3.33 x 18 Months

This past August marked the five-year anniversary of my return from my mission to Argentina. Five years is a long time. I could have served approximately 3.33 missions in that time. Considering how impactful the eighteen months of my mission were, think about what 3.33 of those could have done for me.

I tend to think I've done very little with my life since I've been home. After all, I have no offspring to show for myself so really, what mark am I making on the world? This post will be a list of everything I've accomplished in the last 3.33 x 18 months of my life in an attempt to convince myself I haven't wasted away my life by not having children. Here goes.

1. Graduated from college.
2. Got accepted into Teach For America.
3. Completed 1.25 years of teaching middle school in what can only be described as hell.
4. Managed to convince at least 6 different students that I'm their favorite teacher.
5. Traveled to Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, California, Nevada, Illinois, and Utah. (Yes, I listed all the states separately. It makes it look like more.)
6. Completed 63% of a Master's degree.
7. Worked my way up in favorite status to the point that my twin niece and nephew (who are 4) are excited to see me when I come home every day.
8. Taught at the Missionary Training Center (a dream since I was a missionary there).
9. Taught university-level English as a Second Language classes.
10. Published an article in a travel magazine.
11. Been present at six different weddings, including four sealings.
12. Climbed a volcano and saw flowing lava.
13. Attended several live sessions of General Conference.
14. Purchased and paid off my first car.
15. Watched and helped my brother come back from 15 years of drug addiction to be a strong, clean, worthy man.

I realize this list is pretty good. I haven't been sitting around for five years doing nothing. My greatest desire, though, is to be married and have my own family so I can teach my children the blessings of the gospel and share with them the love I feel from my Heavenly Father. I want to show them how to be worthy of the Spirit and how to respond to the promptings they receive. I want to show them the joy that I have in living the gospel.

President Harold B. Lee (a former prophet in our church who has since died) said once, "The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes." I eagerly anticipate the day when I can work within the walls of my own home, strengthening my own family and teaching my own children. Until then, my greatest accomplishments will be those I experience within the walls of my family's homes. Seeing Thomas get his mission call, hearing about Micah's spiritual experience at EFY, listening to Jonah and Emerson tell about times when they chose to stand up for good at school instead of following the crowd, seeing the excitement in Cooper and Campbell's face as they learn about and understand their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, listening to Nalon so proudly explain things that he learns in Primary or recite all the past presidents of the church, receiving heartfelt and unsolicited hugs from Holden, watching Jacob bear his testimony about the reality and power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in his life, attending the temple with my parents, receiving father's blessings from my dad, and discussing gospel principles with Tessa, Isaac, and Dominika. These are the things that bring me the most joy.