Jean Holbrook Mathews has been a student of history and geography most of her life. She served as the administrative director for an international foundation headquartered in St. Louis with chapters in five countries, including the Philippines. She has traveled in Asia and Europe and lived in the Philippines for nearly two years while on a mission with her husband for the LDS Church. During that time she studied the culture, history, geography, government, and language of that nation, learning to love the people and those beautiful islands.