That Day In Pictures - My Children's Heritage

Quilpue, Chile 1984 - A blending of the old and the modern

Today at Church, a lesson was taught to us during the second hour of Sunday School on the topic "The Heritage of Hope".  Here's a quote from that lesson - "Whoever you are and wherever you may be, you hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can imagine.  Every day and every hour you can choose to make or keep a covenant with God.  When you choose whether to do this or not, you choose whether you will leave an inheritance of hope to those who might follow your example".  I immediately thought of my children, and even my siblings and parents, but especially my children.  All my adult life, most, if not all of my major decisions (and even daily ones) have been made with them in mind and what kind of foundation I would establish for their lives and what kind of example I would set and what legacy I would leave.  One of these decisions was made for them before they were even born though I didn't realize it at the time.  Not so much that decision, but rather the legacy that would result.  It was a decision that set my whole life on the right track.

I served an 18 month mission for my church when I was 22 - one of the toughest things I've ever done, one that polished a lot of rough edges, put me way out of my comfort zone, gave me a sense of who I was, cemented my faith in God and Jesus Christ and Their plan for all of us, gave me direction, a determination to thereafter make good choices and to have a vision of the kind of home life I would provide for my future children.  It thrills me so much that my three children continue on the same spiritual path their parents paved for them and that my two sons chose to serve missions as well, of their own volition, but honoring the duty that is expected of young men in our church if they are willing and able (and really awesome for the young women too!)  They didn't do it for me by any means, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that their father served a mission too.  Here's a look of that "heritage of hope" I thought about today and a post that came about when I was looking for my current passport and finding my olds ones.

My first passport - ready to go to Chile (and I didn't apply to go to Chile, that's just where I happened to be assigned) 

First day in Chile - I have no idea what I'm doing

Last day of my mission and heading back to Nevada

Middle child Heath with his siblings Gabe and Dane (keep in mind the "little guy on the right") at the Manchester NH airport right before he heads off to the Tucson AZ for the next 2 years

One last picture before you board

Back at Manchester NH airport 2 years later from his mission and the first time we've seen Heath in those two years

Here's that little guy Dane as I get ready to drop him off so he can head to his mission in Melbourne Australia for two years.  

Good bye!  I'm so proud of you!

Not even a backward glance - he is ready to go.  Dane returns from his mission in March 2015

Quilpue Chile 2014, 30 years later - some things don't change.

I thank God for this legacy - may it continue!