AN imPERFECT LIFE is a work of fiction based upon true principles of life. As the title implies, life on earth was never meant to be perfect because "Imperfection" is what creates character, from which to grow as we each strive to develop our imperfect self into a more Christlike character, preparing to one day return to the eternal embrace of our loving Heavenly Father, and made perfect through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Life is hard in this remote Guatemalan village, where the only work available to the parents of nine-year-old Maria Luiz is in the local textile factory, demanding twelve-hour work days of both parents, leaving little time to raise their daughter. Maria grows weary of being on the receiving end of life's disappointments and, at age fourteen, becomes pregnant. Her mother discovers her condition only a few weeks before full term but drags her daughter to the local abortion clinic with the intent to rid Maria of this major hardship for the family. The trauma causes Maria to give birth, but she is lied to by the doctor and her mother and is told the baby has died. Maria learns from a compassionate nurse that her baby is a boy but is not told that the boy was sent to a Catholic Convent many miles away to be raised and educated until he could be adopted by anxious parents willing to pay a fee. Young Paulo is born with a few defects... but his most serious issue is his anger toward life in general and to the parents who conceived but deserted him, leaving Paulo unforgiving... until Annette Tone and her husband Richard, from Utah, USA, come to the orphanage with the hope of adding to their family. Annette notices Paulo and feels an immediate connection, leading to adoption... but then "life happens," followed by unthinkable trials, one after another. Paulo's story is inspired by a true story of a young man's pathway to forgiveness and the unseen perils encountered as he makes his way over one hill... only to find another, taking the reader into the realm of surprises, challenges, and spiritual connections, as Paulo is given a choice to be bitter or better. What path would you choose? The path Paulo will take is waiting for you to discover-and experience the taste of forgiveness, lingering long within the very core of the Savior's atonement. You will treasure this experience.
