As the political tides have roared their way into the minds of every American this year, many of us are saddened as we see the trajectory our country seems to be following. We see our freedoms being attacked by not only foreign entitites, but also by some within our own borders & establishments. Principles & rights fought for and defended since the Constitution's birth are continually being undermined & disregarded. Policies are being put in place which slowly and subtlely increase our dependence on government and tear at the heart of freedom with every step. As I ponder the significance of these events, I realize that (as having been a Romney supporter during this election) one man could not have taken the burdens of this country upon himself. If our country is to restore those freedoms, it must be the people who take the action.... we cannot just leave it up to our leaders.
Many men in our country have taken these responsibilities upon themselves... to protect & defend the Constitution of the United States agains all enemies, foreign AND domestic. As we think of the amount of veterans in our nation today, did you know that only 1% of our nation has officially taken that oath? I did not know this until last week... when I myself took upon myself that promise.
Yes... it seems crazy. Why in the world would a 32-year-old wife and mother of two possibly do something as drastic as enlist in the military? Well. The initial reasons actually make quite a bit of sense. As I am preparing to head back to school for quite a long time-- through to the finish of vet school, we have been praying for a way to be opened before us that would provide the means to not only pay for my education, but allow me to be able to balance my duties as a student with the utmost important duties I have as a wife & mother. As we walked up to the University's financial aid department to weigh our options, I decided to walk into the ROTC building and talk to the gentleman in there. My options were placed before me, and it seemed that I was a great candidate for their program and that their benefits would be mutually advantageous for me - allowing full tuition plus a decent living expense wage, and the possibility of being accepted into the Army's program which pays for my vet school education in trade for some owed Reserve time with them afterward. I was so suprised to come out of there feeling that this might actually be the answer... but continued to ponder & pray over it for several weeks. As those feelings were confirmed as time passed, I knew it was the answer I was looking for.
As with all things that have so much benefit to them, there are always strings attached. The biggest and most challenging string is that I will need to go to boot camp at the first of next year. Between that and my AIT, I will be gone for nearly 4 months from my husband and kids. In so many ways, some would think that I am deserting them, but when you think of the ability I will have when I return to not have to go to a regular job anymore, and to be able to be home in the afternoons when my daughter returns home from school is a very valuable thing. As it is now with my full-time job, I see my children two full days a week and only a couple hours the other days. And I'm not even a student yet.
So the initial conclusions were certainly the impetus for my decision, but as I stood at the Military Processing Center last Wednesday after a rigorous 2 day evaluation, finally deemed worthy to hold my arm to the square, I realized this was not only something I was doing for my family's welfare, but something that I truly owed to my wonderful country to show my appreciation & grattitude for the freedoms I have always enjoyed. Most of all, gratitude to my Father in Heaven:
"In recognizing God as the source of their rights, the Founding Fathers declared Him to be the ultimate authority for their basis of law. This led them to the conviction that people do not make law but merely acknowledge preexisting law, giving it specific application. The Constitution was conceived to be such an expression of higher law. And when their work was done, James Madison wrote: “It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution” (The Federalist, no. 37)
And to echo one of my very favorite patriots:
"There are reasons why we celebrate this day: not only to remember those men who fought valiantly for the freedom of our country, but to resolve in ourselves to continue that fight.
"How then can we best befriend the Constitution in this critical hour and secure the blessings of liberty and ensure the protection and guidance of our Father in Heaven?
First and foremost, we must be righteous. . . ....
Two great American Christian civilizations — the Jaredites and the Nephites — were swept off this land because they did not “serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12). What will become of our civilization?
Second, We must learn the principles of the Constitution in the tradition of the Founding Fathers.
Have we read the Federalist papers? Are we reading the Constitution and pondering it? Are we aware of its principles? Are we abiding by these principles and teaching them to others? Could we defend the Constitution? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? Do we know what the prophets have said about the Constitution and the threats to it? . . .
We, the blessed beneficiaries of the Constitution, face difficult days in America, “a land which is choice above all other lands” (Ether 2:10).
May God give us the faith and the courage exhibited by those patriots who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
May we be equally as valiant and as free."
--Ezra Taft Benson
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