Overwhelmed!!!

Wow. I can't even begin to thank Jarem- my sweetheart- for the most thoughtful, considerate, and time consuming present I have ever received! It means the world to me, as does he. I have had SO much schoolwork, so many family "occurrences", disappointments, tests, and emotional struggles these past 2 weeks it is incredible. I could go on for ever thanking Jarem for his truly AMAZING example. There are no words to describe what we have together.

I would not trade anything in place of the blessing of having Jarem. Not only has he reached down and pulled my discouraged and tired body into an upright position, but he has given me the Christ-like love and encouragement to find the strength to continue. Prophets have said that God does hear us, and he does answer our prayers, but it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Not only is Jarem one of the sharpest tools in the shed, but as far as my needs are concerned, he is the most worn down tool used by our Heavenly Father to help me. A true answer to prayer.

It is so exciting to see him turning into such a powerful young man of God who is constantly filled with the spirit. As he goes to serve in Leeds England, a lot of things will change, yet the most important things will not. I am very excited to see him learn how to serve, teach, work hard, and have his spirituality skyrocket! I am excited to pursue my own endeavors with nursing and learn skills that will equip me to be (most importantly) a mother in Zion as well as financially capable. Neither of us want to on our 'San Diego trip' yet, because we both have so so much work ahead.

How can we do it? As my brother, in his thoughtful typical male-like way, offered these words of encouragement, "You know, there is a higher probability of him coming home gay than there is for you waiting for him on his mission." And I thank him for those comforting words.... I just simply feel like it is a blessing, these two years. I would make any personal sacrifice... whether it is time (which it will be), emotional times, frustrations or whatever to go there with Jarem. The price tag people put on "2 whole years!" or being "physically apart" are definitely worth paying to have the indescribable gift of having a righteous and loving family that will perpetuate into the eternities. What more could I, or anyone else, ask for in a young man than every quality and trait that Jarem possesses? He is so amazing and I love him lots and lots! And lots!!

Happy Birthday Ashley!!!...

The day is finally here! Ah!! Happy Birthday Ashley!! I hope you will enjoy your surprise! This is a website I have been working on for three months! It has blogs about you, me, and some other special thoughts I have had. There are a few blogs to your family and my family, and just a couple I wanted to put on to remember!! I thought I would give you this for your birthday, so you can remember some of the great times we have had together!! It's all for you sweetheart!

Ashley, I hope you have the very best birthday! You deserve the best of everything this world has to offer. Thank you for always being the greatest example to me, for lifting me up, for caring, for being my best friend. You are my sweetheart Ashley. I am so excited to experience so many things with you, as we grow old together. Thank you for being you, the beautiful daughter of God I know you are. You are such an amazing person with so much in store for you. Thank you for blessing my life in so many ways. I hope I can begin to bless yours.

I have it set up so that you can also blog on this website. Since it is for you, I cant tell you what you have to do, but I would hope that you wouldnt read all the blogs on the first day (just so you have a little something to look forward to for a few days?!). It has been so fun and so uplifting to write these different blogs. We have had some of the very best times together, and I know I would not trade them for the world! What we have is SO special and it means everything to me. Thank you for all that you do, and I hope you enjoy your birthday present. I love you.

I'll Go to the Temple Someday...

This beautiful Easter weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to go through the temple to take out my endowment, in preparation for my mission. I entered the wonderful house of the Lord with my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my grandparents. The temple is such an amazing place where you can simply walk in and immediately feel the spirit all around you.

It was an incredible and humbling feeling to know that I could be worthy to enter into His house and make covenants with God that I will keep for the rest of my life. That morning, there was such a sincere feeling of the spirit, and family, as I went through the session with some of my closest family there with me. We fasted that morning, so that we would be able to feel of the spirit and be able to comprehend a little of what was going on in the temple. There are many feelings so sincere and sacred that I will not blog about, but I can for simple and short terms say that the spirit there in the temple is like no other spirit that I have ever felt previously.

After my great experience, we went to lunch at the Garden. This is a picture of the temple from the windows of the Garden. From the outside, the temple appears like such a curious, interesting, beautiful building, but the real beauty resides within the temple walls. There are feelings within His house that will be felt no where else on this earth, and I am just so very grateful that I could share those feelings with some of my family this weekend, and I am so excited to go to the temple many times in the near future, and later with my sweetheart, Ashley.

A Letter of Thanks...

Dear Dee and Marjorie Smith,

It is so amazing, the idea of families here on earth; the possibility that through these families we can prevail on this earth. Amongst the trials and temptations we face each day, we have been given a way that we can rise about it all, a way that we can find our ground, atop the foundation of the gospel, with its cornerstone, the plan for an eternal family. I love this plan that we have been given, to succeed through our strengths as a family. You two are such great examples of a mother and father that always lift up your children and are such steady pillars of faith when it comes to the trying times we are required to face. If you were to measure success of parenting by the outcomes of their children, you would be some of the greatest parents there are. Ashley is such a beautiful daughter of God, who always has a light about her that she brings to all around her that simply need a little more light or direction. As I have been able to get to know you two, I have learned that she has such amazing parents that always stand as witnesses of Christ in all things and all places. Thank you for raising such an amazing daughter who blesses so many people within her life (one being me). It is such a blessing just to know her and to be her friend. She is the most selfless person I have ever met, always...always seeking to help all those around her, before ever thinking of her own needs. Sometimes I feel like its not fair that I even get to know her and feel of her kindness to so many people. Ashley has shown me how I can be a better person and get outside of myself and go serve people. All I have ever seen in Ashley is such a Christlike love for everyone around her. The light of Christ within her shines so beautifully on the inside that it completely covers her outside and makes her shine with such an amazing brighness that touches many people. I am so grateful that I could be one of the many people lucky enough to feel and see of her love, caring, and friendship. Thank you both for all that you do. You are great examples to me in many things that you do everyday. The sacrifices that you make are incredible to witness, and I know that you both have such a great love for this gospel as do I. I am so excited to soon go on my mission to serve His people. Thank you for being those beautiful bright lights in this dark world that are so comforting, so inviting, and so pure.

Sincerely,

Jarem Atkinson

A Special Day!...

My birthday was this week!! Here at school, swimming in deep pools filled with books, assignments, tests, and heavy schedules of classes, we all find ourselves so busy! As my birthday approached, I accepted the fact that I would literally have classes or study/homework until about nine or ten and I was alright with that. I have never really expected anything for my birthday. And amongst all the classes and busy schedule, Ashley made my birthday such a wonderful and special day to me.

Ashley I just wanted to say thank you! Ashley, you make every day of mine so special and so fun. You especially made my birthday such a great day! Thank you. I never needed the extra attention, any gifts, or special things on my birthday, but I really mean it, you made it SO special. Thank you for thinking of me, for all the many cute things that you do Ashley.

When I had finished all my classes and came home just for a few minutes before I would go out for more studying, I came into my room, a room filled with tons of balloons! I couldn't even see the floor!! And on my bed was more confetti than they have on New Years!! In the kitchen was an amazingly cute banner, and that's not all.

After I was done for the day, around ten, as Ashley took me over to her place just for a few minutes, I opened the door, to be surprised by a TON of people!! Probably twenty!! There was birthday cake and everything!! She also made me the best salsa ever for my birthday!

Ashley, I really could not ask for more. Thank you for the many things that you do for me. You are always so cute to me and you are always so thoughtful and you really make my every day so wonderful! You make everyone around you so happy and so bright. As they see your beautiful face, it makes them happy! Thank you for allowing me to be one of those blessed people. You are my best friend Ashley. I love you.

Good Times...

Here are a few pictures of some good memories I have with my Ashley.

Ridin' up the lift at Snowbird!! A weekend with the family!

The luckiest boy with the most beautiful girl!!

Our night in the city!! All dressed up, with a limo around town, dinner, but most memorable, a night dancing with my sweetheart.

A few from the amazing Smith family out havin fun on the water. (Speed Up!..........No Lauryn!!)

England Here I Come!!!

I finally got my mission call!! My family (Mom, Dad, Brinton, Nicolle "in spirit, on the phone", the Fabert family, Grams and Gramps, Ashley's mama "in spirit", and my Ashley) were all there to watch me open it and cheer me on!! There was tons of food and family surrounding me. I got my call to the England, Leeds Mission. The past 48 hours have been spent looking up pictures of castles, cathedrals, cars driving on the left side of the road, green pastures, and everything! England looks like such an amazing place! It is absolutely green everywhere and so beautiful. It rains all the time, about twenty inches on average during December. Leeds is north of Manchester, and part of my mission runs along the coast of the North Sea. There are all sorts of crazy foods such as blood sausage (dried pig blood all over sausage thickened with lard from cattle!!!.....?), Yorkshire Pudding (amazing food), "Bangers and Mash" (a traditional dish of mashed potatoes and sausages), "Chippies" (the famous British dish, of fish and chips, usually found among the local pubs), and many more crazy foods!!


When I opened my call I didn't know what to expect. Before opening it, everyone wrote down their guesses of a stateside mission and a foreign mission. When I read that I was going to England, Leeds, I had an overwhelming feeling that England is the place for me to be!! It just feels SO right!!


I would like to say thank you to all those who have helped me get to where I am now, soon ready to leave to England to teach God's people. Those people that were around me when I opened my call, and many other people, have helped me so much in getting to this point of my life. I know without you people I would not be where I am today. Thank you for your examples and your love. You are all my family and I feel so grateful and blessed to have you all around me, always supporting me.



Here are a few pictures of my mission district that I have found so far:

Here is a picture of a watch tower that looks over the North Sea!!

Here is a park within my district!!

A typical looking house in the suburbs of Leeds!!

Leeds Castle!!

Thank you so much Ashley, for all the love and support you have given me to go on a mission. I honestly dont know where I would be without you. Thank you for always being there to lift me up, to talk to me, to listen to me. Thank you for always encouraging me to do better, to work harder, and to strive to be closer to God. Finally one of my dreams is coming true!! I get to go serve the Lord's people!! In England!! I can lose myself in the work of bringing souls unto Him. Thank you for your example Ashley. You are such a Christlike individual and if I could bring you with me on my mission, people just seeing the light in your eyes, would plant that seed in them. Thank you so much for being you, my Ashley, my sweetheart.