I was born on the island of Cuba, in the city of Matanzas (“The Killings”, one of these days I’m going to have to find out why it was thus named). My family never embraced communism, so we were eventually allowed to leave Cuba and come to this country. I felt it then just as I feel it now, I love this country and it is truly a land of promise. I was introduced to the church when I was twelve years old. I still remember the day that, as I listened to the missionary discussions, the Spirit bore witness to me that what they were teaching was true. Within the year, the rest of my family stopped going to church, but I never stopped and continued to attend church by myself, always depending on the kindness of church members to pick me up and bring me home. After graduation from high school, I moved to Indiana where I met my husband, John. We were sealed in the Oakland Temple. John died five years ago. He was a noble and faithful servant of our Heavenly Father and the best person I have ever known. We have four children and twelve grandchildren. I have been a teacher for many years and have had many varied, and interesting experiences. I have taught in low income areas where gangs and violence were prevalent, and at a private, international school in London. I am now a math and science teacher at Fall Creek Elementary. As I look back, I recognize some common threads that bind all my students despite their socio-economic, cultural, and family circumstances: Young people need unconditional love, they learn best when they feel safe to make mistakes, they have a need to know that they matter. I have also learned that children are inherently spiritual and deep down inside, have a need to know about our Heavenly Father.