you can always tell a Finn..

My great grandfather immigrated to the United States from Finland. It seems funny to owe so much of who I am to a man who I have never met, but I do. His son, my grandpa Wally, was a thick-skinned Fin. He was stubborn as a nail with the voice of an angel.

Grandpa Wally married my beautiful Grandma Bea in their younger years. It was Grandma Bea who converted my Grandpa to the church. Together they raised two wonderful children, one of whom, being my mother. This is where I come from.

I will always be so grateful to Grandpa Wally for joining the church. He and Grandma Bea raised my mom in the church. She and my dad raised me in the church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the easiest and surest way to define me. Even if I lost all my other passions, talents, etc., I would still know that I am a daughter of God. I have been raised with strong values and beliefs which guide me on a daily basis. My scriptures are a daily reminder of what I believe and why.

I like to think that I am a kind and thoughtful person, but most people will tell you that I am about as stubborn and proud as they come. My family says that that comes straight from Finland with my great grandfather. I keep a Finnish flag in my house to remind me where I came from and, quite honestly, to remind me to be a little kinder.

For me, music is synonymous with passion. There are very few things that can make me feel the Spirit stronger than Brahm's Requiem or Gretchaninov's sacred works. My immediate family is full of music lovers, but I firmly believe that I got my voice from my Grandpa Wally. I can still faintly remember his beautiful tenor voice singing "O, My Father." Music has changed me and changed with me throughout my life. It used to be a way to express myself, then a way to find value in myself. Now it is among the most direct paths between me and my Father in Heaven. I truly believe that music can soften hearts and change people. My hymn book reminds me that music is more than just entertainment. It is a gift to bring us closer to Him.

There are more than just these three things that define me, but I think this is a pretty good start. My sincere love of God and of music are two things that I will always possess. My stubborn nature is something I am working on all the time, and I am sure that someday I will crack it! It is for that reason that my grandparents always say, "You can always tell a Finn, but you can't tell him much."