Thanksgiving is only a few days away as I write this, but I do not want to make this post about what I am thankful for in my life. I have already done that several times over the years. Instead I want to make this update about how my life has been going so far, and most importantly where I want it to go in the future. That future could be a few days, weeks, months, or perhaps years from now. I want to make a new effort to always put my family first in my life. My wife and my daughter are everything to me and I am glad that I have them in my life. Family not only includes my wife and daughter, but also my father and my nieces and nephews. I love each and everyone of my nieces and nephews and my life is more enriched because of them. It has now been six months since the passing of my mother to cancer. On May 16, 2015 I hope to enter the Anchorage, Alaska temple with my father, and with my wife acting as a proxy for my mother, I hope to be sealed to my parents for time and all eternity. My daughter has this, my wife has this with her parents, and next year I hope to have this. I know my mother is on the other side of the veil learning about the gospel, and hoping she will accept it. I know that through the power of the Priesthood, and in his holy temples, families can be eternal. What would heaven be like without our family?
Education is something that is not only important to my religion, it is something that I hold very dear to myself personally. As a former elementary education major I believe that education should be made available to all citizens of this great country of ours, and our states and federal government should invest more in making this possible. I am continuing my education at University of Alaska-Anchorage. All is going well, so far. However, I personally know that I can and need to do better. I need to devote more time to my study, especially my weak areas. I need to make my weak areas stronger so that in the future I become an expert at these areas. I truly believe as my religion preaches that whatever knowledge we gain in this life we will take with us in the next life. I need to attain all of the education I can now, not only to take with me in the next life but to become a better person and to be able to provide a better life for my family. Also, I would like to become the first and only person in my family (myself, mom,dad, sister) to receive a college degree. I know this is a day that I truly look to and my mother will be looking down on me from heaven.
I need to devote more time to reading the scriptures. I need to "feast upon the words of Christ." By doing this I will become a more humble person. I have not been doing this much at all this year. However, with a new year on the horizon, will come new beginnings. I look to the year 2015 and making this a personal goal of mine that I will obtain.
