Throughout my life, I have had many different relationships with my Savior. Like most people of faith, I have faced trials that affected my spirituality, and miracles that repaired it. I was raised Christian, but slowly began to stray from the path in my teenage years. I began to loose my love for art. Things that I loved to do, like painting, playing my cello, and writing, all became meaningless to me. Whether it was my distance from God that destroyed my mental health, or my poor mental health that pushed me away from God, I still don’t know. All I know is that I was miserable because I was missing something. Though my church community was always there to support me, it was like I was wearing blinders. My peripheral vision was blocked and I could only see what was right in front of me, my future. I felt hopeless. The one thing that I was able to keep close to my heart was singing. I loved to sing spiritual songs in my high school audition choir, so when I moved away for college, I auditioned for the Institute choir where I could sing worship songs with other people of faith. I was far away from home, but I was able to find my community within the walls of the music room. Through the amazing testimonies of my co-singers, I was able to realize what was missing from my life. Though my struggles with mental health never went away, my burdens became light with the presence and guidance of my Savior. Even with my newfound sense of hope, my future after college seemed daunting at best. I was studying illustration with the goal of eventually moving into concept art or animation. I loved my classes and I loved learning about design and color, but the further I got into my program, the more I realized that I didn’t want to follow that path. Due to poor mental and physical health, I eventually decided to drop out of college and move home with my family. I was devastated. Though it was necessary for my growth, it felt like I had failed. Looking back at that time in my life, I can see the hand of the Lord directing me, guiding me, and comforting me. Though I didn’t see it back then, I now understand that I had to face the trial of dropping out in order to be humbled and prepared for my next steps. Since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a master violin maker, also called a luthier. I grew up taking cello lessons, and despite my mediocre playing skills, I was deeply in love with the sound of my cello. I wanted to be a luthier so that I could create art and always be surrounded by music, but I was so afraid of failing that I never even applied to the violin-making school in my city. I had so many failures in my college career, from failing grades to dropped classes, and yet God stayed with me. God was by my side during my worst days, the days I didn’t even notice him there. God was there when I submitted my application to The Violin Making School of America, and he was celebrating with me when I received my acceptance letter. I know that he will be with me during my journey, teaching me and comforting me. I know that my trials won’t go away, but I also know that they will be easier to bear with my Savior standing with me.

For the past decade, I have been learning how to play the cello. Though at first I lacked the discipline to learn the complicated technique, I grew to love my instrument and the beautiful art that I could create with it. Besides playing the cello, I am also a visual artist. All throughout high school I would draw and paint, until eventually I got a job painting bookmarks at This is the Place Heritage Park. I loved this job so much that I decided to go to college for illustration. I moved out of my parent’s house to live in the dorms, but it eventually became too expensive and too difficult to work full time while maintaining my grades. I loved my classes and I still love to paint, but it wasn’t the direction that I wanted to take my career. I felt hopeless and lost after dropping out of college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and my options felt limited because of my financial situation. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to commit myself to a trade. After hours of writing and stressing over my application, I was finally accepted into the Violin Making School of America. All the feelings of hopelessness vanished, and for the first time in years, I felt proud of myself again. I want to be a Luthier so I can create art in a collaborative way. Growing up, playing the cello was an emotional release for me. It was a way to express myself in a healthy way when I was feeling angry, stressed, happy, or creative. When I would write my own songs, I felt like I was making magic. As an adult, I want to facilitate that magic for others. Though I’m not a good enough player to be a performer or a teacher, I want to keep music and creativity in the center of my life. Another reason that I have chosen this trade is because of the discipline. I was never the most focused child, and I struggle to this day with motivation. The art of lutherie is incredibly delicate and precise, and it requires patience and attention to detail. I am always striving to be a better person than I was yesterday, and the next step to being the best me is learning patience and discipline. The final reason why I have decided to dedicate myself to this craft is community. Though Luthiers complete their art on their own, they are far from solitary individuals. Every musician needs a skilled craftsman to repair, restring, and refinish their instruments. As a luthier, I would love to contribute in a meaningful way to a strong community of musicians. Growing up playing the cello, I often played in orchestras and small groups, and I miss that musical community every day. I hope to be able to find that sense of joy and belonging again among even more incredible players as an adult. My desire to become a Luthier can be summarized in a single sentence. I want to better myself by committing to serving my community.

For the past decade, I have been learning to play the cello. Though at first I lacked the discipline to learn the complicated technique, I grew to love my instrument and the beautiful art that I could create with it. Besides playing the cello, I am also a visual artist. All throughout high school I would draw and paint, until eventually I got a job painting bookmarks at a historic park. I loved this job so much that I decided to go to college for illustration. I moved out of my parent’s house to live in the dorms, but it eventually became too expensive and too difficult to work full time while maintaining my grades. I loved my classes and I loved painting, but it wasn’t the direction that I wanted to take my career. I felt hopeless and lost after dropping out of college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and my options felt limited because of my financial situation. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to commit myself to a trade. After hours of writing and stressing over my application, I was finally accepted into the Violin Making School of America. All the feelings of hopelessness vanished, and for the first time in years, I felt proud of myself. I want to be a Luthier so I can create art collaboratively. Growing up, playing the cello was an emotional release for me. It was a way to express myself in a healthy way when I was feeling angry, stressed, happy, or creative. When I composed songs, I felt like I was making magic. As an adult, I want to facilitate that magic for others. Though I’m not a strong enough player to be a performer or a teacher, I want to keep music and creativity in the center of my life. Another reason that I have chosen this trade is because of the discipline. I was never the most focused child, and I struggle to this day with motivation. The art of lutherie is incredibly delicate and precise, and it requires patience and attention to detail. I am always striving to be a better person than I was yesterday, and the next step to being the best me is learning patience and discipline. The final reason why I have dedicated myself to this craft is community. Though Luthiers complete their art on their own, they are far from solitary individuals. Every musician needs a skilled craftsman to repair, restring, and refinish their instruments. As a luthier, I would love to contribute in a meaningful way to a strong community of musicians. Growing up playing the cello, I often played in orchestras and small groups, and I miss that musical community every day. I hope to be able to find that sense of joy and belonging again among even more incredible players as an adult. My desire to become a Luthier can be summarized as: I want to better myself by committing to serving my community.

After reading Neil’s story, I instantly felt connected to him. Like Neil, I grew up surrounded by music and the arts. I had always wanted to play an instrument, and I finally got my opportunity when my aunt offered to teach me and my brother to play the cello at age seven. For the next decade I struggled on and off with my music, sometimes practicing every day, and sometimes leaving my cello alone for weeks at a time. I was too stubborn to practice everything that my teachers wanted me to, but I couldn’t let go of how much I loved the sound of my instrument. I had this dual sided relationship with music, on one hand, I couldn’t handle the commitment that it required, but I was never able to quit because I couldn’t imagine life without the honey-golden melodies, rich tones, and deep rumblings that my cello created. Also like Neil, my pivotal moment came from playing music with my friends at my parent’s house. The year after I graduated high school, I started playing quartet music with my close friends once or twice a week. Though we weren’t perfect, and we didn’t have anywhere to perform, it was the most fun I had had in years. I felt so fulfilled after every rehearsal, and most excitingly, I felt truly motivated to learn my craft and practice my instrument. In was in those rehearsals that I knew I could never give up playing the cello. I knew that all of the struggle would be worth it if I could continue to contribute to collaborative art projects with other musicians. Despite my newfound determination, I was still miles behind my peers in terms of technique and skill. After high school, I decided to move a few cities away from my hometown to attend university. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, so I decided to study illustration and continue to develop my artistic and drawing skills while I thought about my career. Though I loved my classes and I loved learning more about art, I missed my musical group and the work that I was doing there. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. After nearly two years of this, my mental health began to quickly decline. I was frustrated with myself, and I had to drop out in order to get the help that I needed. I know that it was for the best that I left university, but I can’t help but still feel disappointed in myself at times. Once I began recovery, I started returning to my roots of music. Now even further behind in my practicing, I knew that I didn’t want to go down the path of performing or teaching the cello, but I still grasped for a way to make it a part of my life permanently. I had always been aware of the Violin Making School of America, as my parents live about 10 blocks away from it. The idea of learning how to make violins and cellos has always interested me, but I never thought that I could be good enough to even apply. Only after taking the time to better my mental health did I realize how crazy that sounds. Despite my limited woodworking experience, I was accepted into the VMSA’s program, class of 2029. Though I am incredibly nervous, I have never been more excited, or felt more proud of myself for taking the chance to apply. Like Neil, I am absolutely in love with the sound behind the music, and I am beyond excited to begin my journey.

I first began playing the cello when I was seven years old. My aunt was a teacher, and she was kind enough to teach my brother and I. For the following decade, I took lessons from many different teachers, using many different instruments. I named each cello that I used, and I can still recall each of them and their unique tones to this day. Though I loved to play, I was stubborn and emotional, and I didn’t like doing what my teachers told me to do. Practicing my scales and positions was a chore, and lessons were a frustration. Despite my unwillingness to cooperate with my teachers, playing music was a joyful pastime and an emotional release for me. Hearing the rich tones and the honey-golden melodies would calm me down when I was mad, and excite me when I lacked inspiration. I remember laying my head to rest on the shoulder of the instrument as I held it and dragging the bow across the strings, not playing any melody, just listening to the vibrations rumble through my ears and chest. I was in the sixth grade when I decided that I wanted to be a luthier. I loved the cello, but I knew that I didn’t want to teach or perform professionally. I knew that I wanted to attend the Violin Making School of America, but as I got older, the high cost of the school became intimidating, and I gave up on my dream before it had even begun. I decided to explore another passion of mine, and I went on to study illustration at Utah Valley University for about two years. During my time there, I learned so many valuable lessons and created artwork that I am very proud of, but even then I was thinking about how I had given up on myself, and how I didn’t really want to be an illustrator. As my mental health declined, so did my grades and my motivation to continue. I eventually decided to drop out of school and move back home to my family. My self esteem was at an all time low, and I had no idea what direction to take myself in. On a whim, I decided to send an application to the VMSA. I didn’t believe that I would be accepted, but I worked very hard on my essay nonetheless. When I received my acceptance letter a few weeks later, I felt proud of myself for the first time in months. I felt hope that I could have a successful career in a field that I am truly passionate about. When I picture my future as a luthier, I see a sun-filled workshop with wood shavings on the ground, the smell of varnish in the air. I see a version of myself who has learned the discipline that I lacked as a child, and who has the self confidence that I lacked in college. I want to make beautiful art, and I want to contribute to my community. Right now I am working two part time jobs to try to save up enough money to cover the costs of tuition, and even though it’s exhausting, I have never been happier. I am so grateful to be overwhelmed with joy, hope, and opportunity.

I first began playing the cello when I was seven years old. My aunt was a teacher, and she was kind enough to teach my brother and I. For the following decade, I took lessons from many different teachers, using many different instruments. I named each cello that I used, and I can still recall each of them and their unique tones to this day. Though I loved to play, I was stubborn and emotional, and I didn’t like doing what my teachers told me to do. Practicing my scales and positions was a chore, and lessons were a frustration. Despite my unwillingness to cooperate with my teachers, playing music was a joyful pastime and an emotional release for me. Hearing the rich tones and the honey-golden melodies would calm me down when I was mad, and excite me when I lacked inspiration. I remember laying my head to rest on the shoulder of the instrument as I held it and dragging the bow across the strings, not playing any melody, just listening to the vibrations rumble through my ears and chest. I was in the sixth grade when I decided that I wanted to be a luthier. I loved the cello, but I knew that I didn’t want to teach or perform professionally. I knew that I wanted to attend the Violin Making School of America, but as I got older, the high cost of the school became intimidating, and I gave up on my dream before it had even begun. I decided to explore another passion of mine, and I went on to study illustration at Utah Valley University for about two years. During my time there, I learned so many valuable lessons and created artwork that I am very proud of, but even then I was thinking about how I had given up on myself, and how I didn’t really want to be an illustrator. As my mental health declined, so did my grades and my motivation to continue. I eventually decided to drop out of school and move back home to my family. My self esteem was at an all time low, and I had no idea what direction to take myself in. On a whim, I decided to send an application to the VMSA. I didn’t believe that I would be accepted, but I worked very hard on my essay nonetheless. When I received my acceptance letter a few weeks later, I felt proud of myself for the first time in months. I felt hope that I could have a successful career in a field that I am truly passionate about. When I picture my future as a luthier, I see a sun-filled workshop with wood shavings on the ground, the smell of varnish in the air. I see a version of myself who has learned the discipline that I lacked as a child, and who has the self confidence that I lacked in college. I want to make beautiful art, and I want to contribute to my community. Right now I am working two part time jobs to try to save up enough money to cover the costs of tuition, and even though it’s exhausting, I have never been happier. I am so grateful to be overwhelmed with joy, hope, and opportunity.

For the past decade, I have been learning how to play the cello. Though at first I lacked the discipline to learn the complicated technique, I grew to love my instrument and the beautiful art that I could create with it. Besides playing the cello, I am also a visual artist. All throughout high school I would draw and paint, until eventually I got a job painting bookmarks at This is the Place Heritage Park. I loved this job so much that I decided to go to college for illustration. I moved out of my parent’s house to live in the dorms, but it eventually became too expensive and too difficult to work full time while maintaining my grades. I loved my classes and I still love to paint, but it wasn’t the direction that I wanted to take my career. I felt hopeless and lost after dropping out of college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and my options felt limited because of my financial situation. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to commit myself to a trade. After hours of writing and stressing over my application, I was finally accepted into the Violin Making School of America. All the feelings of hopelessness vanished, and for the first time in years, I felt proud of myself again. I want to be a Luthier so I can create art in a collaborative way. Growing up, playing the cello was an emotional release for me. It was a way to express myself in a healthy way when I was feeling angry, stressed, happy, or creative. When I would write my own songs, I felt like I was making magic. As an adult, I want to facilitate that magic for others. Though I’m not a good enough player to be a performer or a teacher, I want to keep music and creativity in the center of my life. Another reason that I have chosen this trade is because of the discipline. I was never the most focused child, and I struggle to this day with motivation. The art of lutherie is incredibly delicate and precise, and it requires patience and attention to detail. I am always striving to be a better person than I was yesterday, and the next step to being the best me is learning patience and discipline. The final reason why I have decided to dedicate myself to this craft is community. Though Luthiers complete their art on their own, they are far from solitary individuals. Every musician needs a skilled craftsman to repair, restring, and refinish their instruments. As a luthier, I would love to contribute in a meaningful way to a strong community of musicians. Growing up playing the cello, I often played in orchestras and small groups, and I miss that musical community every day. I hope to be able to find that sense of joy and belonging again among even more incredible players as an adult. My desire to become a Luthier can be summarized in a single sentence. I want to better myself by committing to serving my community.