of responsibilities, all of which I am grateful for. To illustrated, I am: working full-time, attending school full-time at Provo College, a home teacher, a nursery leader, and a choir member. These responsibilities occupy the bulk of my time, but more important than any of these, I am a husband and a father. I look forward to graduating school and spending more time with my family, though I probably still have nearly 3 years before I will graduate.

My job is, for the most part, very fulfilling. I am enjoying increased responsibility as I work towards becoming less focused on my computer (technical) skills and more focused on business and leadership skills. School is helping me in this. I never thought I would find myself saying this, but school is wonderful! I have never been so intellectually stimulated. My mind is sharper, my perceptions clearer, and my decisions are better. Until the day I die, I will be a strong proponent of education.

Education is more than possessing a mind filled with knowledge. It is more than memorizing facts and getting good grades. When I was at UVSC [now UVU] for a short time about a year and a half ago, I had a teacher who gave us this bit if wisdom: “Education is more than just knowing the answers; it's knowing where to find the answers.” After having attended school for a time, and learning for myself, I would like to add this to the information he gave us: “Education is also knowing WHEN to find the answers.” That may not make a lot of sense, but let me explain briefly. The mind must be kept sharp, through study, so that it can recognize problems that demand solutions, and notice details and gain insights about people and things that most uneducated/untrained minds wouldn't notice or think twice about. Once the mind has identified a problem, it can then begin to search for solutions.

One last note about the power of knowledge. I read the following poem at the library, on a poster, and since reading it have come to believe it:

The more you read, the more you know. 
The more you know, the smarter you grow. 
The smarter you grow, THE STRONGER YOUR VOICE 
WHEN SPEAKING YOUR MIND 
OR MAKING YOUR CHOICE

I look forward to the day when I will graduate, but I will never really graduate because I will continue to learn. College has taught me the value of critical thinking, continuously having a sharp mind and using it. It's been a great experience.

We celebrated my daughter's 1st birthday last week. She is wonderful, and I'm excited to see her learning and developing so much. I am very proud to be her dad.

My wife and I saw the movie Titanic again last week. It was Wednesday night, and it was just before I was to go to the temple (Thursday morning). For some reason, beginning with watching that movie [there are some inappropriate parts–-but it is still a moving story], I was filled with the Spirit. The most powerful memory of watching the movie this time was the reunion at the end of the movie after they had both died. As I pondered that beautiful scene, I thought of the many blessed reunions that are made possible by a loving Heavenly Father.

Next week I will have the opportunity to watch my cousin be sealed for eternity. It will be a wonderful experience!