The Beginning

So I was born in Ogden, Utah.. I'm kidding I wont go back that far. Other than moving 15 times, and going to Church by myself since I was 12 my life has been pretty normal. So a little of a year ago, I came to Utah to hang out with some friends for the summer. Little did I know that I would end up moving out here on my own. Except not really my family is basically divided between Tennessee and Utah, so I still had plenty of family here. So after about two weeks in Utah, I had been getting this feeling like I shouldn't leave. And to make sure I didn't ignore that little feeling, one of my friends had said you know what Jessica I really think that you need to stay out here and not go back to Tennessee. Well I listened. No job, no school to go to, no money( kinda spent it on my vacation), and basically no friends; I decided to venture out into the cruel world and leave the nest like any other baby bird wants to do. Did I know if I could fly yet? No. Just like the baby bird I took that leap of faith, and handed over my life to Heavenly Father to take care of me, since He was the one who prompted me to stay. Well it worked, less than a day of job hunting and I found a job as a nanny, and an apartment. Wow right? I know I am still surprised it happened. Although, the nanny thing only lasted about 4 months it was a great job, and definitely made me grow up.  Well I finally gave in, and decided to get a job at Chick-fil-a (this was my job in Tennessee before I moved) although I didn't really want to get another job back in fast food, but it was good. And guess what I was meant to work there. Just like the move to Utah, Heavenly Father had put getting a job at Chick-fil-a in my hands. I didn't even have an interview they gave me the job when I went to get the application. I'm one lucky duck right? Well there was a reason I needed to move to Utah, and there was a reason I needed to get a job at Chick-fil-a, and that reason was to find the love of my life. Was I looking for love? YES! What 19 year old LDS girl is not looking for love, to get married into the temple, and to start a family? I think it is written in our internal clocks that once you turn 18 that is all you think about. All of my friends were getting married, and my close number of friends were dwindling. So yes, I wanted to join the new group called newly weds. However, I was not looking for love in the workplace., that is just kind of cliche, and when does an interoffice romance ever actually work out. Well I had been working there for about two months, when they had put me on drinks during lunch which meant me working right next to the guy on headset. Well that guy was usually Josh. He never talked to me, like ever.He was always so shy, or at least that's what I thought. Well I am also a really big klutz. So in an effort to be faster at drinks I would try to make 3 or four drinks at a time.. That is never a good idea. I ended up spilling them all over him, or somehow throwing ice at him. I think at one point I spilled an entire milkshake on him. He would just laugh at me. This went on all winter. We finally just started talking. He became my work buddy. It wasn't like we would talk about anything important, we didn't talk after work, and we didn't hang out outside of work either, but it was a start. Finally one day we were both in the back, and we started talking about food. Mexican food to be exact. We sat in the back kind of working, but mostly talking for a good hour. After I got off work I found him on facebook, and basically facebook stalked him. I added him, and we started IMing. He asked for my number. I got so excited!  Isn't it funny how relationships start? Well we texted and texted and texted. He didn't even hint at wanting to go out on a date. So I had said that I hadn't seen this movie, yet and I really wanted to see it, and had no one to go with.... Giving him a perfect opportunity to say that we could go together. Well it worked. I was so nervous, I hadn't been on that many dates, and I really thought he was cute. Although a movie is a really bad first date, it was perfect. I was so nervous that I got to the movie theater 30 minutes early. When he finally showed up, he payed for my ticket(pretty good indication that it was actually a date). He then asked it I wanted anything from the concessions. I had said no, and he then insisted on getting something. Once the movie had started it was a little more awkward. I really wanted him to hold my hand, so you know when you put your hand really close to him, and you just keep moving it closer and closer, holding it in a way that he can pick up on the hints that he should hold it. Finally twenty minutes before the 3 hour long movie ended he picked up on the hint. :) I didn't want the night to end, and I guess he didn't either, because once the movie ended he asked if I wanted to go get ice cream, so we did and then we just sat in my car eating the ice cream, and talking... For 3 hours, I finally turned my car on because i was getting cold, and we say the time... It was 1 am... We both kind of freaked out a little, since we shouldn't be staying out that long. So once we both got home, I texted him and asked it that was a date date or just a date with a friend. His answer was Jessica, of course it was a date. :)  Well that wasn't the end, but just the beginning. By our second date I knew he was the one for me. By the third date, we still hadn't kissed. So I went for it. All he could say was "WOW." I'm still not sure what that meant. Guess it was a good kiss. :) I finally said that I loved him. Being a good Mormon boy, he  told me, "I cant say that right now, I want to make sure that it is true before I say that. " So cute right? Well it didn't take long for him to say it. We loved each other, and knew that we were meant to be. Everyone could tell. People told us that we couldn't stop smiling, and we were glowing. Not sure if that is entirely true. However, our love was going to have to be put on hold. He was going on a mission, after two months of us dating he received his mission call. I wouldn't let him read it to me. Not because the thought of being without him for two years literally scared me to death(OK maybe this had a little to do with it) but because I knew that the idea of going on a mission was the path that I needed to follow as well. Finally after an hour of calming me down I found out that my eternal companion would be headed to the Iowa Des Moines mission on September 25. At the time that seemed forever away 3 months. In those three months our loved blossomed, we had good times; like kissing and dancing in the rain, going to bear lake, working on his sister's house, seeing fireworks, going on hikes, and watching old movies. We also had bad times, those times when that strengthened us, and allowed us to know that our relationship wasn't a fling, that we can make it through anything. That last month, it finally hit me that Josh was leaving me, all I could think about was me missing him, not the fact that he was serving the Lord. He was the one giving everything over to the Lord, and helping others. I could only think of myself, and not the bigger picture. Not until the Sunday of his Farewell, did I understand what he was actually doing for me, and for those sweet spirits in Des Moines. He loves me enough to leave me for two years. Even though I wanted to serve a mission, I wasn't thinking that his reasoning for wanting to serve a mission were the same as mine. I finally got my call a week ago, and finally can feel all the good of a mission, and am no longer focused on the wait, but on the impact I can have in the 18 months I am gone. I am able to labor in the California Rancho Cucamonga mission. I leave for the MTC on February 26, 2014.This is what I sent to our friend Elder Chugg, who is also serving in the Des Moines Iowa mission to tell him about how I feel getting my call. "[Josh]He has found the love of the Lord, the love for his investigators, and the love for all those waiting at home. I have had so many opportunities to feel those same things, and have so many missionary moments. I know that what all of us are doing, is the right thing to do. We are sharing our love for the gospel that we know is true, and we will be able to have others feel that same way. The greatest success on the mission is to be truly converted for yourself, for loving those around you, it is not determined by the number of baptisms you do. My stake president said something that is going to stick with me my entire mission. No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care. Care for your companion, care for the ward members, care for your investigators, and most importantly care and love the Lord.I know that the lord wants me in California. I know that I will come to love the people in California and love being able to serve them everyday I am out there. I know I am following God's plan for me, and am willing to give everything over to Him for 18 months."
I know that once we both get home from our missions we will be truly blessed. We will be married in the Ogden Temple, and we will live Happily Ever After. Not only as husband and wife and eternal companions, but as continually missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.