First blog of a new year. 2012! I'll begin the year with an important blog. I was born to Ann Sears and Aarl R. Hunter on October 5, 1966. I was their third daughter. My dad grew up in the LDS church. Mom was baptized and attended sporadically until her teens, when she moved down the street from a chapel and attended regularly. Mom and dad met at BYU and got engaged quickly. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple, making me BIC, as my church records read. Born in the Covenant. What a blessing!
I grew up attending church, growing my own testimony, keeping a journal, reading scriptures on my own nightly. I attended Primary and Young Women's. I had a great childhood and had good friends. My best friends were my sisters. Dad was our bishop from the time I was 8 years old until I was 18.
I went to BYU, where I got my own testimony of the Book of Mormon. I remember sitting in church, wondering if this was all true - everything my parents believed. I said a little prayer in my heart and I knew it was true for myself, too. I remember where I was sitting and I can picture it now. That was a needed experience. I graduated in Home Economics Education, then went home to San Francisco Bay Area to work.
I knew, though, that I needed to serve a mission for the church. I went to my bishop in tears, asking for mission papers. I wasn't sure my desire was there, but my desire to follow my heart and my promptings to go were there. Once I took the leap and filled out papers, I was very excited about it. It was just the act of humbling myself and doing what the Lord wanted me to do that took some effort.
I wanted to go to Japan. I was fascinated with the culture for some reason. I even had a Japanese Cabbage Patch Doll. We had joked for a few years in our family that if you weren't good, the church would send you to Bolivia on a mission. Well, imagine my surprise when I opened my call in the parking lot of the Danville post office - Bolivia Cochabamba! I served from August 1988 - February 1990. A life-changing 18 months.
After my mission, I went back to BYU on a scholarship to get a masters degree in Home Economics with a cross-cultural emphasis. During my studies, I met Keenan at a mutual friend's birthday party. We met in March, went on our first date in May, got engaged in July and got married in October in the Oakland, California, Temple.
My testimony has continued to grow and solidify. I don't consider myself a spiritual giant. I do know that I have been blessed with an obedient nature. I like to do what is right because it makes me happy and it makes me feel good. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and is mindful of my needs and my family's needs. I know He helps me be a good wife, mother, and teacher, for which I'm truly grateful.
I like to end my day reading the scriptures and, lately, I've really come to enjoy reading the articles in the Ensign and New Era. If I read from those, there is always something that helps me with my kids. I hope my kids gain testimonies of their own and find the happiness that comes from living the gospel. I know Joseph Smith restored Christ's church and I am grateful for his and his family's sacrifice. I'm grateful for pioneer ancestors who learned about the gospel and gave all to follow the prophets so I can have a strong heritage. I hope to leave an equally strong legacy for those after me. I love my life and the gospel is a huge part of it.
Made me cry! need I say more?
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