Knowledge is Potential Get Some! :)

 A mind is a terrible asset to waste when not educated! So get some :) I would like to introduce more of my Mapu Side & thank leeann for her insights. Esp about the marriage life for us singles and being of a pioneer spirit for our children to follow. I love Lee's thoughts because it proves that when women cultivate a sense of purpose we truly do become our best selves in remembing the "Pay it Forward" motto.  Enjoy my sistahs I sure did perfect lee :) P.S I'm not a byu fan neither hahahaha Utes Baby! jp lee

My name is LeeAnn Tu'uaipea Volavola. My maiden name is Mapu. I'm the daughter of Jackson & Cussana Mapu. My husbands name is Ratu Kalivati Tutudua Volavola but you can just call him Kali. lol. He is from Fiji and grew up in the village of Navua. We got married on Jan. 8, 2011 and have a son Kalivati Jackson Volavola (KJ) who was born on Nov. 10, 2011. (pretty mormon of us to be married and have a kid in the same year huh? LOL) jk. but i have loved married life because i have never progressed so much in my life til this year. It really is a life i suggest to all. :) its not all good though there are struggles and definite ups and downs but it is amazing! you have a partner for life... no make that ETERNITY! =) starting our marriage in the House of the Lord has definitely blessed us. 

I even mentioned in my first blog about marriage that life is crazy but when you have someone willing to be with you throughout it well crazy doesn't seem to bad :). Motherhood you ask? BEST CALLING IN THE WORLD! you never really understand the meaning of love until you become a mother. seriously. and i don't mean just for my son. i mean my love has grown almost to the point where i don't know how my heart can hold it all in. but it does. through motherhood i've learned more about my Heavenly Fathers love for us because He gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON that we all would return to Him & being a mother you want nothing but the best for your child.

Through the sleepless nights, dirty diapers, screaming and crying. . . one smile will melt your heart. seriously, you are done once that baby arrives. hehe. can i point out that one reason i believe that Heavenly FAther wants us to get married before having children is that when you're married you learn how to not think of yourself but you have to think of you and your spouse. and this totally prepares you somewhat for being parents because it really is just not about you but for providing for your child. =) but of course that is my opinion. lol

Why did you decide to go to college?
To be quite honest in high school i had no plans for going to college. I actually just wanted to go to San Francisco and find a job. (I've always had a weird love for that place. NINERS BABY! hehe) So anyways i only went to college because i was offered a full ride athletic scholarship for vball from BYU Hawaii. Which I was totally surprised because I wasn't very good. lol. Well if you ask me it was one of those mysterious ways that the Lord works because I did not want to go to BYUH. But I did & it became one of thee greatest blessings I have received.


Another thing that helped me were the people in my life. My junior year like I mentioned my social work teacher noticed my slip in attendance, schoolwork and overall attitude. I mean of course she's a social worker right? lol. Anyways she pulled me in her office and went out of her way to help me with what i was dealing with. I will never forget her kindness in going out of her way to help me. Because of that little talk i have a degree in my backpocket. ;) & my motivation for any achievement would be my 2 gramas. Who had stressed education to me all the time and my parents who supported me through my entire education endeavors.

What did you do to keep personal problems from affecting your studying and attending? I think I explained it above. But I always thought of the many sacrifices my parents and their parents had made for their posterity to gain a better life, which means an education. And since I had such a blessed opportunity in terms of my free schooling due to the atheltic scholarship. I knew I had to take advantage of it. "Where much is given much is required" I have been given much and gaining an education would be like a payback for my parents. A way of thanking them. Why did i decide to go back to school with having a family now? Good question. I'm asking myself that right now. lol. jk. Although i know it will be a little stressful I KNOW its the best thing for my family. Because after finishing I will be able to have more job opportunities available for me when i need to work. Even though I'd love to stay at home and raise my son. The price of living in Hawaii doesn't really allow me to. Plus teacher hours are great when you have a family because you'll be at school when they are and then done when they are as well.

What do you want women young and old to learn about pursuing an education?I'm sure we have all heard that saying "Knowledge is Power. But i like the saying KNOWLEDGE IS POTENTIAL. You can gain all the knowledge in the world but if you don't do anything with that knowledge than really what is it for? i support the pursuing of education because that is how we can become our best selves. We cannot be perfect. But we can become our best self through education in all things!!! and there is no end to learning!! You can learn from anybody and anything. :)How did you keep from giving up when things got tough?I heard  a term i'm sure we all heard before.. "fake it, til you make it" well for some time this is what I did. My junior year I wanted to quit vball and school. It just didn't interest me anymore. But I just thought k I'm almost done. Jus fake a smile and go through it all one day at a time. The "fake smile" slowly but surely became a "real one" Due to the positive attitude that comes with wearing a smile (no matter fake or real). Soon O became a die hard optimist. Stocking up on positive quotes and stories from the internet and putting them all over my wall in my room! So I'd say one thing was ATTITUDE accompanied with a smile :)