Her Story:
My divorce was
finalized and it was my first time ever attending a single adult ward. I had no
idea what to expect, but I was nervous. I was a new convert who had already
fallen away from the church for a short time, who was recently divorced, and 26
years old. Was this where I belonged? At that moment I thought about turning
around and running the other way. I went in to find a seat when a girl with a
bright smile came up to me and introduced herself and asked who I was. We
talked for a moment and she asked if I would like to come to an activity on
Friday. I was hesitant, but I agreed to go. She said that she would not be
there until late, but she would be sending some friends to pick me up. I gave
her my information and that was that. I found my seat and enjoyed my first
Sunday in the Single’s Ward.
When Friday came
around I was nervous. I dressed up in my best western clothes (it was a western
theme) and a girl knocked on my door. I went with her and two of her guy
friends. It was easy to talk to them and become friends. It was amazing to me
how open they were to being my friend even though we had never met. We went to
this event at the barn and ate dinner. We then watched the Pie eating contest
in which the two guys said to cheer for their roommate. So we clapped loudly
for their roommate as he inhaled his pie and won first place in the contest. We
continued our evening as it was winding down we were asked to take some chairs
back to church. As we were putting the chairs away I walked past the roommate
who had just won the contest and he muttered something about it being cold to
which I smiled and continued walking. My
new friends invited me to come hang out at their house and watch a movie. We
went to a large house where I was informed that these two guys plus three more
lived. We went downstairs and started to watch America’s Most Funniest Videos.
My friend sitting next to me pointed at each person and told me who they were.
She gave me a brief story of them all and then she got to the two guys on the
end of the couch who were jokingly cuddling under a blanket. She pointed at the
pie eating contest winner and said, “That is Clint, but he doesn’t talk much to
girls.”
Fast forward a couple
of weeks to church I had brought some old friends with me. We were sitting at
Linger Longer (dinner after church) when she pointed at the contest winner and
said that boy in the striped sweater is cute to which I stated, “Don’t bother
apparently he doesn’t talk to girls.” Later that evening I was invited back to
the house to watch a movie. When I arrived there were couches on cinder blocks
to make stadium seating and a sheet with projector on the wall. We all took our
seats for the movie. Right near me was the contest, sweater wearing guy who had
yet to utter a word to me. We watched the movie and as it ended I said
something to him. We then started to talk. I don’t remember much of what was
said other than he asked me if I would go camping with him and I explained it
was winter. He then informed me we could go in an igloo. We talked for a couple hours and at about 2 am
he stated he needed to go to bed. He got up said good night and left. I sat
there wondering if he was interested or not, but then went to find my friends
to leave. The next evening was Family Home Evening (in the single’s ward we do
this at the church). I walked in and looked around to see my friends had not
yet arrived, but I did make eye contact with Clint. I had to step out to take a
phone call from work and as I was on the phone I watched Clint walk up and down
the hall way looking around. My new friends were bringing a guy to introduce me
to so I was so preoccupied at that moment. I got my dessert and then went to
sit by the only familiar face I knew and that was Clint. We started to talk and
eventually my friends showed up with the guy they wanted me to date. They
introduced us and I said hello then turned back around to Clint. This poor guy
was invisible to me because I had already found someone who had my interest.
Clint finally asked
for my phone number and he invited me to come hang out for a while. We hung out
and talked some more. I then invited him to watch a movie with me. That was my
last day alone. We have been inseparable ever since. I was so nervous getting
in to a relationship. I was recently divorced and also dealing with a very
traumatic relationship that I still wasn’t fully done dealing with. It was only
about a week into dating Clint that we were sitting there and I told him I had
something to tell him. I laid it on the line. I told him about my divorce and
about this other relationship. I told him who it was with and all the events leading
up to it. Bad decisions I made and how I was currently repenting for all my
mistakes. I told him that if he was looking to getting married in the temple
that was not something I was able to do anytime soon because I was going thru
the repentance process. He looked at me and said, “We all make mistakes.” He
accepted my trials and we continued dating. Dating Clint was so easy. He was
such a gentleman and my friends adored him as much as I did. I adored his
family and could see why he was so loving. They welcomed me in to their home
with open arms. He was a light in my
life that was full of so much darkness. He completed me.
Marriage was a topic
that came up quickly. We looked at rings. He showed me what he liked (they were
horrific) and I showed him what I liked. When he told me he would design it
himself I was super nervous. It was a cold day in January and I had a crazy day
at work (I was a manager of a hair salon). We had plans to go on a date to
Tucanos, but I was exhausted and canceled. As it got closer to dinner time I
decided I would go. We went to dinner and he then suggested we go walk around
temple to see the progress as it was being rebuilt. We walked around and as we
arrived to the gate of the temple he got down and one knee and said that one
day he wanted to take me to be sealed in the temple. He then asked me to marry
him. I then said I had to go look at the ring first since it was dark, but then
I said yes. (Yes I love to ruin serious moments with my humor that is how I
cope so I don’t cry) I knew that my answer was always yes. Clint was and still
is a man of God. He displays so many Christ-like attributes. Often times I do
not feel worthy of a man like him. He truly was a gift sent to me from my
Heavenly Father.
His Story:
When I first met Dani I noticed that she was quiet and not much of a talker. She spent most of the night with a few other young women from the ward who we're showing her around and introducing her to the guys in the ward, most of them my roommates. I did not have much of an impression the first time because it was mostly saying hi and that was it. I do remember thinking she was really cute and that I wanted to get to know her a little more.
The next Sunday I remember seeing her come and hang out with my roommates and it gave me a reason to come and be a bit social. That night I invited her to go camping (in November) which she thought was too cold, so I suggested that we go and build some igloos. I was only half serious about it, I would build an igloo just to do it but wasn't really expecting her to go along with it, pretty much everyone isn't adventurous enough to try it out.
After seeing Dani at church and at the singles ward FHE I built up some courage and invited her to come hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings and asked for her number. All I can remember of that FHE was that I was happy and had a good time hanging out with Dani. Afterwards we also went to play some games that night where Breann was trying to get Dani to meet another guy who was interested in her. Luckily they didn't hit it off that well:) we played some game that I don't remember the name of, but at one point it had to do with chemistry and having two teams going back and forth in trying to name all the elements from the periodic table. I and the other team went back and forth for several rounds picking easy ones and then I threw out californium. They all thought I was making that one up until I blurted out out, "it's number 98 on the periodic table!" They gave up and let me have that round. Dani picked up I'm a pretty big nerd real fast.
The next time hanging out with Dani we went to Buffalo Wild Wings with a group of friends where we ended up ignoring everyone else and got to know a little about each other. After everyone else thought 11 was late enough and went home,Dani and I rented two movies and decided to go watch those at her place instead.
The next day was the Wednesday before thanksgiving and was feeling really tired so I called in sick and then went over and hung out with Dani. I had made plans to drive to Utah for that weekend but instead I stayed with Dani and we had little Caesars pizza instead. It was one of my best Thanksgivings I remember.
We dated for a few more weeks and I invited her to come with me to Utah and meet my family for Christmas. Once we got there she fit right in and the family loved her. Because it was so short notice there was no presents for Dani so my mom took some scrap book pictures of mine and quickly put together a collage to give her,which still hangs In our bedroom.
We made two trips to take pictures first at Oquirrh Mountain and then at Temple square. I remember how happy and excited we were to be there and we already were talking of wanting to get married In the temple. Two months later I took her to the Boise temple and proposed to Dani which was very daunting experience, but being in love it was the next step for us. I know Dani is who I belong with and that we are a perfect fit. I love her just as much now as I ever have and know that she is the biggest blessing in my life.
Our Story:
So that is our story of how we met. It was simple, quick and sweet. We strive to be better every day, we accept each others short comings, we center our lives on the gospel and that helps to make our marriage strong. We work at it every day. We still date and we laugh. We act like we are kids at times and then snap back in to real life. We have struggles and trials just like every one else, but we love each other unconditionally. We are eternal companions and we made those covenants two years ago( our anniversary is this week).
