We think that you are very brave to ask parents to talk about their own children; you may get a few novels. We will try not to capitalize on your time with the opportunity. Thanks for caring about and leading our eldest son, Elder Harr! It is his dream come true to come to Taiwan on his mission, and he knows that it is not a coincidence.
Jed is the oldest of eight children in our home. His littlest sister was born just a month ago, and he hasn‟t seen her. He seeks to be totally obedient and would not even consider asking special permission to see her prior to his departure for Taiwan. We are attaching two photos because we don‟t have any with everyone together.
Jed‟s family nickname is “One in a Million” because that is what he is! We are sure you will quickly agree that he lives up to this name!!
Two of Jed‟s strongest spiritual gifts are the gift of obedience and the gift of hard work. Jed started working in construction with his Grandpa by the age of four (4). He had his own tool belt, and his job was often to pull all the nails out of the used boards so that no one would get hurt on them. Other construction workers would notice that he was obedient to his Grandpa and would stay and pull nails until his Grandpa told him it was time to go home, or there were no more nails to pull. He also helped his mother manage storage units and would sweep the parking lot or empty units, scrub graffiti off of the buildings, and help with repairs to the security locks.
Jed is compassionate and service oriented. When Jed was five (5) years old our family moved to Tennessee to go to law school, far from other relatives. Even at that early age, he knew about compassion and helping others. One night we learned that one of the families I (his Mom) visit taught was moving, and we went to their home to help. Upon arriving, we asked how we could be of assistance, and the mother of the family proceeded to ask if we would please go get her family dinner. We were at the time poor law students, with three young children in our family, we didn‟t have much. The mother of this family had no idea what she was asking of us. Jed and I took notes on what the family wanted including hamburgers for this family of five from a local fast food place complete with shakes, fries, etc. In a panic, I went home not knowing how I would pay for the food they were asking for. I went to my bedroom to pray and cry, wondering where I would find the money to pay for the food requested for this family. It wasn‟t long before Jed knocked on my door with his coin bank. His Grandparents had sent him some cash for his birthday, and he had dug it from his bank, and stood there ready to go get the food for that family. I wept. Jed had precisely the amount we needed to buy dinner for that family. We bought the dinner, helped them load boxes, and worked for a few hours, and then returned home for a simple meal from our own food storage, prayers answered and a good deed done with miraculous help from a very young angel (age 5).
It was while we were in Tennessee that Jed was to start kindergarten. He did attend school… for two weeks. We had previously participated in a co-op school where we saw excellent examples of homeschooling modeled. It was during that co-op time that Jed memorized all the Articles of Faith, and was recognized by the primary with a special plaque for being four years old and knowing all thirteen perfectly! After two weeks of school we decided that all day kindergarten for our little boy wasn‟t right, at least not for that year so far from all other family. Jed didn‟t go back to public school until he was ready for college classes (at the age of 14). Today we send Jed Harr (now age 19) to you with an Associate of Science Degree from Dixie State College, needing only 18 credits to complete his Bachelor Degree from Southern Virginia University where he has played as the center on the basketball team for the past year.
Jed knows how to set goals, and works hard towards accomplishing those dreams. His Eagle Scout project stands as a great example of his ability to catch a vision, and go on to accomplish difficult tasks! Jed completed his Eagle project at the age of 14. His project was to build trash bag racks and provide trash bags to the local state parks to help clean up the beaches. He raised over $14,000 for trash bags against all doubts that it could be done! It is a great project which has significantly impacted the cleanliness of the lake even this year, 5+ years later! Jed lives and exemplifies the Scout Law in being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Jed has attended, and then later enjoyed serving on staff for many Boy Scouts of America Youth Leadership Training Camps over the past summers including Timberline and On-Belay.
Jed decided at a very young age that he wanted to play high school basketball. He played for the local high school while taking predominately college classes. Then after graduating with his Associates Degree while his school mates graduated from high school, he decided he wasn‟t done playing basketball, and he set out to find a college he could play for even without a coach helping him! He decided he wanted to play for a Christian school, and preferably one on the East coast (to my chagrin). Within a few short weeks, he had several scholarship offers to play, two on the East coast, exactly what he had prayed for! As his mom, I couldn‟t believe that he would really go that far away from home, but he wasn‟t afraid! One of those two schools was an evangelical Christian School in upstate New York. One afternoon the coach called from that school, concerned for Jed. With him on speaker phone, I listened as the coach explained the possible prejudices Jed would face as the only Mormon on campus, regretfully as he really wanted Jed to play on his team. Jed was quick to reply positively to his concern. Jed explained that he knew how it felt to be different, and wasn‟t afraid. Jed told Coach Zarges that he had never fit in, first as a Mormon in our community in Tennessee, then as a home school student playing basketball at the high school, and even just as a young man who stands 6‟8” with size 18 feet. He assured the coach that he was up for the challenge and in fact anxious for the opportunity. A few days later Jed and his Dad flew to New York to visit the two schools, and make the decision about where he would attend. At the close of the first day, Jed said he really wanted to stay at Coach Zarges school. After prayer, impressions came that they should find the LDS branch that he would attend if he attended that school. They located the nearest chapel, which was about 60 miles away to the closest branch. To get there he had to travel partially on a dirt road to that LDS branch, and the only way there would be via bike alone on that road through the rainy Fall months ahead. After getting back to the hotel Jed prayerfully reconsidered (a neat story for another time), and decided to attend Southern Virginia University instead. SVU is predominately LDS, but still some 1500 miles away from his home in St. George, Utah. So his Dad left him in Virginia and came home alone while Jed started school.
Hindsight on the past year; we believe that it was a great training opportunity for all of us to prepare to send Jed to serve the Lord. Jed learned invaluable lessons while at SVU. He learned about living with others, there were eleven male students living the same modular home, only two of which were active in the church. He has cooked for himself for the past year, washed all his own laundry, and lived that far from any family members, most of the time with only a bike for his transportation. The closest grocery and hardware stores were 5-10 miles away in a neighboring town. We chuckle as we think about the days he called, pleased that he had successfully arrived back at his „mod‟ with one cinder block at a time so that he could raise his bed off the floor to allow for storage under his bed. Jed finds a way where there is no road, and accomplishes amazing feats! In short, he creates happiness where ever he is.
Jed‟s confidence and ability to succeed is based completely on his reliance on the Lord. He has always known that his Father in Heaven is near, and hears and answers his prayers. He has been well prepared for his mission by our Stake President through a Mission Prep class taught weekly from Preach my Gospel which Jed has attended for a couple of years, as well as a mission prep class at Southern Virginia University. He has read the Book of Mormon more than a half a dozen times, both as a family and personally. I miss walking down the hall to find his light on and his Book of Mormon in hand.
Jed does not fit the stereotypical “socially awkward” homeschooler that many expect when they hear he has been exclusively homeschooled. In fact, we challenged Jed to follow the For the Strength of Youth instructions especially with regards to relations with other teens. Jed has dated a lot… a lot of different girls that is! He was challenged to date 100 different girls before his mission, and to kiss none of them, and we think he reached that goal. He doesn‟t have a girl friend, but rather many friends! He knows how to be a gentleman according to traditional USA culture, and is teachable and anxious to learn about Asian cultures and ready to be totally obedient in following mission rules.
Our family is very close. Despite being 1500 miles from home for the past year, Jed has close relationships with even his youngest brother (nearly 4 years old). He is looked up to and respected by all of his younger siblings (with the only exception being his newest sister just from heaven). Unlike many families, we don‟t have much quarreling and contention in our home, but rather consider each other our best friends! As the oldest, Jed has led the way in showing respect, loyalty, love and compassion. He has modeled working hard, and playing hard together, following the Proclamation to the World in being a family “established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.” Our family slogan is “Smile Adventures begin at home, and carry love around the globe.” These close relations have made our separation from Elder Harr a test of obedience, an opportunity to learn as a family our dedication to and faith in our Father in Heaven and His plan. It was Elder Harr who pointed out that he is fulfilling our family mission by carrying that Love now around the globe!
Actions speak louder than words, perhaps for a great introduction to Jed Harr, may we suggest you ask him to cut your hair, fix your bike, make Curry Chicken for dinner, put a starter in your car (or put a lift kit under it if you‟d like) and serenade you with a scouting favorite “The Greatest Adventure” which he sang to us on the way to the MTC.
It is our prayer that Elder Harr will bring as much joy to you, the people of Taiwan, and his Heavenly Father as he does to us!
Sincerely,
Brad and Marta Harr