COMMUNICATION -
     This value is defined as the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else.
     This value is one of the most important and often most difficult of all the values.  I have found in my life that if you can master the art of communication, you can relate very well with the different personalities and different situations.  In my mind, communication is everything!  If a person can master communication with their family, friends, and associates, then they can have a great influence in their lives and others around them.  
     We all know there are different forms of communication.  There are the words we speak which can have a powerful influence (for good or bad).  Words we say can build people up for good or tear people down.  Words are one of the most powerful tools that we have in our world today.  They can inspire and motivate people to make a change or to continue to do their best.  How we approach situations, how we react, and what we SAY will dictate what happens into the future.  It's not always easy to say the right things at the right time.  But, if one continues to learn and make an effort, one can master the art of communication.  The desire has to be there.  There are some that are given the "gift of communication" and know what to say and how to say it at any given time.  Most of us have to make an effort and learn how to effectively communicate.
     There are 5 Habits of Highly Effective Communicators that are mentioned by Susan Tardanico about leadership and communication.
1.  Mind the say-do gap.  This is all about trust, which is the bedrock of effective leadership.  Your behavior is your single greatest mode of communication, and it must be congruent with what you say.  If your actions don't align with your words, there's trouble.
2.  Make the complex simple.  Simplicity has never been more powerful or necessary.  Effective leaders distill complex thoughts and strategies into simple, memorable terms that colleagues and customers can grasp and act upon.  Say what you mean in as few words as possible.
3.  Find your own voice.  Let your values come through in your communication.  Concentrate on being distinct and real.  People want real, not someone pretending to be someone else.
4.  Be visible.  Communicate face to face, rather than by computer or your phone.  Interact face to face.  Show people that you are engaged and care about them.
5.  Listen with your eyes as well as your ears.  Stop, look, and listen.  Good leaders know how to ask good questions, and then listen with both their eyes and ears.
     There are the non-verbal forms of communication such as body language which includes facial expression, gestures, posture, and the eyes.  These non-verbal forms are just as important and may even be more important.  What's interesting is that non-verbal forms are universal.  In going to Tonga, we don't speak their language and some of the Tongans have little ability to speak English.  But, we can communicate in a very powerful and effective way with our non-verbal forms of communication.  A SMILE can go a long way.  When you see someone smiling at you, it can be contagious.  You may not be able to talk the same language, but you can share smiles and in some way, you know exactly what is being said.  There is a lot of power in a SMILE.  
     The other non-verbal form that I want to talk about is the eyes.  When you look at someone, what is the first thing you look at?  It is usually a person's smile or their eyes.  Both the mouth and the eyes communicate powerful messages.  I love it when I see people smiling with their eyes.  You look at what their eyes are saying and you can tell that they are happy people.  I love to see the wrinkles around people's eyes because I know that they smile a lot and are optimistic, happy people.  You can tell a lot about a person in their eyes.  I love the quote from Star Wars that says, "I have lived long enough to see the same eyes in different people."  That is so true.  People that are productive, happy people have the same eyes.  It is my goal to see those eyes in our children and our grandchildren.  In the Tongan culture and the polynesian people, I see those happy and pure eyes.  I am looking forward to learning more about them as a people and the values that they hold dear to their hearts.
 Some claim that it takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 muscles to smile.  So SMILE, it's much easier!  :)  A smile is the universal language.  It's understood by ALL.  In Tonga, we will SMILE until we can start to understand the Tonga people in one way or another.

CHANGE -
     This value is defined as to make different in some particular, to replace with another, to make a shift from one to another, to give a different position, course, or direction to.
     It seems that there are just a few constants in life.  It may seem like an oxymoron, but one thing that seems to be constant in life is "Change".  There are different chapters in your life that require change and sometimes that can be difficult but rewarding.  I have found that with change, growth happens.  It may be marriage, a new child, new job, moving, etc.  Life tends to lead you into different directions all the time.  My experience has been that as you try to do the right things, the Lord will guide you as to what changes and what direction you should go.  Sometimes, you will head in one direction thinking you have a plan in place.  But then, something or someone will aim you in a different direction and "change" things up for you.  It isn't until later that you realize why things happened and why you had to go through changes to get there.  I feel that everything happens for a reason.  Change is one of those values that is constant as long as we are trying to improve ourselves and looking for ways to make a difference.  Here are a some quotes that I like about change --

"Every generation needs a new revolution."     -Thomas Jefferson-

"Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change."      -Confucius-

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only things that ever has."   -Margaret Mead-

"Dissonance in the home is like darkness in a room. ... We must displace the darkness by introducing light."  -Wilford W. Andersen-

"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking.  It cannot be changed without changing our thinking."  -Albert Einstein-

In going on this trip to Tonga, I am introducing "change" to our family.  This dental mission trip will definitely be a change of lifestyle, culture, people, language, atmosphere, weather, etc.  Through introducing this change to our family, my hope is that our children appreciate whatever situation they are in and understand that as long as they are doing the right things, serving others, they can be happy with whatever "change" life brings.  Change is something that we need to embrace and learn from our experiences.  As long as we are trying to perfect ourselves and move forward in a positive light, good change will come.  We are excited to see what this change is going to bring to our children and our family.

Personal Experience - 

     In my personal life, there have been a lot of different changes that I have gone through.  Many of you can relate I'm sure.  One change that really had a huge impact on me was when I left the first Dental practice that I was serving in.  I was working with another Dentist at another practice.  I had been working there for about 1.5 years.  I was enjoying my time there and was learning a lot from the other Dr.  He was a great Dr., well respected, and an amazing mentor.  We had planned on me joining the practice and buying in as a partner.  Everything seemed like it was going well and was on track.  About a 1.5 years into the practice, something was telling me not to sign on the dotted line to buy in as a partner.  I wasn't sure what it was, but everything became clear when the Doctor of the practice called me one night saying, "well, it happened".  What "happened" was an employee had embezzled over half a million dollars.  It was someone who I had trusted and had looked up to.  Both the Doctor of the practice and I had so many emotions going through our minds and hearts at the time, it's hard to describe.  It took me months to know exactly what it meant and how I was going to deal with it.  In the end, Heidi and I felt that it would be best to start "fresh" and do something else.  The Doctor of the practice was incredible and told me whatever I wanted to do, he would support.  He is such an incredible man and to this day, I consider him a great friend and mentor.  It was so hard to leave and do something else, but we felt it was best.  WELL, after I had made that decision and decided to "change", we had multiple miracles happen.  

     That is where I want to put the focus in sharing this.  Change is hard, but with change, I feel that you are lead in amazing directions that guide you to a better place.  After I decided to leave the practice, Heidi and I were praying to find where we were supposed to go.  At the time, the Twin Falls temple was being built and I would go over to the temple site during lunch and pray to know where it was that God wanted us to go.  One day, when I was driving home from the temple site, I had a huge impression that we were to stay here in Twin Falls.  I went home, told Heidi that I felt that we were meant to stay here in Twin Falls and open up our own practice.  Heidi said, "Is that hard to do?"  I said, "I don't have a clue, I've never done it before."  We dove head first into getting our practice up and going.  One miracle was that an office manager from a Specialty office came to me and offered me to start our practice up in their office.  We rented space for a year while our new building was being built and then moved in exactly one year later into the new building.  She was an angel that helped us out so much.  That angel was Andy Daily.  Another Angel was Dr. Dallin Young.  He asked us what our plans were while we were getting our practice up and going.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do for a period of about 5 months.  He offered me to come to his Pediatric practice and fill in for him.  That provided the income for our family while we were getting our practice started.
     We started Summit Dental Care in 2007.  The "financial crash" happened later that year and 2008.  When I got the loan for our practice it was right before everything happened with the recession.  If we tried to get the loan 8 months later, we would not have been able to.  What a great miracle.
     We have been blessed with so many great patients and opportunities to serve.  It is because of change that brought so many wonderful things into our lives.  Change has provided personal growth, opportunities to give to others, and blessings to our family.  Thank you for being a part of that change.

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