My Family

  
   As a missionary, I don’t get to see my family for two whole years. I can talk to them twice a year, on Christmas and Mother's Day, and I get to email them once a week. That's it. It’s hard to believe. Now, although I was always fairly close to my family, being away from them for 18 months has shown me how much I love, care for, and depend on them.

   My family can be described in so many different ways: love, humor, debate, struggles, etc. But, perhaps above it all, we are a family that is together. There are so many quirky stories that come to my mind as I remember my family.

   For instance, my older sister, Bonnie, and I are only three years apart. When we were young, we would come home from elementary school and argue about whether we were going to have Macaroni & Cheese, or Tuna & Noodles. Later in life, when we were in high school, we grew so close as we spent hours together. She was also the one I went to for advice, whether it was school, dating, or anything else.


   My little brother Christian and I would always talk about the world of sports together. We would have so much fun talking about things in the sport’s world that we were excited about. We were usually united, but occasionally we debated. In football, I was a fan of the Indianapolis Colts, and Christian liked the New England Patriots. When they played against each other, we were trash talking back and forth. But, we were also the brothers that would spend plenty of time playing ping pong against each other in the uninsulated room of our home. We had so much fun together. Those times brought us closer and closer.

  
   Most of all, my family is helped by my parent's devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each night my mom would gather us together to read the scriptures and pray as a family. Sometimes I didn't like it, but those times brought us together. Every Monday night, my mom would have a Family Home Evening. In the church, this night is devoted for families to come together, have a gospel lesson, play a game, and ultimately, spend time together. In addition to this, my parents were married in a temple (shown above). This means that our family will be together forever, past death.

   I love my family dearly. I don't know what I would do without them. I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for blessing me with a family I sometimes don't deserve.