Leap of Faith -- Our Story

Leap of Faith




With God, nothing shall be impossible…That verse seems to sum up the miracle of this next chapter in our life that I will try to write. A bit over 11 years ago, sometime in the first week of November, I was walking you up to your class at the Gym at Weber state. By this point we had been on some really amazing dates and had enough quality time together to be sure we liked each other. But remember this was also during the dreaded “H” month – the 30 day span in time that that went on without us. I don’t even know if “H” month was really a month; maybe it just felt that long. Viewing that month with a different perspective now, I see that it was all a part of the miracle. Really, it is quite amazing now to see the Lords hands in this. Give me a sec to explain…

I had some news to share with you that would have some good shock value. That week I had been walking the halls in the Spanish building when Professor Doman stopped me in the hall to see if I had a minute to talk. He told me that he felt impressed to share an opportunity with me to go to Guatemala to teach. It’s not very often that a college professor comes to you to share an impression they have received coupled with an invitation like that! I prayed about it, but I didn’t need to, I felt it was right from the moment he invited me to go. That doesn’t mean it was an easy decision to act on what I felt was right. Even though we were in a totally messed up point in our “relationship”, I was still a bit worried about pulling the trigger. So after the long, but really good walk up to the Swenson Gym, I broke to you the news. You were happy for me. In my mind, I don’t remember you even flinching. I’m sure I wasn’t expecting you to act bothered but, you seemed pretty cool about it.

Well, sometime in the next two weeks, you and I started to spend time together again. On the 19th of November I wrote, “Huge turning point with Jen and I tonight! (Back then I spelled your name with one n. Here I am totally in love with a girl and I don’t even spell her abbreviated name right:) In the last few days things have become much clearer between us. We both admitted that we like each other. We went out tonight, had a huge talk and we kissed. (I didn’t put an exclamation mark on that sentence but I think it deserved one!) That is amazingly big for us. (once again, should have busted out the !!)

Here’s my attempt at recapping that night. Your next entry will have to fill in the gaps. I’m pretty sure we went to a singles fireside up at the institute and then went back to hang at your place after. Your friends were all there hanging out and since we had a load to talk about, we went out and sat in the hall of the apartments. Those apartments attracted some interesting crowds. One of the tenants on the floor was lighting up their nightly joint so the hall had a slight odor of pot lingering. The smell must have been a bit more bearable where we were sitting on the floor against the wall. I don’t remember all that we talked about that night. We always had some good times just kicking back talking. But in those moments the talks were a bit weightier. Just a day or so earlier we had the talk where you said, “I like you and you like me so why don’t we act like it?” So we expressed that we “liked” each other, which was groundbreaking. This was much closer to an expression of love though without saying that very word. In fact, I’m pretty sure that is exactly the word you meant! Somewhere in the midst of this conversation, there was a longer pause in the conversation and I took that moment to lean for a kiss.

I took my time getting there, but I’m pretty sure I went 100% of the way. Almost positive I went 90% of the way and waited for a sec to let you cover that last small 10%. But, you didn’t so I just went for it. It was just a small kiss, with no crazy fireworks. Those fireworks eventually came for the second kiss on another day. That first kiss was just my way of saying, “I like you and you like me, so I’m going to kiss you because that is my really clear way of saying it.” So I did. You were a bit surprised, I think. You did look in my eyes though for a while though, which was so amazing.

12/10/00 “I hope to even scratch the surface of all that’s racing through this crazy mind of mine. I am now completely in love with Jenny Tingey. (Notice that I even spelled your other abbreviated name wrong!) Love tends to come at the most inconvenient times. I can’t believe I am still going to Guatemala with all these new issues on my mind. 5 months isn’t exactly a short time. The other day I swallowed my pride and told her how I feel. Too often I keep all bottled up because I don’t want to let anyone walk all over me. I could get my trash kicked on this one. I can see here opening up a whole lot more these past few days. She takes more time to look into my eyes now, although she still struggles there. I know it’s because she has a missionary and had her life all planned out. I really want to erase those plans. I feel sure that if she were to let go, I would marry this girl. I’m leaving in 3 weeks and I’ll admit, I’m scared to lose the girl that has been on my mind for the last 5 months. She has made me so happy, and frustrated at times, but I love her for it. I have done a whole lot of praying over the issue. My heart still tells me I need to go to Guatemala. While I was praying and pondering on the topic I came across D&C 6:33-37. The words that stand out to me are, “Fear not to do good, my son, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. “ .. To me that was another helpful confirmation that I was stepping down the right path.

12/28/00 (one year before our wedding day!) Much has happened in the last few weeks. Since its 3am, I’ll just throw in a few words. I’m going to Guatemala in 1 week. Jen is going to BYU Jerusalem in 6 months. We both admit that we love each other. I know that she is the girl that I want to be with forever. Time will tell a whole lot..

1/8/2001 –“ I’m flying over the gulf somewhere right now, I’ll have a whole lot to write about my new life in a couple of days, nor now I’ll try to write a bit about the one I left behind. Last night was Jens Bday party . All in all the night was quite memorable. Everything at Jens was fine. Her family is great.” I didn’t write anything here about Jason and Tom singing and acting out “Wind Beneath My Wings.” That was wild. Pretty sure your mom asked us at the table if we had kissed. And was it that night that we were playing Kun Fu in the kitchen and you got jacked? “Later on got a little crazy when I went up to Jen’s apartment to meet her so she could give me something. She was really late meeting me so she felt terrible. She stopped off at Scotts house on the way home and I think that contributed to her feeling bad”

Do you remember that night? Let’s just say, we shed some tears. That was a heart breaker. But really good for us. I think Guatemala was mostly about bringing you and I together. Here’s an exerpt from a really priceless letter you gave me that night to read on the plane.

“It’s funny how well we know each other. (my favorite – Jen, you have something to say, don’t you?) You have become my best friend – the one I spend hours with and never get sick of – and I don’t care if this sounds cheesy – I mean it all. This summer I’m off for 6 months on an amazing journey and then school again and then… (okay 2000 ft) We’ll get married! And that is so strange to say and yes it does scare me, but with the Lord things will work out.”

Well as amazing as this turned out, I arrive to my new home tucked away in the mountains of Guatemala. I was living in the colony, Zarahemla on the outskirts of Patzicia. Right out in front of my cinder block house was a dirt road with a street sign that read, Calle Dale Tingley. Seriously! I was living on a street named after your grandpa! The world is small, but not that small. To say that is a coincidence just sounds ridiculous! Not only was that where I needed to be and was I supposed to be serving those people. But, you and I were brought together. The Lord was bringing us together all along. And with a miraculous touch of humor, He planted me on Dale Tingey street. That night I talked to Julio about Dale Tingey. He had some impressive things to say about your grandpa but one stands out to me. He said that he” has never met a greater man.” Now all these years later, I know exactly what he was talking about.

Well, more to share in later chapters. There is a lot to cover with us getting engaged and our engagement and getting married. We have such a great life. I could not ask for a more blessed 10 years! The Lord has been good to us. Just as you said and just as the scripture read, “with God, nothing shall be impossible.” He proved that by bringing us together.