A Fun Date...

As the days are nearing my leaving for England, I thought it would be really fun and sweet to plan a date with my sweetheart, Ashley. I told her to set apart the day, so that I could have all the time I needed to share this date with her. She didn't know anything about the date, and I think the surprise went pretty good!!

First, I came and picked her up to take her to All-a-Dollar so we could find some stunnin' shades for the good weather. After struttin our stuff in our America's Best commercial with our new shades, we headed off to a memorable place for us both.

We drove up Parley's Canyon, to the spot of grass in front of the church, by the trail that leads down to where you shoot the tube. This is the place where we shared our amazing beautiful first kiss together. Here we read scriptures together and prayed together. Afterwards, we were able to share a wonderful, heart-felt kiss together. I cannot right words that express the strong, pure, and clean love that we were able to share there. I am certain that Ashley remembers this amazing kiss.

As we drove back down the canyon, I was able to hold Ashley's hand. Although that may seem very small and insignificant, to me, even the small things, like holding my sweetheart's hand, and helping her out of the car, are so special to me, and I feel so lucky to be able to do those things for my sweetheart.

Next we went to Market Street Grill. This has been our favorite restaurant for quite a while, for their amazing clam chowder. We ordered bowls of it until we were full and completely sure we had filled all the room of our stomachs with the amazing taste of their clam chowder.

After eating all the soup that we could, we went down a stream I already knew about, along the benches of the mountains. That weekend, with the warm weather, alot of the snow from the mountains was melting so the stream was going very fast and was very high. So, instead of walking down the stream, we just put our feet in. At first it was very cold, but we soon got used to the feeling of the water (probably cause our feet were numb by then). We were able to just relax there with our feet in the water and talk together.

Since I have ever known Ashley, she has always been truly the most beautiful girl that I have known. I dont know what it was, but there was something, being able to sit at that stream, near the amazing, tall, colorful mountains, next to my sweetie, that felt so special to me. As I would look over to her, while talking, I couldn't help but notice some small, simple, yet amazing things about Ashley. The sun beat down on her gorgeous blonde hair, her big blue eyes looking into mine. As I have previously felt, there I, again, heard a small voice, a warm comfortable feeling coming over me, telling me...Jarem, this is right.

As we continued with our date, we then drove to Hale Center Theatre where we watched a funny, great play about Annie Oakley. It was hilarious and great just to share that time with Ashley.

More than anything else I felt during that date, amongst all the planning and the successful outcome of it, my greatest reflection was that small still spirit that I felt with her. There is something so neat, to realize we can be on a date, and feel of the spirit there. As we can share a kiss, in the place where we shared our very first kiss, to have the spirit there with us, is a wonderful, peaceful, and pure feeling I would not trade for anything.

Tender Mercies...

It has been a while since I have posted anything, and today I really felt touched by the Spirit and thought I would share my experience with Ashley.

To date, it is two weeks until I leave for the MTC in England. These past few days have been some of the most spiritual days of my life. Thinking about the new while in my life, living and serving in England, brings me to tears. Since a child, my dream has been to become a missionary as Elder Bednar spoke about a couple years ago. I have long pictured myself in a suit with a black name tag that says Elder Jarem D. Atkinson on it, just above the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have desired this all my life and in two weeks I will be a representative of the Lord.

Knowing deep in your heart that you are doing what is right, is a feeling I cannot express with words. I can tell you I would not trade those feelings for anything in the world. There is no better feeling than to KNOW that you are returning to your Heavenly Father, that you are fulfilling your destiny and purpose of being on this earth. From family time, to alone scripture time, I know this to be what I should be doing, and where I should be going. It has been such a blessing to have my family all around me, meeting for basic yet vital activities such as family scriptures in the morning, and family prayer at night. These are some of the tender mercies I have experienced in the past little while that, although they may seem small, make all the difference in having a good day.

I am so excited to bring this wonderful and beautiful gospel to the people of England who are seeking the warm, infinite love that their Heavenly Father has for them. To be able to teach them of a member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, who warns us when we are in danger, comforts us when we are feeling down, and can testify to us that there is a divine power from above, namely a God, Heavenly Father, who loves each and everyone of us, and has a plan for each of us to return to Him, and be like Him, to have eternal families and the many great blessings therein. I am humbled and honored, blessed and comforted, to know that I will soon be able to share such experiences and blessings with you, Ashley, my sweetheart.