Mission Alumni (Change Happens)

Just for a comparison on how life is a swiftly moving current from which we cannot break free-- here is what my profile on my mission website said on my last update in 2011:

Presidents: Carlos E Madrid (1993 - 1996)

Served: 1993 - 1995

Areas Served: Las Matas, Enriquillo, Sabana Yegua, Cristo Rey, San Geronimo, San Cristobal

Companions: Brent H. Corry | ryan Farmer | Matthew O. Nielsen | Kent Kyle Rowley

Your Occupation: Translations Analyst

Spouse: Jennifer

Comments: Still no Breen, Beatty, West, Judy, or Hernandez. Donde estan mis panas? I am alive and mostly well* in Littleton, CO. My wife and I have been married since June of '96. Jen is the greatest wife in the world and my best reason for living. I work for AT&T Local Services as an engineer (not a real one...just a telecom engineer.) Currently I teach in the Elders Quorum on the 2nd week of the month. I also serve as the Cub Scout Master-- which is awesome! My wife and I adopted Troy at his birth on October 4, 2009 (10-4 good buddy!) Dadhood rocks! I lost 110 lbs through eating right, cutting out soda pop, and following the Word of Wisdom. Thanks to God's diet plan for us, I am 1/2 the man that I used to be! *MS update: two weeks after my son's birth I experienced my worst exacerbation to date in regards to my MS. I lost all strength in my left leg, and couldn't walk from October 2009 to January 2010. I started a new treatment on a drug called Tysabri. Within a week I was back at work.

Created: 14 Jan 2002  Modified: 14 Jun 2011

Last Login: 09 May 2013 10:24:31 AM

And here is what my new profile says (updated today 5/9/2013):

Presidents: Carlos E Madrid (1993 - 1996)

Served: 1993 - 1995

Areas Served: Las Matas, Enriquillo, Sabana Yegua, Cristo Rey, San Geronimo, San Cristobal

Companions: Brent H. Corry | ryan Farmer | Matthew O. Nielsen | Kent Kyle Rowley

Your Occupation: Translations Analyst, writer, secret shopper

Comments: Still no Breen, Beatty, West, Judy, or Hernandez. Donde estan mis panas? I am alive and mostly well* in Denver, CO. My wife and I divorced this past year. No one plans on these things to happen. I love my son, and never get to see him enough. We concentrate on him and his happiness-- and not on the pain that we have caused one another. I have no callings. I am new to this ward, so that may change soon. I won't lie, I am struggling. Not in my testimony, but just in my motivation on Sunday mornings. I am writing part time, still work at AT&T, and I do a second gig as a secret shopper. Yeah-- I keep busy. I am in a relationship with a beautiful woman. We are getting married in September. I will not make all of the old mistakes. No-- I will make all kinds of new mistakes. Life marches on-- and we have to keep moving. *MS update: I still have it. My legs are weak, but I drag myself into work every day regardless.

Created: 14 Jan 2002  Modified: 09 May 2013

Last Login: 09 May 2013 11:02:13 AM

DRAGON HEART

God granted to man a heart with might 

much greater than its size.
The gift of vigor, both broad and deep—
gives man the strength to rise.

For none can face a dragon
and not draw upon this well
of power and courage and fortitude
to pound the gates of Hell.

Dragon hunters are a fearsome lot--
limitations they must shun.
They draw a line, and stand toe to toe,
when instinct shouts at them to run.

With broad sword or spear or hacking axe
they wade in with gusto and ire.
Their small scale 'gainst towering foe
helps avoid the dragon’s fire.

Troy Robert Kahaku Justus

Anyone who doesn't believe in love at first sight has never looked upon their own child for the first time...

That is a quote by me, to my wife, as we both gazed upon our little boy for the first time. What a feeling! What a rush! What the heck were we thinking? Adults are parents. Grown ups raise children. We are The JenBob...we're just kids!

Well I can vouch that man knows no more maturing experience than being a parent. For the first two weeks we went every day to the hospital NICU where he had to improve and grow before coming home to us. Every day we went to the hospital to feed and hold him. They gave us classes on infant CPR, childcare, and basically gave us an edge that most natural parents will never get.

Oh yeah-- did I mention that we adopted him? Yes, two awesome people had an awesome baby, and they chose us to raise that child. Now we are parents to this perfect bundle of wisdom. Teach your parents well, Troy Robert Kahaku Justus.