Chapter 1: Missionary Mishaps With the Man I Love

Our wedding anniversary is coming up this month and I thought in honor of that I would write down how we came to be 9 years ago.

Our story begins about 11 years ago. It was a sunny California day. Excitement was in the air-it was transfers in the California Carlsbad mission and I was being transferred. I was leaving the nest. The mother bird was releasing me to fly on my own, yes, I was leaving my trainer. I was scared and a little excited. You never knew where you were going or who would be your new companion but I was ready to take it on! I was transferred to the Carlsbad 1st ward which was near the mission office and mission home. I was sooo excited to be right in the heart of the mission, and by the beach, no less! My district leader, a tall drink of water named Elder Jeppson, whom I affectionately came to refer to as "Jeppy". I knew the moment I laid eyes on him I would bear his children and clean his house! Okay, so not that dramatic but I loved him! Not in a I can't wait till it's time to call in at curfew and I didn't put on lipstick when I called in my numbers on Saturday nights or for PPI's. I never once wondered if he was dreaming about me in my green and white jumper, knee highs and Dr. Marten's. But he was one of my favorite missionaries! I know for a fact he didn't think of me as anything but a sister missionary-I didn't have a big bow in my hair and I didn't put off the "Molly Mormon" vibe, which was more his type. It didn't hurt that I had an extra 20 lbs. on me that I didn't have in the MTC but I digress...
We got ourselves into a little trouble a couple times. I was always desperate to exercise but I destroyed the 3 comps. that were willing to run with me after just a few early mornings. Not to say that I was tougher than them but it was always really early in the morning and they weren't into running. After a month in Carlsbad I became a trainer and my new comp., "Rawly" (Rawlinson), was ready and willing, she even bought shoes for the blessed event of running along the sea-wall at 5:30 in the morning, bless her heart!! ElRey's comp., DeWitt, wanted to join us so they met us there bright and early. Come to find out, ElRey wasn't a runner either and DeWitt and I slowly gained the lead. At one point we ended up on the highway above the sea-wall with our companions below. One of the members of The Elder's ward saw DeWitt and I and ONLY DeWitt and I running along Highway 1. ElRey got an earful and was not happy with his comp. and needless to say, that ended the running with them. *oops*
Another time they offered to drive us to the mall on P-day since we didn't have a car. We pretty much just wandered the mall and somehow ended up walking Sister/Elder more than Elder/Elder, Sister/Sister. It felt a little like a double date which I know was driving ElRey nuts and, again, that ended any outings with just the 4 of us.
The irony of it all is that ElRey and I were both tired and grumpy with new missionaries who were both ready and eager to get to work, and we would often joke that if we ever got married we would be the grumpiest couple ever!!! Who knew we were receiving revelation at the time!!
I was in that area for 4 months and it was one of my favorite areas. And ElRey was really one of my favorite Elders, I looked for him at every transfer but I don't think I saw him again, maybe once.
I am not one of those that will tell you my mission was the best 18 months of my life because it wasn't. It was hard and I was glad when I was done. I had awesome companions who put up with A LOT and I have a few great memories and I learned a ton about the Gospel and myself. But if the only reason was to somehow meet ElRey, then it was worth every painful time that alarm clock went off, every door slammed in my face, every heart break and every crying jag and yes, even that extra 20 lbs!! He is the best thing that EVER happened to me and there has been a lot of great things in this short life of mine! I will continue our greatest love story ever told in another chapter as this one is longer than my own attention span as it is!