An Example Of A Short Autobiography.docx

AN EXAMPLE OF A SHORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY I was born on a warm, sunny day in June (Date) in (Place of Birth), (Country). I still live in (Place of Birth), (Country), and I go to school at Booker High School. I live with my mom, Kate; my brother, Jake; and my Aunt Molly. When I was born, my bother was fifteen-months-old and hid under the table from me. Jake is a sweet kid and he would do anything for me, but like all brothers and sisters we fight like cats and dogs. Sometimes when no one was around, Jake would come up to me and bite my toes for no reason. I still love him but only because he is my brother. Who I am in life. My name is Sally Friday. I started school when I was six-years-old. I went to kindergarten through fifth grade at Booker Elementary and while I was there, I won an award for perfect attendance. I also won an award for honor roll all four terms. Then I attended Booker Middle School, and there I also won a couple of awards: one for perfect attendance and two for being named Student of the Year--one in sixth grade and the other in eighth grade. I am now a senior at Booker High School. I plan on finishing school and maybe going to a community college. What life means to me. Life to me means friends and family who you can trust and who trusts you. I am pretty much on the happy side of life, but like all teens I do I have my "days of." That means I do have some sad days or depressed days. I have a few frinds here that sort of look out for me and when I am having a bad day, I have someone here at school to talk to. I make my school days go by thinking of either the next hour or what I will do when I get home or on the weekend. I'm not seeing anyone now but when I did have a boyfriend, our favorite places to go were the movies and out to dinner. Sometimes we went to the beach. Only once we went to an amusement park: Universal Studios. We were together for twenty-nine days and then we broke-up; so no, I don't think it was forever. What's my outlook on the future. The year 2018 will make twenty years since I graduated from high school. I think I will probably be still living here in Sarasota. I will be quite comfortable with my living situation, meaning that I will be married to Paul Smith. We will have one child: Linda Treasa Smith, who at that point will be threeyears-old and a little devil. Paul is a sweet guy; he will do anything for anyone. He is six feet tall and built well. He has baby blue eyes and blond hair. We will have been together for five years and will be happy together--this is forever. Conclusion As I said in the beginning, I was born here in Florida and I've lived here my whole life. I would like to see more of the USA but unfortunatly, I don't have any money to leave Florida to go anywhere right now. I hope you have enjoyed reading my life story as much as I have enjoyed writing it for you. Try to get as much as you can out of school; you're only there for twelve years and when you graduate, you're home free. Here's a tip for you to live or try to live by: If you think it, it can be done. Written by Erika Baker

Another Example

EXAMPLE OF A SHORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I came into this world on the cold morning of January 29, 1983. Born in San Miguel de Allende, a small town in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, or so I was told. My parents, Patricia Merrill and Roberto Navarrete had tried unsuccessfully for six years to conceive their first child and I just happened to be the lucky one. My Family Background. My mother and my father are the complete opposite of each other culturally. Patricia, my mother, had lived in Massachusetts all her life, her two brothers and her father were in the military. She grew up with the Americana customs and had spent only a couple of summers in Mexico. However, she spoke Spanish. On the other hand, my father had lived in Mexico all his life and his brother and his father were in the Mexican military. He spoke no English and was raised in a very typical Mexican family. Therefore, I guess I'm sort of stuck between both cultures. You might be asking yourself how the two of them ever ended up together even though they are so different. Well, both of them are architects and they met while my mother was in Mexico. Childhood. The majority of my early memories from childhood are somewhat vague, but for the first years of my life, I mostly spent the day either crying or sleeping , as babies do. A year later I began walking around my house , or what I remember as taking a couple steps and then stumbling awkwardly onto the floor. I also began to utter my first spoken words in both English and Spanish. In 1986 at the bright age of three, I was enrolled at a local kindergarten where I would learn children's songs or play in the sandbox all morning and spend my afternoons watching the Disney channel at home. Most of my vacations included long and tedious trips to Georgetown, MA with the purpose of visiting my grandparents. During the weekends we'd visit my paternal grandparents and relatives in Guanajuato. It pretty much stayed that way some time. Once kindergarten was over with, and upon my mother's insistence, I entered a bilingual institution in my town where I studied up to my fourth year of grammar school. In that same period my sister Monica was born and she came into the family. Everything seemed perfect in my life at that point: I was doing great at school, my family was great, I was as happy kid. Suddenly, the whole picture fell apart when my parents filed for divorced. I was ten years old when my father and I moved to Guanajuato, the state capital. I lived there for a stage and despite the confusing situation, had some fun times. I studied at Instituto Guanajuato and played soccer or biked in my free time.

I'd visit my mother and sister on weekends, yet I missed them both throughout the entire week. Being only ten at the time, I regretted not seeing my mother and sister as much as I would have liked to. Adolescence. At the age of fourteen I was through with junior high school. A couple of weeks earlier I'd been accepted to enroll at Phillips Academy. Phillips is a boarding school in a small student town called Andover, MA in north eastern area of the United States. I had never lived abroad, or alone for that matter, hence was a bit reluctant to the idea of leaving by myself. My grandparents who had lived in Georgetown for many years had moved to Texas by then. A couple of months earlier they had decided to no longer have to cope with the cold and snowy New England winters, thus my nearest relatives where now in Washington eight hours away. While I was at Phillips I played soccer for the junior varsity team in the evenings and took the Amtrak and traveled around the area on weekends. No one was allowed to leave the campus during the weekdays but that wasn't a real problem since the campus premises included most of the town and I'd easily find ways to keep myself busy. After what has seemed to be the longest year of my life, I returned to Mexico and moved in with my mother and sister. This decision was against the will of my grandparents and father (I had a four year scholarship at Andover and they considered I would miss out on a great opportunity). The main reason I came back was that because of being so far away I'd only visit my family twice a year. At that time I just didn't feel ready for that. I applied for entry at the Universidad del Valle de Mexico in San Miguel de Allende and continued my studies there. A hectic period in my teenage years had concluded and I was able to slow down and enjoy my family. I matured quite a bit and built up my self-confidence and independence. The past three years I lived in San Miguel de Allende. In my time of leisure I'd mountain bike through different trails in the vicinity or travel with my family. I also had time to think about what I wanted to study and took day trips to universities nearby. After I graduated from the Universidad del Valle de Mexico a few months ago, I began studying at the Tec de Monterrey in Queretaro where I'm currently majoring in Accounting and Finance. My cousin and I are living together in a small apartment in Queretaro, yet we manage to leave for San Miguel de Allende and go home every Friday. What's comes next?

I am now eighteen years old. After this phase I'd like to study a Master's Degree in Financial Planning in the U.S. or in Singapore, but I'm still not sure it, I just might change my mind and do otherwise, although I haven't come up with what that something else could be. written by R Navarrete Basic Autobiography Format The autobiography sample and the points given below help you understand how to start with the process of writing. The points are explained one by one in the following paragraphs. Basic Information The basic information includes details about the person in question and his/her family. Name of the person, names of parents & siblings, and other such details constitute the basic information. The birthplace, birth date, and birth order is included in these details. Timeline Once the basic information is presented in the beginning, details about the person's life follow in chronological order. Childhood years are generally given more importance because it is the most important phase from the point of development of personality. Achievements in academics and professional life are presented in subsequent sections. There are many who like to share experiences associated with the first salary/earning. Experience gained from the first job can be a turning point in a person's life. Therefore, by mentioning such experiences, an autobiography can be made interesting. Tragic events (if any) that influenced a person's life can also be mentioned. First Experiences A separate section for mentioning first-time experiences should be made in your autobiography. Here are few examples of such experiences. First Bike First Day of School First day of College First Motorcycle First Job First Salary There are many such experiences that you can include in this section. Striking Memories Special or striking memories should be included in this section. There many events in our life which we can't forget easily. The impact they have on our lives is the reason why such memories accompany us for a long time.

People in Your Life In this section, you should present details about people who have influenced your life. You may speak about your relations with them, the way you conversed and the manner in which they influenced the process of decision-making in your life. Writing an Educational Autobiography Writing an educational autobiography is one of the exercises which students are asked to take up to reflect upon their past. Such an exercise allows students to express themselves and present their thoughts clearly and concisely. Portraying a person's educational life through words is the main objective of writing an educational autobiography. Therefore, it is necessary to cover as many events as possible that shaped you as a student. Autobiography Example The autobiography example given below has a simple format. The format used for this write-up resembles that of an essay; it gives a rough idea of how to write an autobiography. However, while writing an autobiography, you should present a detailed account of your life. I was born and brought up in a nuclear family in Houston, Texas. We are a family of four: my parents, me and my younger brother. The school days offered me a lot to learn. Subjects like science, languages and history were of special interest to me. However, the mechanical process of learning never interested me. Although I was good at studies throughout my academic life, sports, music, drawing, craft-work, etc., interested me the most. I was more inclined towards understanding the concepts rather than just memorizing them. After graduating with a major in biology, I took up nature photography. It was a decision that changed the entire course of my life. Through this profession, I was able to explore life in its varied forms. Also the knowledge of biology came in handy while exploring the flora and fauna. In a sense, photography has proved to be a catalyst in this process of change which completely transformed me. My work as a nature photographer offers me immense satisfaction and great pleasure. Freezing the volatile moments with my camera teaches me how to deal with tricky situations in life. Working hard to pursue your goals and keeping a positive attitude are the qualities that help you when you are required to maintain a level-head in times of success and failure. These are the tools which help you overcome the toughest phases in life. Tips for Writing an Autobiography Keep it simple. This is one thing you should keep in mind while writing an autobiography. You don't have to exaggerate events from your life to make them look interesting. In fact, readers are interested in knowing the truth about you. There are so many interesting things which happen in our life. It is just that we need to look at them from a new perspective. You should always write what you wish to write and not what you think is expected from you.

Remember that the inhibitions/expectations which create doubts in the mind won't be of any help while writing. Keeping them at bay should bring out the best in you. Create an outline for your autobiography. It allows you to work on each event or instance from you life systematically. Breaking down the content into sections helps in keeping the readers interested in your story. At the same time you find it easy to focus on every section of the story. Jotting down points before you actually start writing is a practice which helps freeze the volatile memories, which you won't be able to recall the second time even if you wish to. Take pride in your work. Put your best efforts in your autobiography. If you doubt your abilities you are unconsciously devaluing your creative work. Therefore, you need to write the autobiography without inhibitions and with supreme confidence. Add Spice to your story. People will take interest in your autobiography if you make it an interesting read. Again, you shouldn't resort to exaggerating events from your life. Just try and elaborate on them to make them interesting to read. Writing an autobiography is a huge task. It requires great patience for putting the facts and experiences in a proper manner. Autobiographies are detailed accounts of a person's life and therefore, they must be written with great care and responsibility. The autobiography sample provided in the article above gives you a rough idea of how to write about yourself in an interesting manner. Autobiographies are detailed accounts of our lives which help us remember the happy and sad moments as well. One can draw inspiration from the determination and grit showed in tough times of the past and move on with a positive attitude. By Shashank Nakate Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/autobiography-sample.html

Autobiographies (Real and Imaginary) Part of My Life by Gabriela Arrevillaga Read other essays by Gabriela Arrevillaga My name is Gabriela Arrevillaga. I am 17 years old. I am from Mexico from Tapachula Chiapas. This city is hot all the time, and we have a beach. I have a beautiful family. I have one brother and one sister. My father’s name is Jorge and my mother’s name is Irma. My sister’s name is Irma too, and my brother’s name is Jorge, and he is married with Alejandra, and they are going to be parents in November for first time, and all the family is so exaited!

I have a beautiful dog. He is a Siberian husky. He is my baby, and he is very lovely. I love my dog! My hobbies are dance, sing, swim, skate, be with my friends, and go to the cinema with they. I love dance and when I was a child I studied ballet and it was a really good experience to me. I really enjoyed that. When I went to the Secundary School I studied in 2 different schools, and it was fun, because I could met new people. The High School was really cool for me. I liked very much this time. When I was 9 years old my father told me that I will need come to USA to learn very well the English, but in these time I started to study English in Tapachula. Before to come to USA I finished the High School. I studied in the Preparatoria Tapchula. In this school works my father and my brother too. When I was in Mexico I had and I have many friends. I like making friends. I was with them all the time. We wet to many places and parties together, and we went to the cinema or eat together and I really enjoyed this these moments. My best friends are Rosalba, Miriam, Paola, Anahi, Jorge, Alex, max, Salvador, Eder, Pauline, and Hugo. I really enjoy be with them, because they are so nice. But actually my best friends are my mom and my dad, my sister and my brother, because with they I can talk about all in my life, and when I have a problem they always are with me to help me. My brother Jorge is 29 years old. When he was 19 he served a mission in Puebla City. Then, when came back to Tapachula he started to study to be a lawyer. He finished his mayor 2 years ago, and now he is a lawyer. The last year in December 17th he got married with Alejandra, and now they are going to have a baby. He is a boy. My sister Irma is 25 years old. When she was 16 she was living here in USA, but in Denver Colorado for 1 year to learn English, and she told me that it was a good experience for her. She got back to Tapachula and she finish the High School. Then she went to Puebla to study, and actually she is there studying languages. Now she has a boyfriend, and maybe the next year they are going to get marry. I really love animals, and I wanted to study veterinarian medicine, but actually I change my mind, and when I got back to Mexico I want to study international tourist, but I will want to have many animals, because I really love them. I want to study my mayor in Tapachula, the city where I am from. There, there is a university who has this mayor, and I think that it is going to be perfect to me, because I will can be with my family and with my friends enjoying them. Ah! Also my little dog. My plans for the future are: learn very well the English, got back to Mexico and start to study my mayor, then finish my mayor. Then work a few time to earn enough money and go to Hawaii and Europe, and one day get marry with the correct person, and have 3 children, and make a wonderful family like my family. Back to Table of Contents

My Wonderful Life by Joleen Chin Read other essays by Joleen Chin My name is Yu–Lin Chin. I came from Taiwan. I was born in 1969 in the capital Taipei and lived there for 31 years. My father was a public servant before, but he has retired now. My mother was a housewife; she always stayed at home and took care of her family. My parents have four daughters; I’m the youngest. I have three older sisters; they have already been married for many years. In addition to those sisters, I have three brothers–in–law. They all love me, but I love their children more. I have not only three cute nephews, but also one beautiful niece. We often take short trips together. I love my family. My parents care about children’s education; they told us, “Knowledge is the most precious treasure for everyone!” I always remember those words in my mind. I went to elementary school when I was 7 years old. Those six years were the happiest time in my memory. I didn’t need to worry about anything; teachers just gave a little homework, so I had most of the time left to play with my sisters and my neighbor children. Everyday was a holiday! When I was 15 years old, I chose to study at the Mackey Nursing school. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at that young age. My mother told me it would be the best choice. The Mackey hospital was a famous hospital, so I could find a good job when I graduated. That’s the first time I came into contact with Nursing; I’m grateful that my mother made this decision for me. I feel I like nursing more and more everyday now. After I graduated from nursing school, I worked in the Mackey hospital. That was my first job; I was a nurse in the surgical ward for 2 years. Dr. Mackey was a missionary from America. He established this hospital to help Chinese people 100 years ago, because he felt that medical care was very poor in Taiwan. He wanted to save more people’s lives. I thought, if an American could do that, why couldn’t I? I wanted to be like him and take care of patients. Sometimes when I worked, I felt I needed more knowledge to help me. Therefore, I went to the National Taipei Nursing College to continue my studies. I learned more skills about nursing in those 2 years. When I graduated in 1991, I applied to the Taiwan Adventist Hospital for my second job. At first, I worked in the surgical ward. After 1 more year, I transferred to the out– patient department so I could work a regular shift everyday. At that time, a big change came to me; the hospital chose me to work with the hospital chief. It was a great honor for me. I worked hard to help my boss in his clinic. On the other hand, my parents wanted me to learn more about nursing management at the same time. As a result, I took a difficult university test. It was smooth going for me after I was accepted to the National Taipei Nursing University. My major was Nursing Management. I was so happy, because it required the best score to come into this level. During those 3 years, I still worked hard in the daytime and went to study every evening. I always did my homework until midnight; I felt tired every day.

Sometimes I wanted to give up, but I couldn’t! I knew that work and education both were important to me. Working in the hospital was very stressful for me; my way to relax was to travel. That’s my favorite activity! I like to go to a new place that I have never been to before. Every year, I took vacations to go abroad; I have already been to 13 countries and learned about their cultures. I hope I can travel the whole world. I graduated from the college in 1997. At the same time, the hospital praised my work; they promoted me to be an assistant head nurse. At first, I was scared and refused the position. I preferred to work by myself instead of ordering someone to do something. I felt I had not enough experiences to lead other workers. However, the hospital made the same decision after 6 months. The chief told me I couldn’t refuse again, because I had gained more good experience in those months. They needed me to help the hospital to make some improvements. Finally I agreed to that, so I had more responsibilities to manage the whole department. I worked in this position for 3 years. Last year, I made a decision for myself; I wanted to continue my master’s degree in the U.S.! I got my parents’and co–workers’support. Now I can learn both knowledge about my specialty as well as English. I know this way will be very difficult for a foreign student, but I want to challenge myself. I believe I can do it well! Now I have graduated after 4 years with a Bachelor’s degree. Of all the experiences in my life, education is the most important part. I have studied more knowledge about nursing since the first day I went to nursing high school at 15 years old. I have never stopped learning till now. Although tests were difficult in the university, and it was hard for me to schedule classes after work, I finished all of them and didn’t have once absence. I like to learn every new thing. Studying has no age limit. People usually say, “It’s never too late to learn.” I think I’ll follow this truth in my future and come back to my country to devote what I learn to all the people there. Back to Table of Contents

My Autobiography by Romulo del Carpio Read other essays by Romulo del Carpio My name is Romulo. I was born in Chiclayo City. Chiclayo is the north of Peru. I lived there for 25 years. My father was Jorge Del Carpio. He was a retired public employee. My mother is Maria Ines Sanchez. She always has been a hoursewife, and always has stayed at home, and taken care of her family. My parents have eight boys. Six of their sons are married. Four sons are returned missionaries and the younger son is serving his mission in Bolivia. My oldest brother lives in New York. The second lives in Berna, Switzerland. The sixth lives in Utah, and the last is serving a mission in Bolivia. My family joined the Church in 1973. The testimony of my father was very important for me, because the Gospel taught him many things. It taught him order in the life. He

always told us never to depart from the gospel, because this was very important in our lives. I studied in grade school in the school named San Jose from 1978 to 1982. I had only one teacher. She was Elizabeth Puicon and my best friends were Alfonso Becerra and Jose De Los Santos. Actually they are professional. My school was near my house and I always went walking to the school. I studied in high school in a school named Politecnico from 1983 to 1987. In this school I had many friends very good. I started to play basketball until became to play for my school. I always liked the Math. Almost always I didn't study, but in the courses in letters I always was worried. Later I studied at the University from 1988 to 1992 in the architecture program. When I studied in the University played basketball for the school, and had many friends. When I finished the University the University had two good friends. One is name Luis, and the other is Carlos we were always studying and playing. When I finished the University. I had to do my thesis of graduation and I choose design a Vacation Center in a place out of the City. This was one of the best jobs that I did. I after graduated as an architect. I started work in a company of the government for three years. I later worked for a private company for one year, and at last worked for the Administrative Offices of the Church in Peru for three years. For this work I went to many places in my country and others countries like Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Chile. My work was design and supervisor of construction of chapels. Almost every week I was traveling to different places. When I was kid I liked to know others countries. And when I was 26 years old. I decided travel to USA. I saw Miami and thought that it was beautiful. I felt very strange because everyone spoke English, and I couldnít communicate with any people. After that trip I decided to travel again, and in September 1999.I traveled for the second time and went to visit others friends and my brother in New York. In this trip I saw many cities such as New York, New Jersey, Utah, and Houston. During this trip I met new friends, and they spoke to me about their studies in the United States, and the possibility to study a Master of Business administration (MBA). When I came to my country and my work, I spoke with the manager, and told him about my trip and my goals of studying for a MBA in the USA. He gave me all his help, and in November I decided to apply to BYU. Everything was very easy for me to come here. I thought that the Lord was pleased that I came to this place. When I arrived here I didnít understand anything. It was very difficult for me, because I only studied English in my country for four months and only four hours a week. I was worried, because thought that I would never learn English, but now I am studying in the English language Center (ELC) at BYU, and every time I learn many things and now I think to can learn English. Now I am happy here in Provo, because I am working in the gym at BYU. I am in a excellent ward. My bishop, councilors and members are very good. Also I have good

friends and roommates. They are always help me with the pronunciation of the English. During this time I really will miss my family, especially my mother and my brothers. I will also miss my City and my friends. When I arrived here it was very difficult for me because I didn't know anything, the food and the customs are very different. Finally, after I finish study English. I want to study a MBA. Later I want to go back to my country to continue my work. Back to Table of Contents

Emanuelle's Life by Emanuelle Floriano Read other essays by Emanuelle Floriano My name is Marilena Emanuelle Bichara Floriano, but I like Emanuelle best. I’m from Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. I was born on October 31, 1978, in Queimados-RJ. I have a big family. There are three older brothers and three younger sisters. I’m right in the middle. I had a great childhood. My family always was together, especially in Christmas and New years. Also, I had some bad times, too. When I was 5 years old, I had an accident. My brother and I were playing next to the construction site. He held a hoe up. It was heavy to him. He couldn’t hold it for a long time. Then, the hoe fell and hit me on my head. My mother took me to the doctor immediately. I got well soon. My family got baptized in the church, when I was 6 years old. We are LDS. Elder Bergeson and Elder Wesmman baptized my family. Two years late, I got baptized, too. In 1995, I graduated from high school. In the same year, I tried to get into college, but I didn’t pass in my exam into college. Then, I studied to be nurses’ aid. After I finished my course, I started to work at Prontonil. It is a hospital for children. I worked there for three months. I quite my job, and became a telemarketer. I my job as telemarketer, I had the opportunity to make many friends, people that I just talked to them on the telephone. Sometimes, I met some of these people. It was really fun to make friend using the telephone. I worked there for two years. Once more, I quite my job and changed my way completely. I decided to come to the USA. Everything began when brother Bergeson went to Brazil and visited my family. He invited me to come to the USA to live with his family, and to learn English. It was hard to me to decide if it was a good idea or not, because I needed to leave my family and friends in Brazil. It was scared, because I didn’t know to speak anything in English. I needed to learn a new language as a child. Now, I’m an international student at ELC. I enjoy this time that I can learn about a new language and a new culture. I wish to stay more time here and to learn more English. Back to Table of Contents

Reminiscences of My Life (Imaginary Autobiography) by Hideaki Higashi Read other essays by Hideaki Higashi I’m going to be seventy years old three days from now. Therefore, I want to leave information about me. What did I do? What can I leave for my descendents? What did I inherit from my ancestors? I’m going to write about these questions. When I was one year old, my parents deserted me to an orphanage. Accordingly, the only thing I know is that I was born in Japan. I grew up there with children like me. That orphanage was not good place. The room were very small, and the meal were not delicious and not enough. Those children in there always looked like unhappy. However, I felt happy in spite of the difficult situation because I always had a dream and hope. My dream was go to a university. When I was five years old, I had a good opportunity. One rich man came to visit my orphanage to search for good talent. When he met every child in the orphanage, he said his hobby was playing Reversi. The other children didn’t pay attention about his hobby. They just tried to make the man feel comfortable. Someone massaged him, and another child brought a cold drink to him. The other children made just smile. But it didn’t make the man decide to adopt them. I didn’t do like the other children, however. I was just thinking about a good strategy. Finally, I got a good idea and tried it. I asked the man to play me a game of Reversi. It made the man interested and pleased. The first time, I won. The man felt a little angry and embarrassed. He asked me to play him another game. However, I refused. The man felt angrier and finally said the word I was waiting for. “I promise that, if you win again before I won two times, I will adopt you,” said the man. During the next game, I cheated him. I lost the game on purpose. He felt satisfaction and confidence. Thus, he said to me with smile, “This is the last chance I will give you”. In the last game, I won by a huge margin. He groaned and said to me, “From now, you are my child." After that, I could go to good school. It was even a private school! Therefore, I needed to study hard. When Iwent to high school, I participated in the student council because my parents wanted me to so much. It was good practice for business. (I recommend it.) When I was a junior, my adoptive parents were killed in a car accident. Therefore, I inherited a huge sum of money. However, I didn’t waste the money. I felt sad and I wanted to forget it, so I studied hard. When I was eighteen years old, I went to the ELC at BYU. I went there to acquire English. I wanted to get a good job. I wanted to work internationally. English was very important at that time. (Now, we don’t need to study other languages because we have good translation machines.) After I graduated from the ELC, I went to BYU. I studied about mechanical engineering there. I studied harder and harder every day. One year before I graduated from BYU, I finally invented a car that can fly in the sky. Therefore, I got a patent and a huge amount of money. I founded a car company

called Sky Automobile and I got more money. Next year, I changed the company name from Sky Automobile to H2 Sky Company, because the car’s fuel was hydrogen and my initials are H.H. Three years after this, I built a huge house with a pool and tennis court. It was my dream. My dream had come true, but I didn’t have a wife. I was already twenty-six years old, so I wanted to marry someone who was a nice lady! I put an advertisement in the papers, on the radio, and, of course, on T.V. Many ladies gathered all over the world. However, it was too many, so I couldn’t make a choice. I gave up the idea of marrying someone and went on a trip to rest from all the pressure. I traveled to many places like Canada, Germany, and Spain. When I went to Milan in Italy, I met a very beautiful lady. The moment I saw her, I felt shocked, and I fell in love with her at first glance. I couldn’t think about anything but her. Therefore, I took an extended vacation to spend time with her. Her name is Mika. She was twenty-four years old. She is half Japanese and half Italian, so she can cook Japanese food. (Actually, this is very important for me.) Her hobby is playing tennis. It was a good thing for me because I have a tennis court in my yard. After a month, we were married in a beautiful church in Milan. After that, my wife had triplets. How I was pleased with this! I gave a my children a good education and a good environment. Therefore, they grew up in a good way. One became an astronaut. His name is Tsutomu. This name means “effort” in Japanese. Another became a star. Her name is Yuuki. This name means “courage” in Japanese. The last one succeeded to my company. Her name is Megumi. This name means “blessing” in Japanese. Now, they take care of my wife and me. Therefore, I am very happy. I wish, finally, to write about my property. I will give my children a huge amount of property the day I die. Please take care of my wife and my dog called “Tiny”. In addition to this, I want to teach you about my ancestors' treasure and my treasure. I will leave one map and nine pictures. Use these hints, and please find it! I think it is not so hard. Always remember the words I gave you! Please keep good relationships with each other. I pray for your success. Good luck, my children! Back to Table of Contents

Oops, I am 60 Years Old! (Imaginary Autobiography) by Hoon Jin Jung Read other essays by Hoon Jin Jung My name is Jung, Hoon Jin. I was born in Susan, Korea on the 2nd of February, 1974. I had a happy childhood and spent my time in a beautiful natural environment. Susan is located near the sea near and is famous for its beautiful beaches. I'm a good swimmer, because I usually played in the ocean. I love everything, because I was influenced by nature. I entered Dankook University in 1992. I majored in business law. Also, I was interested in English, Japanese, and computers. I worked as a journalist for the

university newspaper. I thought the best time to travel was while I was a student, so I traveled to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and the USA. Through this backpacking trip, I discovered that the world is small. I joined the army immediately after completing my freshman year. I was an editor of the Army newspaper. I served in the military for three years. Military service was very difficult, but it gave me many things. For instance, I met many good friends there. Also, I learned planning, management, self-control, and cooperation from being in the military. After graduating from the university in 2000, I studied abroad in the USA. I went to the Brigham Young University's English Language Center, and, after taking a language course, I studied computer science at the University of Utah. I became familiar with English and computer techniques, and I found many good international friends. I came back to Korea and got married to a beautiful woman in 2005; her name is Kim, Hyun Jung. We went to the same university, and studied English to prepare to study abroad. After she graduated from Dankook University in Korea, she studied food engineering at Texas A & M University in the USA. After she came back to Korea, I proposed to her. She accepted my proposal, because we are a match made in heaven. Now, she is teaching students at the university. My wife is a good professor and homeloving woman. She makes us comfortable. I ran a trading company while I studied for my MBA. I continued to work for this company for 30 years and gained many experiences. Our company's profits climbed steadily every year, so I made a lot of money. I wrote a book about business. I wanted to share the information I learned from my job experience to prepare firm owners. The earnings from my company are used for charitable work. When I was a college student, I saw a TV program about charitable work. Someone said, "Help someone else sincerely when you are in difficulties." I was deeply moved by his words, so since then my philosophy has been to live happily with the world. After retiring from my company recently, I'm planning to travel with my beautiful wife around the world. I want to spend all my time with her. This summer holiday, we are going to China and Japan. We are very excited! We are interested in Chinese and Japanese cultures. For a long time, we have dreamed of traveling in China and Japan. To prepare for this, we have studied their languages and cultures for three years. Now I live in Seoul, Korea with my family. I have a wife, two daughters, and a son. There are five of us in our family. Two daughters go to the university. one daughter is studying computer graphic designer, she wants to be a good graphic designer. The other daughter is studying English at Brigham Young University in the USA. She wants to be an English professor. Our son is a high school student. Someday, he wants to be an international lawyer. They study very hard. Our family creates sweet home. My family philosophy is to live gratefully for everything. I love my family. Back to Table of Contents

My Imaginary Autobiography by Yong Won Kim Read other essays by Yong Won Kim My name is Kim, Yong Won. Our family has 21 members. My wife, Min Ju, and I have been married for forty years. We have two sons, two daughters, their spouses, and grandchildren. We live together in AhyunDong, Seoul, Korea. We are very happy. When I was 30 years old, I worked in the YoungWha Accounting Firm (Ernst & Young International). I was exhausted, because the job was very tedious, monotonous, and stressful. I thought deeply about what I should do for the future. Min Ju and I decided to study in the USA and went there. I studied in the BYU MBA program and law school for 5 years, then returned to Korea. There were two things that I wanted to learn. The first was the Valuation of Intangible Assets. No one had started this branch of finance in Korea. The second was the production of movies. I liked to watch Disney Movies. Whenever I watched them, I felt good. Especially, when I watched The Lion King, it made me think about who I was and what the relationship between the father and the son was. It meant a lot to me, and it was fun as well. I wanted to produce movies like Walt Disney movies that made many people feel good and do the right things. I was still concerned about movies during my time in the USA. After I returned to Korea, I worked at a company that needed to evaluate the value of corporations. Because I worked hard, I was known as the best specialist for the valuation of corporations in Korea. I wrote a lot of books about financial evaluation. They became bestsellers. As a result, they made me rich. One day, I wrote a book which contained my thoughts about making movies. Many people read it. It was also a bestseller. After that, stockholders of the biggest film company in Korea who read my book made me the president of the company.I produced many movies, which is what I wanted to do before, and gave dreams to children and adults through them. I am happy because many people love my movies and remember my thoughts. I want these movies to keep being produced forever. I had a lot of goals that I wanted to accomplish in this world. Especially, I hoped that many people would think about who they were and what they were supposed to do to make better themselves, their family, and their community. I wanted to give them this message to encourage them to do so through an understandable and interesting method. I am happy to have accomplished the biggest one of my goals in my life. Back to Table of Contents

Autobiography by Yong Won Kim Read other essays by Yong Won Kim

I was born on Feb 9th, 1970 in Seoul, Korea. I grew up in a sweet family that has 5 members. When I was an elementary school student, some Americans visited our home. My father allowed them to enter our house. They were missionaries. They taught our family about the love of family and about having family home evening. Our family became happy and interested in the gospel. As a result, all of our family was baptized in the Church. God blessed our family. My brothers and I grew up in the gospel. Our family all served as missionaries. My parents served in the Seoul temple, my older brother in the Seoul mission, and my younger brother in the Daejun mission. I served in the Pusan mission. In addition, my parents, younger brother, and I worked as missionaries concurrently. At the same time, there was only my elder brother’s family in our home. That was interesting. Then I met my wife, Min Ju, in the church. My younger brother helped me meet her. She was a student studying music and a returned missionary who served in the Salt Lake Temple Square Mission. We often had chances to talk about ourselves to each other. Then we were married Feb 26th, 2000 in the Seoul Temple. Good opportunities were always given to me. I think they were blessings for me. I am grateful for everything, and I hope that I can share my blessings with others someday. Back to Table of Contents

My Life (Imaginary Autobiography) by Erika Matsuyama

Read other essays by Erika Matsuyama My name is Erika Pinemountain. I am seventy years old. I have not lived such an easy life. However, I know God has always helped me. I am not sure how long I have to live, and I hope that my life and experience will help my grandchildren, so I will write my biography for them. I was born on April 14, 1980 in Kumamoto, Japan. My father hoped that I would become a cosmopolitan, so he named me "Erika." My parents were LDS, and I grew up in an LDS family. I didn't go to kindergarten because my mother wanted to bring up her children by herself. However, I learned many things from her. She taught me reading and writing, some music, and English. When I was three years old, she made me enter a music school for three-year-old children, but I didn't like the class, and I stopped studying music before the end of the program. I loved reading books, and I had already read many children's books before I entered elementary school. When I was five years old, I wrote my first original story. My

parents praised me, and I decided to become a writer for children. As you know, I am now a writer for children! I don't have special memories from my elementary school times. If I dare to write one, it is my baptism. I was baptized by my father as many LDS children are. I was very nervous, and bled at the nose before the meeting, but the meeting was very good. After my baptism and confirmation, I felt the Holy Ghost very strongly. When I was a high school student, I went to China. I met one of my good friends, Jie Chin, in China. We had a very good time there. She told me she wanted to become a doctor. As you know, Dr. Chin is very famous in the world now. I lived in Kumamoto until the end of 1999. After that, I was introduced to the United States. I studied English at the ELC at BYU. I had a very good time in the ELC. After that, I entered BYU-Hawaii in January, 2001. I studied linguistics. I went on a mission to Mongolia in June of 2001. Mongolian pronunciation was very difficult for me, and I had many troubles in Mongolia. My companions were almost all Mongolian, and they helped me with my Mongolian. I often had a hard time of it, but I experienced many blessings from God. I loved to convey the message of the gospel to people. My testimony and faith became strong on my mission. I have never regretted that I went on a mission. After my mission, I came back to the U.S.A. and continued my education, and I met Joe Pinemountain. His major was archaeology, but he also took linguistics classes. In some of those classes, we were classmates. We often helped each other study. He was also a returned missionary. He went on a mission to San Francisco. I agreed with him very much. We married in the Salt Lake Temple in June of 2004. We continued our education, and we graduated from the university in 2007. After graduating, he became an archaeologist and a professor, and I became a writer for children. Our life hasn't been easy. My husband needed much money for his investigation and excavation. His salary wasn't enough, my name wasn't known in the world yet, and we had to pay back our student loans. I had to work many part-time jobs, for example, at the register of grocery stores and restaurants. In such a state of things, our first son Seiji was born on August 5, 2008. His name means "Holy Governor" in Japanese. We had a hard life, but he became our sun. He brought hope for our life. Our life became harder than before, but I kept writing with hope. I often translated many good books. My first work was the translation of my father's book. He wrote a book from his journal of his testimony and faith that he kept as he traveled around the world. The translation was the best one of my dreams. After the translation, this book was read by many people in the world, and helped their testimonies and faith. After I finished the translation of the book, our second child and first daughter was born. We named her Lena. She was a weak baby, and she often got fevers. We always worried about her, but we loved her so much. In such a state of things, I wrote a story about a girl modeled after my daughter. The story was a great success. After that, my name became famous, and my stories started to sell well.

We had many problems with money, because archaeology is a job that required a lot of money, and Joe always needed much money. Even with his professor's salary and the money I earned with my books, it wasn't enough. We had already had six children, and Lena was as weak as ever, but we kept having hope. However, no matter how hard our life was, we knew we loved each other. Whenever Joe went to an excavation, I followed him and helped with his work. One of my dreams was to write stories with historical themes. After several years passed, I wrote a story from those experiences. One of his uncles was rich, and he read the story, and he became his supporter. The next year, 2023, my husband discovered a great ruin in Argentina! His name become famous in the world. We were very glad and happy about his success. Our life was not easy, but we always knew God would help us. Now, I have forty grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. I will tell you, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren, when you meet some difficult things or hard trials, please remember my life and that God will always help you. I have been writing for too long. I want to write more, but I get tired, so, I will write more next time. Now, I finish my story. Back to Table of Contents

My Life (Imaginary Autobiography) by Yumi Ogawa Read other essays by Yumi Ogawa I love taking care of my rose garden. It is a small garden. Time is passing so fast. When we bought this house, we planted many small trees. It tells me that I have become old. The wind is blowing through those trees; I can hear the sound of leaves. It is a nice day. I'm thinking back on the 70 years of my life. It's a very short time. I used to have beautiful black hair. It has become grayish. My husband has already passed away, but I'm not sad. I'm enjoying my life. When I was 24 years old, I moved to the U.S.A. for school. I was learning English at the BYU ELC. After studying at that school, I entered BYU. My major was filmmaking. I learned about making movies. It was a very fun time for me. After my graduation, I found employment in Hollywood. I became an assistant director to Stephen Spielberg. Day by day, I learned a lot of techniques from my work. One day, a very famous director called me for a new movie. He said "I want you to do it!" It was my dream. I wanted to direct a movie when I turned 31 years old. It was a big chance to become a famous film director in the world. This movie is calledThe Matrix of Geisha. Yes, it is still highest grossing film in the world. I know that you can't believe this old grandmother was a miraculous film director! When we wrapped up the filming, we had a party. I met my husband there; his name is Tom. He is not too cute, but he has a lot of techniques for acting. He can grasp the character's feelings very quickly. It's amazing. I had never seen that kind of acting in

my life. I was interested in him. He was extremely kind to everybody, so I couldn't leave him alone. He is a funny man. I felt that he would always sacrifice something for another person. I love this part of him. Before our marriage, we had many dates, and eventually fell in love. Tom was not a member of the LDS church. I wanted to marry him, but I couldn't do it because of my faith. I trusted God. He gave me a lot of blessings. I just wanted obey to God. Most LDS members marry in the temple, because we know how important eternal marriage is. My desire was to be sealed forever with my husband. I couldn't take the next step to marry him. I decided to break up this relationship. When I told him my feelings, he was so sad. He didn't want to lose me. Actually, he wanted to marry me. He promised that he would take the missionary discussions. We prayed every day. He began to understand truth day by day. He was soon baptized and we got married in the Salt Lake Temple when I was 33 years old. After The Matrix of Geisha, I didn't make any movies anymore. I wanted to focus on one thing perfectly! It was my family. Even though Tom didn't go on a mission, he became a bishop. He tried to carefully live his faith. He is a perfect man for our family. Everybody still misses him. We had 10 children together. Some of our children have wonderful artistic talents, one has math abilities, and one has cooking talents. I'm so glad about it. My children became an actor, a teacher, a doctor, a good wife and mom, and a pianist, too. All of the children are good active members of the church. I am proud of them. Now,I have 100 grandchildren. They are my treasures. Tomorrow is my birthday. I will turn 70 years old. All my children and grandchildren are going to come for my birthday party. I'm very happy about this happiness in my family. I have really enjoyed my life. Today a hummingbird also came to my garden. I appreciated my God for my peace. I just directed one movie in my life, but this life is like a movie. Everybody is a star in their own life. I hope you also can spend great time in your life. You will be able to tell your great life to somebody. I can feel that my husband is still loving me in the Heaven. Please wait for me, Tom. I will go someday. We can be together forever someday. I love you. Thank you so much for everything. Back to Table of Contents

My Life's History by Silvia Rodriguez Read other essays by Silvia Rodriguez My name is Silvia Raquel Rodriguez Flores. I am 18 years old. I am from Honduras. I have in my family three brothers, one sister, and my mom. I am the third in my family. My birthday is on June 29th, 1981. In my life I have bad and good experiences, but a fantastic life overall. These experiences help me to be happy, and I learn from them every day of my life.

I started kindergarten when I was 4 years old and I finished it at 6 years old. In the kindergarten, I had very good times. There I made my first good friends in all my life, and I remember them for the games that we played together. Later, I started elementary school when I was 6 years old. I remember school very well, because at first I was so scared of the boys. They were bigger than I was. Also, I didn't know how to talk with them about soccer, their favorite topic. However, I made friends there and I liked to study, do my homework, play with my friends, and talk with them about cartoons on television. In fact, I really enjoyed this time in my childhood. I finished elementary school when I was 12 years old. I was ready to go to junior high school to learn new things and make new friends there. After elementary school, I went to junior high school. It was bigger and had more students than elementary school. There I had more teachers than I had before. My new friends were very friendly and some of them were shy, especially the girls. In junior high, my favorite classes were Spanish and science. On the other hand, I didn't like math. As a result of that, I had to study this more to have good grades. Otherwise, I was not going to have vacations or enjoy future vacations. I could reach my goal by studying hard and not going out with my friends too much. When I was studying in junior high school, I went to all the activities there. In particular, I liked most the dancing and games activities, because I could spend more time with my friends. I really like to remember these moments from junior high because I still have friends from my junior high school days. In other words, we are very good friends. I remember these happy moments with them and we laugh about it. I finished junior high school and had to go to high school when I was 15 years old. I was not really excited, because I was afraid of the new experiences there, and I knew I wasn't going to have my friends from junior high. In fact, I was going to have more responsibility in high school. However, when I started high school, things were better than I thought. I remember I came and I went with my older brother, because he was my classmate in high school. We were together all the time. Some students came up to us and we began to talk with them. At that moment, I made new friends and we talked about our experiences at junior high. It was during that time that I started to see guys with different eyes, because before they were only friends. Later, I liked them very much. I remember one of them in particular; he was a good friend. His name is Carlos. He was taller than me, with black hair, white skin, and gray eyes. He was so cute and sweet with me, but my brother didn't like him, so I didn't talk with him so much. At first I felt bad, but later I got to know more guys. I enjoyed high school not only for my friends, but also because I learned many things there and the teachers were very good people. My experiences in high school are memorable moments for me. I made trips to parks, beaches, and important places of my country. My friends and I enjoyed these moments because we told jokes, played, told stories, and went to parties at my friends' houses. I won't forget these moments. When I remember these moments, I want to come back to the past to live it again. My friends and I were sad when the school year finished, because some of us were going to different universities. On the other hand, we were happy for our progress and our new, important steps in our lives.

We went to the National University of Honduras to study hard and have fun there. I started in the university in 1998, but I couldn't finish it because I came to the United States to study English. I was so excited! In fact, it is a great idea to come here to know about different countries and customs and to enter at Brigham Young University. That is where I want to study to be a lawyer or maybe a nurse. I am not sure yet. Also, I want to travel around this country to know more about it and have fun. I am excited for the many opportunities I have here and I will have. I will study hard to be better every day. In other words, I will be happy every day in my life. Back to Table of Contents

The Life of Tom Cruise and Zeika (Imaginary Autobiography) by Zeika Rodriguez Read other essays by Zeika Rodriguez When I was 27 years old, I went to Los Angeles, California with some of my friends. One day I was walking along the Walk of Fame when I suddenly saw a famous person. He was Tom Cruise, and he talked with me for a long time. He asked me out on a date. I went out with him a couple of times. Later, I got a contract to work in Mission Impossible 3. I worked with him in this movie. This movie was the most famous of all his movies. I got two Oscars for being the best actress at this time. Sometime later, Tom Cruise broke up his engagement with Nicole Kidman. He was sad for a long time, but he was better later. We were working together in a lot of movies and we obtained success. Later, we were dating about four months. One day we went to dinner, and he proposed to me. That night was very special, romantic, and unforgettable. He learned the gospel and he became LDS. One year later, I got married with him in the San Diego Temple. We went on a honeymoon. We traveled to different countries like Australia, France, Japan, and other countries. Later, we came back to Los Angeles because he had to work in Hollywood. We lived in Beverly Hills in the Cruise mansion. When I was 30 years old, I had my first baby, and his name is Tom like his father. That moment was very special to us. When I was 48 years old, we got a mansion in Cancun. I loved this house, because we could always rest very well. Later, we moved to Australia because Tom was working there and I wanted to be with him forever. He is very loving, and he loves me with his whole heart. We were always together in whatever country. When he became 80 years old, he didn't work any more. We got houses around the world, and a lot of cars, too. We had only one son. Tom, Jr. got married, and he had five sons. Tom, Jr. is not an actor. He is a businessman. When we became old, we didn't work again because we had enough money to live comfortably. We have traveled to different places. We always have been together. We are in love like when we were engaged.

Back to Table of Contents

My Life by Mora Siregar

Read other essays by Mora Siregar My name is Mora Siregar. I am usually called Mora. I was born on September 7, 1971 in Batam, Indonesia. I am the youngest child of my parents. There are five members in my family. My older brother Dame lives in Batam. He is one year older than me. My sister Vera lives in Missouri in the United States, and she is four years older than me. The three of us are married. The happiest time in my life was my childhood, because my parents love me very much. They are very patient with their children. They never beat me, even when they were angry. I was four years old when I went to kindergarten. My mother patiently escorted and picked me up every school day. I was a tearful kid at that time. Once, my mother found me crying, because my friends had teased me. She rushed to comfort me with candy or chocolate. I always miss her. Two years later, I went to primary school. I walked to get the school by myself every day, because it was close to my house. I studied at the primary school for six years, and then I went on to junior high school in 1983. Its name is SMP III. My father bought me a motorcycle, because I got good grades when I finished my junior high school. I rode it every day to get school. I cleaned it up and took care of it, because I loved it. Actually, I still like to ride a motorcycle. It is like my pet. However, it is only a thing. Perhaps I'll buy a big motorcycle like Harley Davidson if I have much money. I will ride it on the weekend to the beach or just for going around. In 1986, I began attending senior high school. The school's name is SMA II. It was a well-known school in my hometown. At this time, I was changed a little. I always went out with my friends rode our motorcycles. I was almost never at home. Because of this, my grades dropped. My father was so angry, that he sold my motorcycle. My parents figured out my problem. As a result, they sent me to another city for school. They thought to separate me from my friends. I moved to Medan and began school there in 1988. I finished my senior high school at SMA I in Medan. I got my good grades back, because I rarely went out from my apartment. I always studied in my room and concentrated. I continued my education at North Sumatera University in Medan in 1989. I chose management for my major, because I dreamed of becoming a successful manager someday. I soon became active in a campus organization called GMNI (Gerakan Mahasiswa Nasional Indonesia). It was made up of many different kinds of students. In particular, there were people from a variety of religions, cultures, and manners. However, we adapted to one another and became one.

My third year in the university, I was chosen as a leader in the organization. It was a busy time after that. As a consequence, I neglected my studies. I concentrated on the organization, and rarely attended the classes. Suddenly, I felt like I had just woken up from my dream. Most of my friend at the same level finished their studies. I pushed myself to finish my studies quickly, because I knew that I already wasted my time. Finally, I got my degree in 1996. I went back to Batam after my graduation. I found my first job at a manufacturing company there. I worked as a human resources supervisor at last. I learned a lot at that time. I often met the government officers and the employee organization. I quit the company in 1998 to set up my own business. I decided to do it, because I couldn't progress in my career. It was impossible for me to replace my manager. Every manager in my company must be Japanese. I chose to be a supplier of companies. I provided office supplies to the companies. I earned a little bit more money than when I was an employee of the manufacturing company. I met my lovely wife in 1998. Her name is Elsya Novitri. I am in love with her, because she is beautiful and a very kind girl. She treats me kindly, therefore I always miss her wherever I am. We got married after dating for five months. She works at a telecommunication service company in Batam. We met when I went to her company to register my cellular phone. She impressed me very much. Late in 1999, after running my office supply company for one and a half years, I thought there was no improvement in my business. I talked it over with my family. I called up my sister, and she suggested that I come to the United States to study. I agreed with her and began to prepare to go. She picked out the English Language Center in Provo for me, because she knew the ELC has a good program for studying English. In April 2000, I left my hometown to go to the United States. I have been here ever since then. In fact, it is hard for me to live separate from my wife, but we both know that is good for our future. Now, I am taking classes at the English Language Center in the third level. Hopefully, I will get my English perfect here. So far, I have enjoyed my life very much. I have no regrets, although I have always made some mistakes in my life. I just think that I have gained valuable experiences through my mistakes. I will always remember this for my future. I will take a chance, and I won't waste my time anymore, because I want to realize my aspirations. I want to be a successful manager at a big company someday. Back to Table of Contents

I am 70 Years Old Now (Imaginary Autobiography) by Naruo Toda Read other essays by Naruo Toda I was born in Tokyo, Japan on Oct, 10, 1978. I went to kindergarten near my house. After finishing kindergarten, I went to elementary school. I went to this school from elementary until I left for the university. My school's name is "Gakushuin." I went to this school when I lived in my house with my parents in Japan. I was a student in the same school for fifteen years.

After finishing school, I got a job. I worked as a banker. Then I got married when I was twenty-five years old. My wife is Japanese, and she was a fellow student in the university. Before we got married, she lived near my house. Her name is Tomoko, and she is one year older than me. I can describe her easily. She likes modern art and makes some artwork. She and I often go to the art museum together. When we were university students, we liked Salvador Dali's pictures and his objects. She also practices Japanese traditional martial arts with me. We also liked to spend time in coffee shops. Tomoko liked cafes more than I did. At that time she said, "My dream is making my own style of café. It's not too big, but I want many people to feel comfortable when they come here." She often said that to me. Now she has succeeded in her dream. She has her café. There are many of our paintings, artwork, and other objects there, but almost all of the artwork is by her. Sometimes our friends come here. This space is always warmed by many people's happy conversation. I like this café. When I was thirty years old, we had two children. One was a boy--his name is Narusuke-- and the other was a girl--her name is Narumi. The boy was born when I was twenty-eight. The girl was born when I was twenty-nine. They were very cute. Now they are married and living a good life. We are living in Tokyo Japan, now, too. My house has a little yard where my wife enjoys gardening. We have one Japanese room, and sometimes I and my wife practice martial arts together. We like sports. My family often spends time outdoors. We like the outdoors. We often used to go to the mountains for snowboarding and skiing. My son likes snowboarding like me. However, my daughter doesn't like snowboarding, because she thinks it is a very dangerous sports. Tomoko thinks so, too, so Tomoko and my daughter go skiing when we go to the mountain. Normally, we went to the mountains in the winter during our winter vacation. Now, I and Tomoko can't go there, because we are very old people now, so we can't move sharply. My son's and daughter's families go to the mountains even now, though. I heard them say that last week on the phone. When I was forty years old, I was promoted in my job. I became a vice-chairman. I had no time, and it was very hard work at that time, because now I had many clients at my bank. All the time I am being called at my office and my house. When I was sixty-five years old, I retired from my job. After I retired, I started oil painting and creating some art objects. Because my wife likes modern art, I was influenced by her. It is fun for me. Now I am seventy years old. I and Tomoko send happy and peaceful life everyday. I'd like to keep this lifestyle until I die. Back to Table of Contents

My Autobiography by Syoung Kyoung Yoon Read other essays by Syoung Kyoung Yoon

I was born Soung Nam, Korea on 15th of November 1970. There were 6 members in my old family, my parents, older sister, older brother, younger sister and me. Now I have a new family with my wife and my coming baby. Except my wife, I like my mother above all. She is the most loving person in my family. When I was 7 years old, I entered elementary school. It was located near my house. My friends were naughty boys but they were good to me. I missed them so much. In 1983, I found out about the LDS church through my older sister. The church was very interesting to me. Three months after the my first visit to the church, I decided to get baptized. I can forget the day of my baptism. Because my baptism cloth was big, I couldn’t control it so that I had to the ceremony for 3 times. To stay in the water for long time during the winter wasn’t good. My body was pretty cold but my mind was warm inside. When I graduated from Shin Gu college, I had to think about what I was going to do for my future. After I retired from the Korean army, I entered the LG credit company which is one of the 3 biggest company in Korea. In 1996, I met a pretty woman at a church meeting. I could feel that she was the right one for my eternal life. In1997, I was married to Seongoung Yoon who is my wife now. She is very intelligent, clever, beautiful and good. I’m so happy with her. In 1998, I wanted to study more so, I and my wife to decided to come to America for my education. Even I left my county and friends now, I love them so much so that I wish I could go back to them and serve them in the future. To do that, I know, I have to study hard and be successful here. I will do my best to be a great person. Back to Table of Contents