This is my mother-by-marriage's great grandfather, the guy Budge Hall at BYU is named after. Note the beard.
I belong to a church that asks for hard things. Standards. Expectations. Committments. Promises. Obedience. DOing certain things, and NOT DOing other things.
I don't smoke. I don't drink. I don't do recreational drugs. (I do take lots of prescribed drugs for my Crohn's Disease maintenance, and I DO believe in immunizations!) I don't even drink coffee or tea, or eat mocha ice cream...
(I do eat ice cream. This is not a Church doctrine, but it is cultural and family-tradition where I am from. I am not perfect about taking care of my body, but I am working on it. Exercise makes me feel good. I believe in sugar and chocolate, especially together...)
I obey the 10 commandments, believe they are from God. I also tithe, fast, and go to Church every Sunday for 3 hours. I volunteer there for 2 of those hours, serving in the youth program for 18 months-12 year old children.
I believe prayers are answered. I believe in prophets, ancient (Isaiah, Abraham, Noah, Samuel, Lehi, Moroni) and modern, even living ones today (Thomas S. Monson). I believe the scriptures are true, words of wisdom from God to us, to help us, lift us, teach us, show us what we should do and what NOT to do--good and bad examples.
I believe children are born innocent (and that Adam and Eve were married and our first parents--AND that science is good & real), clean, free from sin. I believe in the Atonement, in repentance, and forgiveness. I was baptized by immersion and I try to follow Jesus Christ. I am a Christian, and want to be better at knowing what that means.
I believe in families, and their importance in the plan of happiness. I believe in marriage, in fidelity, modesty, virtue, and covenants. (Skip ahead if this is too much information: No pre-marital or outside marriage sex. BUT yes, sex in marriage, not just for pro-creation. And while we are on the subject, we have 6 children because we wanted them. Yearned for them. Wanted to be parents. Knew the advantages of growing up with siblings. John is oldest of 4, I am oldest of 9. Do the math.)
I feel strongly about all worthy young men in the Church should serve missions when they turn 19. It gives them the opportunity to go to the temple for the first time, make covenants and promises with God, teach the Gospel for 2 years, and strengthen their testimonies. (You learn what you have to teach--but the more prepared they are, the better!) Young women can go when they are 21, but only serve a year and a half. Why? I have my own theories.
Sometimes timing is everything. One of the things I think is the most amazing about John and I is our almost exactly two year age difference (born 2 days and 2 years apart), and my being older making it possible for us to serve missions at the same time. Dating when we were 19 and 21 and putting our papers in at the same time, waiting for our callings, going into the Missionary Training Center within a month of each other (that would have been too hard being there at the same time and NOT kissing, only handshakes of greeting?), writing letters for 2 years, my coming home 6 months earlier. Getting married 2 months later. Short engagement, but we knew we wanted to be together.
People can change on missions. Hopefully they grow up, mature, stabilize, and have faith-building experiences that cement their committment to God. They learn obedience, independence from their family, how to cook, take care of an apartment, be responsible for their time and work with a companion with similar goals. It is great marriage prep! Although you don't choose your missionary companion (a mission president assigns you), you do get to choose whom you marry.
And you marry someone you date. You date someone who attracts you, interests you physically, spiritually, intellectually, emotionally...but you keep dating and then courting someone you can trust. Deep-down trust. Trust with your heart, your body, your future.
I met him when he was very young. Not this young, but oh, doesn't he look like his kids?
He had a beard, beautiful, soft, very, very nice. He likes it. I like it. For years he would grow it in the winter, shave for summer. I looked forward to the seasonal changes.
But he obeyed. He shaved for his mission. And he shaved when the bishop asked him to for his church assignment, which he does as volunteer work. Nobody is paid for the hours and hours of work we do for Church. Being married to the Elder's Quorum President has been eye-opening. Hours of meetings and assignments. You have no idea unless you have been there.
He is at the ocean, and forgot his razor. And asked me to bring it when I join them on Monday. Even on his vacation. He may have other reasons (he did mention not wanting a weird suntan on only parts of his face) but I was super-impressed with this man I married.
He obeys the Lord. I can trust him.
