I have been a Christian my entire life, and that faith has always driven my goals, values, and plans for my future. After high school, I will attend Brigham Young University, Idaho, which is a church-run school. I am going to major in Marriage and Family Studies, with the intention of finding a career within Child and Family Counseling. I plan to serve an 18 month mission for my church part way through schooling, which my University of choice will support by deferring my enrollment until I return. I also hope to have a family of my own; I believe a big part of my God-given purpose is raising children to worship God and be influences for good. Receiving this scholarship would help me support my education and my desire to serve a mission, which both naturally cost money. Having outlined my primary goals for my future, it is important that I reiterate that faith has been at the root of nearly all of my decisions for both present circumstances and future planning. My parents raised my siblings and me to trust in God implicitly and to do all we can to follow His will for us. They are major examples in my life and are the reason I so strongly hold to the values I have been raised on. My parents have raised me to see that exemplifying God through service to others is one of the best ways to feel His presence in my life, and it does seem to bless me almost as much as it would the people I serve. I am often involved in church service projects and activities, ranging from community clean up to donating food and blankets to refugees. These activities, which my church puts on frequently, are a part of the reason I have decided to pursue a career that will allow me to directly help others. I love interacting with people and find a great amount of satisfaction in helping them overcome problems or simply push through difficult times. As I previously stated, another goal I have is to raise children of my own with a husband who equally loves God. Though I cannot predict the future, I am confident that God wants me to pursue this dream and raise children who will love and honor Him. I want to start preparing now for that family, both by saving money and by disciplining myself to be the kind of mother that can raise God’s children the way He wants me to.