I don't say this enough but I love my Dad
Tribute to my Father
Issue #1 One of the issues that I thought of today is a memory from those 3 months. I remember sitting on my computer playing a game online when my Dad walked into the house with one of the seasons of Smallville. Generally when he rented one of the seasons all the boys would watch it with him. I remember that we kinda ignored him because we were to entranced into our game. "I got this so we could watch them together, but I guess that I'll just watch them by myself" he said as we ignored him. One of my main issues is that I'm a pretty loud guy. So people hear me and assume that I'm doing good and don't bother to check on me and talk to me. My father is also a loud person, and very social. So I as his son always assumed that he didn't really need me to "hang out" with him. I look back and realize that he was trying to get me to be with him. I am his son who he loves dearly. I think that he wanted our 3 months together to be a time were we bonded. And just as I get ignored because I'm loud and social, so does he. But just like I need to be recognized and loved, so does he.
Issue #2 Throughout my life I surrounded myself with some stellar friends. Alex Alvis, Brandon Packard, and Nate Jarrell. These 3 friends had everything it took. They were funny, nice, educated, sweet, sincere, worthy priesthood holders. I was all these things also but i got lost in the background because of the quality of my friends. It didn't diminish our friendship at all, in fact I loved being with them because it made me want to be better. My father married the most wonderful woman in the world. We tout her praises to everyone that we meet. My Dad is her biggest advocate. As a result, my Dads good qualities fall in the background because of the company he keeps. But my Dad has some amazing characteristics that have profoundly affected my life. I am so grateful for him. I am going to name off just a few of the characteristics that I have noticed.
#1 obedience- I learned obedience from my Dad(my mom to, but this blog is for dad, lol). I didn't just learn it through his words "obedience is the first law of heaven..." but through his actions. From driving through a ditch because a General Authority told him, waking us up at 5 a.m. to have Family Scripture study, putting up with his rambunctious kids at FHE, to something so simple as not yelling at his children. Dad, I learned unquestioning obedience to the priesthood from you.
#2 Choice- My Dad should not have been the dad that he was. He had a poor example of how a father should be. He chose to be the best dad that he could. He made time for us. He tried to do things with us(A/E working the garden). He balanced a hectic work/church schedule to make time to be home. Most importantly he decided that no matter what happened his children where going to know that he loved them. Cherished were the times on my mission when a member would get in contact with my parents and come to me with a confused expression on their face and tell me, "Your dad told me to pass this message on to you, "Guess What?""
#3 Pro-activity- I don't know how many times I went and asked my Dad to go somewhere and he would ask, "Is the yard mowed? Are your chores for Mom done?" If I could answer these questions affirmatively then the world was my oyster. If not, the answer was inevitable, "nope, come talk to me when the job is done" I learned to not even ask until I had finished the job. As a result I would do my work (usually) without being told.
#4 Priesthood- I learned how a priesthood holder should act, who they should be, and where they should be from my Dad. He was an example of the priesthood to me. He was constantly serving others and volunteering his sons to serve others. When he received revelation to do something, he did it, no matter how controversial or hard the decision was. He was an example of the the phase "When the priesthood speaks, you listen and obey"
#5 Missionary Work- I am constantly amazed by how good my Dad is at missionary work. When he came to pick me up from my mission, he was more gung-ho about inviting people to hear the message of the missionaries. While we were visiting a couple that I had baptized the wife's non-member mother and sister showed up. Before we had left the mother had committed to learn more about the Gospel. Just a couple of weeks ago he was in Austin to sit in with his sister as she began the lessons with the missionaries.
I could go on and on about the good qualities that my Dad personifies; testimony, service, love, humility, passion, determination, diligence... But I want to keep this blog shorter than 10 pages. Needless to say, my Dad is a wonderful man/father. The cool thing is that as lucky as my Dad is to have my Mom, she is just as lucky to have my Dad. This puts me in the truly blessed category to have both of them as my parents. Dad, guess what...I love you.
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