Thinking of how different things could have been, if I hadn't made the decisions I had, specifically the decision I made to marry my husband in the house of the lord. Anyone who knows me/us, knows we were engaged for nearly 8 months before we were married (not the typical length of an engagement for a LDS couple). (The details of why it took so long do not matter, thanks to the atonement) However, we could have been married civilly in November, on a date that we had talked about getting married, making it a 3 month engagement and then be sealed 1 year later. But, we decided that we wanted to be sealed in the temple no matter how long it took us to get there. We didn't want to take the chance of something happening to one of us before we were sealed or having a child not born in the covenant.
We both had and currently have strong testimonies of the sealing power and of the temple in general. We knew we needed our family to be sealed right from the start, and that it was either the temple or not at all. A lot of my testimony of the temple was because of events in my life where it was questionable whether the family would be together after this life. And that scared me to death. Hence why I wasn't going to end up anywhere but the temple. I'm not sure of the details of Jared's testimony but I KNOW he had a strong testimony of it and heartily agreed that the only place we would marry would be the temple.
We had lots of people ask and wonder why we had/were having such a long engagement, but it didn't matter to me what people said or thought. I knew we were doing the right thing by doing it right the first time.
Thankfully through the help of family, friends, and church leaders as well as leaning on each other for support we made it to the temple. I can't imagine having done it any other way. And I am so very grateful that we made it despite the challenges we had to overcome to get there. It was SO worth it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Because of that one decision, I know that Jared will be by my side even after death. I have also received SO many blessings, especially from being able to attend the temple.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
2 months and still goin
Today is our 2 month anniversary! And these past 2 months have flown by. In these past 2 months we have experienced the joys of living together(the good and the bad), we've had some people stay with us in our little apartment overnight, and have pretty much stayed in Cedar City.
Jared's in training today until 7 p.m. (by the way I don't enjoy working for Vector - sales is NOT my thing) but I am hoping that we can do something somewhat special tonight. Maybe a nice candle light dinner?
Jared's in training today until 7 p.m. (by the way I don't enjoy working for Vector - sales is NOT my thing) but I am hoping that we can do something somewhat special tonight. Maybe a nice candle light dinner?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Post 1
Welcome! Well... where to begin... I guess with an introduction to the 2 of us, although if you don't know us then why are you even reading this!? HA HA!
Anyway... Well I am from South Jordan, Utah and Jared is from Ridgecrest, California. Jared and I met on September 18 2009. It was at a dodge ball tournament with the LDS Institute between all the wards in the University. We both were in the Cedar City University 26th ward, and both attending school at Southern Utah University (GO T-BIRDS!!!) We played our first game, which we lost, and had to wait over an hour before our 2nd game (it was double elimination). We each had decided that we would just hang out in the PE Building until we played again. We sat down on the gym floor and just started talking. Talked about our families, what we were doing in school, his mission, and the other basic "getting to you know you" stuff. After that day we started talking more and more and became good friends. Jared asked my roommate out and oddly enough it brought us closer. I guess because I helped him move past wanting a relationship with a freshman and realizing the joys of being unattached. However, in December he finally asked me out and he showed me the joys of being attached. Go figure. For our first date on December 3rd he took me to ring the bell at Wal-mart (which was freezing) then off to dinner at Panda Express and then to see "The Forgotten Carrol's." All our conversation just flowed and wasn't awkward or strained, which was a first for both of us. After the performance we went back to my apartment and watched a movie or 2 and had hot chocolate. The best first date either of us had ever been on. It was about this time that Jared realized that I was graduating at the end of that semester and I would be moving back to South Jordan the next week. So he did everything he could to spend as much time with me as possible. We had a wonderful week together. He helped me pack up my things and put them in my tiny Geo Metro, and I headed home. We continued to text each other non-stop for about a week, realizing how much we meant to each other. We started talking on the phone nightly not too long after that. We became "facebook official" on December 19th, after deciding that we would give this a shot. We weren't sure how to really make a long distance relationship work but made the jump anyway. After Christmas he decided to get a ride up to Provo and come visit me all the way from Ridgecrest California. Oh, did I mention that we hadn't even kissed yet? Well we spent the end of his Christmas break together and continued to make trips to and from Southern Utah just to be together. We talked every night on the phone and would do so for hours. We eventually met each others family. Jared went to Raleigh, North Carolina to sell pest control for the summer. We eventually got webcams to make the distance bearable. Jared returned to Utah earlier than expected in July instead of August. On August 14th Jared surprised me by driving up from St George to have a talk with my dad while I was at work. He asked permission from my dad to marry me. What exactly was said I have no idea. I got home from work and then Jared knocked on my bedroom door. I was totally surprised. He said he came to ask my dad a question. I played dumb, but knew exactly what that question was. We had been talking about getting married for almost 6 months. He then got down on one knee, right there in my parent's basement, and asked me "Marisa Hall, will you marry me?" I of course said "Yes!" We then planned our wedding and all the stuff that goes with that. We were sealed together for time and all eternity on March 12, 2011. We both married our best friend that day, and it was the happiest day of our lives.
We currently live in Cedar City, Utah in a one bedroom apartment not to far from the SUU campus. We both will be working for Vector Marketing. I start my training with them tomorrow and Jared will start his after his finals are over.
That should give you the basic jist of our life together so far.
Anyway... Well I am from South Jordan, Utah and Jared is from Ridgecrest, California. Jared and I met on September 18 2009. It was at a dodge ball tournament with the LDS Institute between all the wards in the University. We both were in the Cedar City University 26th ward, and both attending school at Southern Utah University (GO T-BIRDS!!!) We played our first game, which we lost, and had to wait over an hour before our 2nd game (it was double elimination). We each had decided that we would just hang out in the PE Building until we played again. We sat down on the gym floor and just started talking. Talked about our families, what we were doing in school, his mission, and the other basic "getting to you know you" stuff. After that day we started talking more and more and became good friends. Jared asked my roommate out and oddly enough it brought us closer. I guess because I helped him move past wanting a relationship with a freshman and realizing the joys of being unattached. However, in December he finally asked me out and he showed me the joys of being attached. Go figure. For our first date on December 3rd he took me to ring the bell at Wal-mart (which was freezing) then off to dinner at Panda Express and then to see "The Forgotten Carrol's." All our conversation just flowed and wasn't awkward or strained, which was a first for both of us. After the performance we went back to my apartment and watched a movie or 2 and had hot chocolate. The best first date either of us had ever been on. It was about this time that Jared realized that I was graduating at the end of that semester and I would be moving back to South Jordan the next week. So he did everything he could to spend as much time with me as possible. We had a wonderful week together. He helped me pack up my things and put them in my tiny Geo Metro, and I headed home. We continued to text each other non-stop for about a week, realizing how much we meant to each other. We started talking on the phone nightly not too long after that. We became "facebook official" on December 19th, after deciding that we would give this a shot. We weren't sure how to really make a long distance relationship work but made the jump anyway. After Christmas he decided to get a ride up to Provo and come visit me all the way from Ridgecrest California. Oh, did I mention that we hadn't even kissed yet? Well we spent the end of his Christmas break together and continued to make trips to and from Southern Utah just to be together. We talked every night on the phone and would do so for hours. We eventually met each others family. Jared went to Raleigh, North Carolina to sell pest control for the summer. We eventually got webcams to make the distance bearable. Jared returned to Utah earlier than expected in July instead of August. On August 14th Jared surprised me by driving up from St George to have a talk with my dad while I was at work. He asked permission from my dad to marry me. What exactly was said I have no idea. I got home from work and then Jared knocked on my bedroom door. I was totally surprised. He said he came to ask my dad a question. I played dumb, but knew exactly what that question was. We had been talking about getting married for almost 6 months. He then got down on one knee, right there in my parent's basement, and asked me "Marisa Hall, will you marry me?" I of course said "Yes!" We then planned our wedding and all the stuff that goes with that. We were sealed together for time and all eternity on March 12, 2011. We both married our best friend that day, and it was the happiest day of our lives.
We currently live in Cedar City, Utah in a one bedroom apartment not to far from the SUU campus. We both will be working for Vector Marketing. I start my training with them tomorrow and Jared will start his after his finals are over.
That should give you the basic jist of our life together so far.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)