1.

Before my alarm woke me up for the day I was up checking my emails for the day.  It was 7:15 and still nothing had come—I wasn't surprised, just a little anxious.  I tried to shut my eyes for a few more minutes before actually getting out of bed, and after about 15 more minutes I got a notification on my phone letting me know an email had arrived.  It was entitled "My Girl!"

UGH! I DIED!

Guys, He sounded so good.  Any worries or fears that I've had have completely dissipated. I know how difficult learning a language is, and that was one thing that worried me as he left.  I didn't want him to get discouraged if it didn't come to him right away.  I don't know why I worried.  Mason is good at everything he does, and anyone that knows Mason would say the same thing.  He is just gifted!  It is difficult being the girlfriend of someone so perfect.  Luckily this has been a blessing for him on his mission. As he said, "I am surprised at how much Spanish I know,  I definitely know that the lord has blessed me to be able to understand, speak, and learn the language quickly.  I am slaying it."   

See?  He's perfection. As a human being, as a boyfriend, but most importantly as a missionary.

3 days of summer

Mine and Mason's journey together has not extended over a great length of time, but over the 9 months that I have come to love this boy, we have grown infinitely close.  I thought about where I should start our story.  Should I start at the very beginning?  Should I start from here on out?  I decided I would start at the ending of one journey and the beginning of another.  A nice medium. 

It was 5:00 on Thursday, July 10th and I had officially gotten off work for the day.  It was now time to make the 12 hour trip through the night to my second home—Utah.  I had mixed feelings about this trip: I would get to see my boy, but I would also have to say goodbye for 2 years. I arrived around noon in the Salt Lake City area where I met up with Mason, his family, and his Grandpa whom I had never met.  We ate at the Italian Village (a restaurant Mason's parents went to in university—So Cute!) and then headed back to his house.  Because Mason and I met while at BYU I had never had the privilege of spending the summer with him.  And the summer we did have before his departure were spent 12 hours apart.  However, the 3 days of summer I did get to spend with my boy I will forever cherish. It was simple, but absolute perfection.  I'd catch him starring at me, he'd catch me starring at him, we drove with the windows down and the summer breeze rushing through our hair, we snuggled, we sat in the sun, went to the temple, we laughed, I listened to him sing "that" Jack Johnson song, and we...I.....cried....a lot.

Sunday, as I sat on the bench in his chapel and tried to pretend like I was calm and collect, I couldn't help but notice how right it all felt and it gave me a little sense of peace.  I was convinced I would be a crying mess at his farewell.  Mason doesn't cry much, and he informed me that he was sure he was going to cry in his talk, so clearly I was going to as well.  However, I got through the whole talk with only some watery eyes—pretty good if I do say so myself!  This wasn't because his talk didn't touch me, because it touched me deeply.  He is such an amazing man with an unshakable testimony. I know that it was because my Heavenly Father had answered my prayers to be strong for him. I could not stop starring at him up on the stand.  In fact, I literally starred directly at him for the entire meeting.  Confession: I definitely did not get anything out of the rest of the meeting...too busy starring. Forgive me.  Mason mouthed "Stop it" several times to me throughout the meeting, but I didn't care. I couldn't stop starring.  I knew I would be saying goodbye in a few short hours, and I wanted to know his face perfectly.  Mason tried not to look at me as much as possible, but every time he did make eye contact with me he would smile and slightly roll his eyes as he looked away again.  I found out afterwards that I had been sitting in front of his Aunt and cousin, and she told me she thought the googley eyes had been for her until she clued in that I was sitting in front of her. (giggles)  Lunch was served in his backyard after sacrament meeting was finished.  Confession #2: I wanted more than anything to steal that boy away from all the company he was being so good to talk to and run away.  I wish I could say I was excited for him, and I feel absolutely horrible admitting that I wasn't. I knew he would be serving the Lord, and I was grateful he was willing to do such a service, but I was definitely thinking more about saying goodbye.  I was being selfish.  It didn't take me long after we said goodbye to realize this, and once I did I felt immediate comfort, gratitude, and excitement for him. It was overwhelming.  

2:15 was the time.  The sun was hot, and the car felt even hotter as I said goodbye to my precious boy.  I hugged his perfect body for as long as possible before squeaking out an "I love you" and getting in one last gentle kiss. I watched him walk up the driveway to his house, pause, and turn to look at me with tears in his eyes.  The last time I would see Mason for the next two years.  I cried for a solid 2 hours before falling asleep in a puddle of my own tears in the back of our highlander. Before leaving Mason's house, he had given me a large package and instructed me to open the envelope addressed "open when you are driving home from my farewell". It was a thick envelope and I dreaded opening it because I knew it would made the tears start all over again.  I was right.  When I woke up shortly after falling asleep and opened up the letter, the tears began to flow all over again and didn't stop until I went to bed in our hotel that night. 

Mason means the world to me, so I can't deny the fact that I was absolutely distressed as I said goodbye to him that day.  However, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have a testimony of this gospel. I know that Mason was called to be a missionary for this church in order to bring people to Christ and to save souls and families.  I know that he has been sent to Uruguay because the people need his spirit there more than I do here.  I am so grateful for his example and his selflessness.  I love him, and can't wait to be with him again after 2 short years!