Life Revisited

When I was a younger man I decided what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew I wanted to have plenty of money, since we never did growing up, and I wanted to help people. A doctor seemed right up my alley. Shortly after this decision I was visited by a prompting from the Spirit which I neither recognized nor heeded. I still remember that moment.

A decade later and I have learned more and seen more than I had imagined. Not in a tour de earth or scholastic sense, but in a life lessons way. My abilities in various fields are not lacking and I was told by the Spirit years ago that I would be good at whatever I choose to do. But prestige (PhD) has never been a good enough reason and money is no longer the driving force. So what did I learn and what am I going to do about it?

I learned that following God is best. To never choose an option that removes me from his grace. To always stay true to myself and to the gospel. To follow the guidance of the Spirit when given and to put my family first.

Elder Henry B Eyring, speaking on the family, once said, "The difference in cost between what the world tells you is necessary and what your children really need could allow you the margin in time that a father and mother might need with their children to bring them home to their Heavenly Father," (The Family, BYU Speeches, 1995). That verse is pure gospel. Think of all the things we don't really need. TV, movies, big houses, and even things like dishwashers, cars, in home laundry machines and so forth can be done without if needed. And possibly not having to work the extra long shift at the demanding job to pay for them would provide the opportunities for a family to stay together.

Stephanie and have been talking about this idea of more time at home verses more money. We have agreed completely that my presence at home is far more important than unnecessary luxuries.

With that let me go back ten years and explain what the aforementioned prompting said. I had been reevaluating my future career options since the prospect of a decade in school, especially after high school, coupled with long hours seemed a little too far out there; so the doctor thing was out the window. But what to do now?

In the briefest of conversations I felt the idea thrust upon me: You could be a teacher. That was it. There was no fanfare, no forced opinions and certainly no angelic visitations. Just a simple and clear thought. I, of course, dismissed it immediately as I had seen my parents suffer with poor pay checks, demanding schedules and often dreary summer jobs to make ends meet. Why would I inflict that on myself and my future family

A week and half ago I felt another prompting: You are a teacher. I have been teaching various gospel classes for years now in different callings. They have been the joy of my life outside my family. Nothing makes me happier than to help another person learn and grow in some respect. I have even taught things like math on the side. I don't seem to be able to get away from it and it has finally broken through to me what this all means.

I AM A TEACHER! I don't know what I will be teaching plus the financial burden will be hard and the effort great, but I know that the best thing for me is to teach in some way. Even just thinking about it makes me feel at peace and like I finally understand part of who I am.

The part that is best for me is that it really is my choice. God never told me to do it. He just allowed me chances to experience it and learn for myself who I was and what makes me happy. He told me years ago that I would do well at whatever I chose to do and I choose this - teaching.

Now all that is left is to figure out what to teach; oh, and finish school...