Thursday, November 4, 2010

Fly Like an EAGLE

Tonight, Parker has his Eagle Scout Board of Review.

It's the culmination of several years of hard work.
He has 5 notebooks that each contain about 100 pages explaining how he planned his Eagle project, ehat he did and how it turned out - complete with pictures.
He has his Eagle Scout Application filled out and "certified" by the scout office.
He has a list of leadership positions and honors he has earned.
But the sweetest page is Eagle Requirement #6 - Life Ambitions.

The Life Ambition requirement is somewhat open ended.
There is no "wrong" answer.

It simply states, "Attach to this application a statement of your amibitions and life purpose."
Hmmm....what would a 15 or 16 or 17 year old write?
Most of them don't know what they want to be when they grow up.
Most of them don't know where they want to go to college.
And that's not bad.  It's pretty young to have a real ambition besides getting a season ski pass or making it to another level of a video game.

So when I offered to make all the copies for Parker to put together his Eagle notebooks,
I couldn't help but stop and read

Requirement #6 - Life Ambitions

"At the point in life I am right now, I have many goals and ambitions. My many experiences have given me reason to set high goals. Based on the successful individuals around me, I have set my own ambitions to become a “successful” person that will be able to support myself as well as my future family. I plan to become the person I hav e strived to be by fulfilling my life’s ambitions.
My religion plays a large role in my life and many of my ambitions involve fulfilling my religious goals. Upon graduating high school, I plan to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, a major religious university. I plan to attend BYU for a year and a half and then serve a mission for my church for two years. Serving a mission is an ambition to me because it is a commandment from my Heavenly Father. I believe in fulfilling my duty to God, so I am willing to give up two years in order to serve. The happiness that my church has brought to me has been my inspiration to serve a mission. I wish to serve a mission in order to spread my Savior’s gospel and bring the happiness that I feel to others.
Another religious goal of mine is to be worthily married to a wife in the temple. I plan to raise and support a family and be together for all eternity. I wish to be a righteous priesthood holder that will raise a family through love and support.


After complet9ing my7 education at BYU, I plan to maintain a stable career in which I can support my family. I have not yet decided what I wish to do for work, but I have an interest in business, culinary arts and medicine.

A current ambition that I hope to achieve is to see that the service my Eagle project has rendered continues to be offered to the people of Cambodia through the non-profit organization that has been founded. My brother and I plan to continue to serve in Cambodia each year with service much greater than what I have been able to do with my project."

8 comments:

Katie said...

Honestly, reading what Parker wrote was just what I needed. I enter the MTC on Wednesday and it is always, especially right now, encouraging to read other people's testimonies about missions. I've been reading this blog for about two years now and it has brought me so many laughs! Thank you.

Juli said...

Wow. Just Wow. You have so many reasons to be proud. -J

Melissa said...

Can we clone your sons? I need them around when my girls are of marrying age.

Margaret aka: Fact Woman said...

I know he passed!!! Tell him congrats for me!

Ashli Dardenne said...

I love how in the first picture the building in the background is the "IRS".

valerie said...

That was just awesome! And I know he passed. BE PROUD! :)

Lifeisapitch said...

GREAT! WOW!!! Parker is such a good kid. I'm very impressed by his eagle project and his essay! You've got a great family!!!!

Unknown said...

Having these kind of ambitions and goals in life at a very young age is a sign that his parents raise him up very well. With the attitude and virtues that he possess, I can say that he can achieve all his dreams in life. Good luck Parker! BTW, if anyone needs to fill out a “Eagle Scout Application Form ”,I found a blank form here: http://goo.gl/XyDEVV