My Path: Macomb

This is another post about my path. This path was when I was in Macomb, Illinois and how my life there was affected by people around me. Once again, I won't write about everybody but some of the people who influenced me more than others or whom I learned a lot from.

Let's start with from Macomb Jr. and Sr. high school.

First is Mrs. Lovell. She was my very first English teacher when my family moved to the U.S. She was so kind to me even though I didn't speak any English. Whenever I did my homework and how terrible it must have been, she was willing to give me good grades for my efforts. I had saved almost everything from my English classes and when I was in high school, I read some of the poems I wrote and they were terrible. I didn't understand what I wanted to say or what I was writing; there were no verbs at all. How could Mrs. Lovell read that and understand any of them? I guess she didn't...

Second is Mrs. Kelso. She was my 8th grade English teacher. (I had the best English teachers ever since 7th grade.) She was way nice and I would go to her classroom time to time to just talk to her. She would listen to anything I would tell her. I feel kind of bad for going over there and complain or tell her all my drama but I really needed someone to talk to at that time. Once I forgot to bring shorts for PE and she went to the class with me to talk to my PE teacher to not to lower my grade. I didn't ask her to do that but she was willing to do it for me. She was one of my favorite teachers.

Now, we will go to youth or friends I had.

One of Brace's Senior Pictures

Brace White comes first. He is two years older than I but I admire and respect him greatly. To help you imagine what kind of person he is, I will tell you some of the stories. He spray painted his FULL name in gold/orange on a water tower in Macomb the morning of him leaving to BYU. Also, if you have seen my senior pictures, you can imagine what kind of senior pictures he had. His were taken at a playground and his pictures are worse (or better depending on who you ask) than mine. He and his friends wore short shorts with white shirts and ties to school just for fun. He also got arrested because he slapped a guy  in the back while going 20 mph in a car. He is awesome. :) If you don't think they are his good qualities, you might think these qualities might be: he is a very honesty guy (he never lies about anything he has done), he is true to his words, he is loyal to his friends, and he lives the gospel standards. He went to parties with his friends but he never ever drank or smoked. He would laugh at his drunk friends and what not but he would never do anything contrary to the Word of Wisdom.

One of Clarke's Senior Pictures

One of My Senior Pictures

Clarke White is Brace's younger brother. When I lived at their house, we hung out all the time and spent many nights watching movies and playing games together, and we made many trips to Family Video, a local video store, at night to get some drinks from vending machine. I remember him saying weird stuff like "turd monkeys" and "let's do this like bread on rock" when we stayed up late. One Sunday morning, Clarke came up to the attic where my room was and knocked on my door. "Chris (a long story behind this name), get up!" I turned to see my clock. "Chris, it's seven in the morning!" "Chris, there's a drunk guy downstairs." I got up and went downstairs with him and sure enough there he was, sitting on a stool by an island in the kitchen. He was a local college student who probably was partying at a bar close by the house. Since the Whites don't lock their doors, he must have just walked in. Anyways, we started talking to him. He had no idea where he was. We told him the house was just across from the Y (YMCA) and he didn't have a clue what that was, then he asked us if we went to Wisconsin high school. Ummm, we are in Illinois.

(We all got our senior pictures taken by the same person: Donny Gettinger, Brace's friend.)

Jordan on His Mission in Russia

Jordan Callister has to be more righteous influence to me if you look at it from the spiritual side. He is straight as an arrow. There's no deviating for him. He does not compromise his standards but he always does what he's been asked to do. He never whines, complains, and respects people around him. Does he sound perfect to you? Maybe you should marry him...or date him...if you are a girl. If you want, I can tell you all the bad things about him. He...shot people on the street with his airsoft guns from his house and someone called cops on him. Honestly, I really can't think of anything else. I guess if you are really interested give him a call. I will give you his phone number.

Youth Dance. I am the Asian kid on the left.

I had so much fun with other young men in my ward like Cody, Jared, Andrew, and others. We had fun at scout camps, Super Saturdays (or so called, youth dances), and Youth Conferences. Some of us have served missions, some are serving, some are leaving soon, and some decided not to serve. During youth dances, Brace (before he graduated), Cody Markley, Clarke (when he was of age to come to youth dances), and me would always sit in the corner and not dance. We didn't refuse to dance but we refused to ask girls to dance with us. Once, there was an intramural basketball tournament sponsored by YMCA for high school students. We made a team Mormon to compete. In front of our team shirts, it would say "Mormon" so everybody knew who we were. We were actually one of the popular teams, not because we were the best but because we were Mormons.

Last of all, all the leaders and adults who watched over me.

Bishop Callister, Jordan's dad, was my first bishop when my family got baptized. His family was such a great influence in my life from motivating me to serve a mission to forcing me to ask a girl to dance with me. :) He's still a good influence, a friend, and a leader. I can go to him with problems or updates on my life and he gives me counsels. He and his wife also are great examples of patient and loving parents who I want to model after.

Bishop Connelly was my second bishop. He used to be my youth leader so I got to know him really well. He and his wife came to my endowment and Bishop Connelly was my escort. Their mission stories and life stories inspired me throughout the years of my youth and still encourage me by expressing their love for me. They are people who make me want to be more righteous because of their high expectations for me. Sister Connelly is such a sweet spirit with positive outlook at life despite her challenges. I think her challenges made her stronger and faithful.

Brothers Thurman and White

Brother White, Brace and Clarke's dad, was my seminary teacher. I think his sons got their awesomeness from him or something. He's really outgoing and exciting person who races for triathlon. He is an orthopedic surgeon and very often he would tell his seminary class about some of surgeries he had to do and about some weird people that come in to see him. He has been a seminary teacher for over ten years now. That's not common for early morning seminary. Everybody loves him as a seminary teacher. I got to stay at his house for a year during my senior year in high school. He and his wife took care of me even when I was sick to my stomach. Whenever I didn't understand something about the Gospel or had questions about it, Brother White would try to answer my questions and help me understand.

Other leaders like Brother Thurman, Brother Hawton, Brother Diehl, and others who always watched over me and led me to the right direction even when my dad stopped going to church (It's not like I cared that much about it but still). They were the best teachers, mentors, and friends. Brother Thurman is a bishop in my home ward now. He was in the bishopric when I first joined the Church then became my teacher when I was a priest and now a bishop. He is Jared and Andrew's dad.  Brother Hawton was my teacher before Brother Thurman. I loved his sense of humor and his humility. We had so much fun together since I was the only priest in my quorum. Brother Diehl was the best home teaching companion I had. I had lost my home teaching companion in the past because he went less-active so I hadn't had a home teaching companion for almost two years. Brother Diehl showed me that home teaching isn't just about sharing a message but it's about becoming a friend to whom you home teach. I don't think we ever taught a lesson from the First Presidency message and I actually loved how we didn't. I still follow his example of becoming my home teachees friend first then thinking about their needs to leave a message with them.

Brother Jackson was my Sunday School teacher, and he and I were the only guys in the class. He had this personality that everybody liked. Also, if I missed or skipped the Sunday School, he would come up to me during the Priesthood meeting and would tell me how he missed me. I need to get in touch with him.

I am sorry if I didn't write about you. I know who you are and I do love you. I miss all of you. God couldn't have placed me somewhere as awesome as Macomb, Illinois to help me learn about the Gospel and join Christ's church. I met wonderful people who shaped me into the person that I am now. I love you all.

PS: This post took me over a week to finish.

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