A Real Man Never Gives Up

The story of Elder Jones a missionary serving in my ward

of the Security Forces, Airborne trained

3 months in Egypt

Medically discharged

20 years old

A real man never gives up

Though what he holds lays full of holes

The spirit, he learns to trust

For he is on earth to save souls

I was born in Georgia with another last name.  I have three brothers and sisters biologically and one adopted sibling.  This is my story:

I was treated like a possession.  Beaten, starved, and emotionally abused.  In order to provide the necessary food for my siblings, I gave up the food I was given.  My siblings and I were often locked in our room, so I learned how to sneak out the window.  I dug through trash and joined what was called to by the participants of a gang. I broke into homes, and sold the stolen goods for money to buy food.

One day, while my sister and I were cleaning the trailer in which we lived, something happened that would scar me for the rest of my life, literally.  I received a boot kick to the gut that ruptured an intestine.  I was rushed to the ER but at that point there was not really much hope in saving me.  I remember watching the nurses and the doctors run around me trying but then I felt nothing.  No pain, no anger.  Just nothing.  I seemed to be looking down on myself.  Then, all went black and when I woke up, well the pain all rushed back.

The first foster home I remember was the home of a Baptist preacher.  I don't recall too much- just that I was not part of the family.  I attacked this man who was trying to help me. (...at this point I hated men.)  He contacted the agency and off I went to the next place which was my Uncle Andy's. They tried so hard to take care of me but they couldn't handle a 6-7 year old boy who had more anger and a fouler mouth than that of a drunken sailor.  At one point I even took a hatchet to the garage door to try to get in because they had locked me out.  I seemed doomed to be put into an institution.

Real men never quit-

There are three men I owe everything to, Andy didn't give up on me entirely, he contacted Lewis who would become the man behind the miracle in my life, to be my dad.

The third man, Hank was just everybody's friend, including mine.  He is also the first man that I truly felt I could trust.  He didn't interfere in my life, but offered unshakable unconditional love.

Lewis, a man of tremendous faith, took me and my three siblings in, having barely met us he began the long and tedious process of adoption and repairing three torn and tattered lives.  He helped me the most. Even thought we were all rough on him he pulled through just like he always did.

All three men men may not have realized what their examples did for me, I owe my life and my future to these men who no matter what I did not matter  how tempted they may have been to give up and no matter how much I made them suffer, they never gave up on me.

Education-

1 Nephi 1:1  I, Jason, having come to goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

I had truly come to goodly parents.  Parents who took care of me but I still had the issue of feeling love for them.  Although my dad worked as hard as he possibly could to insure a good life for me, I made it my goal to make his life as bad as mine.  He worked to teach me to work.  He taught me that even a hard headed young boy, such as I, could learn.

Love, A Small and Simple Thing-

Alma 37:6  Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

My dad loved me so I had no excuse not to love back, and that is what makes a dad.  He was and is, in every form of the word, my dad!

He is my personal hero.  Not only for what he did, but for how he did it.

The battle begins at birth

To rediscover Heavenly worth

Here, deep scars get in the way

As continually our hearts fray

Elder Jone's lesson didn't stop here.  This boy battling for love went on to serve our country.  It was cut short with a medical discharge, but an important lesson was taught him to give him confidence of Heavenly Father's love.  He was about to do a jump when he felt an impression to not jump.  He insisted on this and didn't jump, though it looked bad because he was first in line.  Turns out his parachute had been too close to some heat source and parts of it had become damaged with holes in it.  Literally like his past which could have destroyed him had he let it.