31. Juan Zazueta ON: Transitions of Faith, Diversity, Humanity, Pain caused by Miscarriage, Staying engaged while dealing with difficulty and uncertainty.

Although Juan Zazueta is still a young man, with so many experiences ahead, he has a gift of engaging with perfect strangers while surrounding them with love, warmth, and concern. Juan shares about his childhood in Mexico, moving to Arizona, and how his love for people and cultures has grown so much due to his experiences as a young Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and also when he had the opportunity to work for "Connect". Connect is a company that manages and hosts large trade show events and their purpose is to connect planners with Hoteliers and Convention Centers all over the world. At one of these events is where I met Juan for the first time, and I knew right away when meeting him that he was a very sincere and Genuine man that truly had compassion for others and as a result he most often leaves others feeling better about themselves after engaging with someone.   

 

 

Juan talks about his love of Humanity and how important and beautiful Diversity is for our human family. He learned a lot taking a job with Connect and moving his little family across the country to live in Georgia, one of the most diverse cultures in America. He shares of his love for Georgia and the people he was surrounded by there.   

 

 

As happens to many of us, Juan began his career without really knowing what he wanted to do, and after his time working for connect and putting much thought into he and his families future, he committed to going back to school, Arizona State University, to get his degree and become a lawyer. During this time He and His wife Haley decided that they were ready to start a family. A short time later Haley was pregnant, they were planning to welcome in a beautiful little girl into their family and couldn't have been more excited. After weeks of a healthy pregnancy and without any warning they learned during an ultra sound that the sweet little girl was covered in Cysts and that there was a very high chance she wouldn't survive birth, let alone have a "normal life".  The Doctors presented them with the option to Abort the pregnancy, and without hesitation Haley and Juan said no, and did everything in their control to show God and their little girl that they wanted her no matter what. The next ultra sound visit came and their hearts were shattered when they saw the look in the doctors eyes and new that their beautiful little girl was no longer alive.   

 

 

Doing their best to pick up the pieces, and move forward, Juan talks about the struggle he and his wife were experiencing, and a lot of pain. They held onto each other and to their faith in God that there was much more for them and their future family. A few short months latter Hayley was pregnant again with their now son, Diego. Diego, was born a very healthy baby at 10 pounds and they couldn't be more happy and grateful to have him in their lives.   

 

 

Juan, is also wrestling with some doubts in the faith and religion that he grew up with. It has come to the point that he feels that the right thing to do for him is to walk away, which is so difficult because that religion teaches you about who you are, your relationship with God, and the purpose of life, it becomes the foundation and lens through which you rely on and view our lives with. Although he is on a path to walk away from something he knows has given him so much good and value, he realizes that this choice must not come lightly, and he will continue to focus on and seek truth even as his disengages.   

 

 

I belong to the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the very religion Juan may leave, and I know one thing to be certain... Juan loses no value to God our Father and Savior Jesus Christ. Juan's heart is good, and he truly loves and cares about others. I personally look up to Juan and support him in his decision, no matter the path it takes him on, because I know that he is my brother and God's son.

 

 

I look forward to sitting Juan and Haley down at my table, where there will always be room, to talk about all they have learned and experienced in their journey, and I have no doubt it will be a beautiful conversation.  

 

 

Juan, thank you brother. You are a great man. It was a treat to talk to you learn from you, and also connect with you on a very important matter... That Michael Jordan is indeed the G.O.A.T!!   God bless you and Hayley brother. Let's get you guys up here to Utah soon. Would love to spend sometime with you guys, and watching a true dunk master in action.