Waiting

Growing up I thought "missionary girlfriends" who waited two years for their dream man to return with honor were crazy. Yes, their Instagram posts of their endless amounts of letters and care packages were cute but two years?! That's a long time. I swore that would never be me. I was the girl who everyone knew could not wait to grow up and wanted to get married as soon as possible. But, times change, feelings change, and sometimes Heavenly Father gives you people who change your plan, but help you on the course to following his. August twenty second is when I met my best friend's cousin, Devon.

Devon and I hit it off but there was a bit of a barrier, he was about to turn eighteen which meant he was preparing to serve a mission. I had decided beforehand that the "missionary girlfriend" life was not for me, so I tried to avoid catching feelings for him. Well, I tried for the longest time to convince myself otherwise but sometimes people are just far too kind for the feelings not to be caught. Four months later, we're the happiest we could ever be.

Devon has been called to serve in the Cleveland, Ohio mission, speaking the English language, and serving for a period of two years. Yes, that's right, two years. A loooonnnggg time. Skip back to Devon and my second date and you'd find two people who said that waiting was not an option for either. Fast forward to today where both would say that is more than possible. What changed my mind? Faith. Faith in knowing that if this was Heavenly Father's plan, then it will be. If not, it won't be. The last thing I would want to do is hold Devon back from the greatest journey of his life and I know the last thing he would want is holding me back from living my own. So, we're waiting on our own terms. We have both agreed to love one another but give all our trust to The Lord and forget ourselves and go to work, with the knowledge that anything is possible. We both are starting spiritual journeys of our own and it is so great to be able to grow in the gospel together. Mine, at a church school and his on a mission. I will also never refer to myself as a "missionary girlfriend" because that's silly, missionaries don't have girlfriends.

Having less than a month before he leaves, our goodbyes came early and they were tough, I am a crier but all the tears that were shed were happy. The Lord has blessed me with feelings of peace. I feel great joy when I think about the lives Devon is about to change. He is a wonderful example of The Lord's love. Devon has already strengthened my own testimony and has made me want to become a better person. Most girls would be devastated knowing they couldn't see their boyfriend for two years but I'm not. Knowing our goodbyes are only until next time brings me the greatest comfort. Girls, when you find a hard working, handsome, selfless, intelligent, man who loves and serves The Lord diligently, don't be afraid to wait. 

                        XOXO, 

                            Hailey