How I live my faith

My father was a high school principal, football coach and math and science teacher - which meant we moved a lot and had to learn how to make friends quickly. My father set the example and spent many hours talking to people at the post office, grocery store or church about their kids, the way the school was being run, the weather, taxes, presidential elections, the price of hay and/or cattle, or whatever else was on their minds. After many of those conversations my brothers and I ended up helping someone carry wood, move furniture or move irrigation pipe. At the time, I wondered why my father loved to talk, but later I learned he was laying a foundation of service in every community in which we lived. Whenever he met a new person he always asked, "how can I help you?"

My wife and I have lived in five different states where we have followed my father's example of service. Being a Mormon makes this easy. Everywhere we go we find a group of people who welcomes us with open arms and who relies on us to dig in and be an active part of the community. Because we have lived in so many different places we've had a variety of opportunities to serve. We have taught Sunday School, been Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders, planned parties, organized community outreach efforts and delivered uncounted meals to friends and neighbors who have been sick, lost loved ones, or welcomed new babies into their homes. Every place we go we find ourselves falling back on the same principles and patterns taught by my father: talk to people, find out who they are, find out what they need, then dig in and help out.