DR. WALLACE: I'm 18 and a freshman at Utah State University. I have been raised in the Catholic faith. In fact, my mom's brother is a priest.

This past summer, a friend introduced me to the Mormon (Latter Day Saints) religion. I attended a few services and have decided to become a member. I like the fact that Mormons are family-oriented and forbid smoking and drinking. These are things I have always believed in and practiced.

In two months I will be a member of my new church. I know my parents will not be happy when they find out I've turned my back on the religion of my birth, but I'm 18 and need to live my life the way I want to.

Should I tell my parents now about my newfound religion or wait until I know more about LDS beliefs so I can better give them all the reasons for leaving my old church? — Nameless, St. George, Utah.

NAMELESS: Changing your religious faith is a huge decision. You are old enough to decide on your religious preference, but you owe it to your parents to discuss it with them before you make the final decision. Tell them immediately.

I'm positive the leaders of the LDS church would want you to inform your family before making your commitment to become a Mormon. It might be wise to have a member of the LDS church with you when you talk to your parents. That way many of their questions could be answered.

SET GOALS AND THEN OBTAIN THEM

DR. WALLACE: You said that teens should set goals and work diligently to reach them. Did you set goals before you attended college? And if so, did you reach them? Also, if you were not a columnist for teens, what would you like to be doing to earn a living? — Carley, Rock Island, Ill.

CARLEY: My prime goal when entering Knox College was to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in four years. I reached that goal. My next goal was to teach and be a varsity basketball coach at the high school level. Earning a Master's degree in Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, helped me reach goal number two. My educational experiences gave me the background to reach goal number three — to write a syndicated column for teens.

I thoroughly enjoyed my years as teacher and coach, and feel fortunate and privileged to be able to write a syndicated column for teens. I don't plan to change careers, but still, since you ask, there are some options that would be fun to explore.

For instance, I'd consider giving up this column to become manager of the Chicago Cubs or, perhaps, conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. And I wouldn't mind starring in a movie with Robert De Niro and Julia Roberts. Being President of Harvard University doesn't sound too bad, either.

But my chances of being a major league manager, an orchestra conductor, a screen actor, or the President of Harvard are fantasies.

Teens must set goals that might be attained within the limits of their talents. I'm also aware that one person's fantasy could well be another's talent. If teens think they can accomplish their goals, then they should go for them 100 percent!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.