Engagement story

There were a few request for the story of our engagement so here it is. The story includes the lead up to it as well because it wouldn't make as much sense without it. As, I said in the last post it is a long story.

The story of Brian & Sophia

Brian and I both had been going on quite a few dates a week before our first date. Our first date actually only happened because he couldn't get a hold of the girl he originally wanted to ask. Well we went out dancing (it was the big BYU welcome back dance/event) and had lots of fun. The next day I was supposed to go out with another guy but I didn't hear from him and Brian stopped by to ask if I & any of my roommates wanted to go to the movies with him and his roommates. I wanted to go but no one else could go & none of his roommates got anyone to go. So, our second date ended up being Brian & his roommates & I. The next night we went to a fireside together and then sat outside his apartment and talked & we held hands. From that point on we were pretty much exclusive and we both were falling for each other. I got to thinking I REALLY like this guy, I might even love him & that scared me.

I had a missionary coming back in a few weeks and I had been writing to him at least every other week up until Brian and I started dating. He & I & his family kind of figured he would get back come back to BYU and we would date for a little then get married. So, being foolish and frightened by my feelings for Brian & worried about my missionary's feelings I broke it off between Brian and I. Well, the missionary came home He called me once and we talked for a few hours and all I could think about was how much I missed Brian. Luckily, the missionary didn't call again. But, I missed Brian so much that I called Him and asked if we could talk. I told him I was dumb and scared because I really liked him. I told him that it was a huge mistake and that I had learned during the last week that when they say heart ache they are not kidding about your heart physically aching. We talked some more and then he said he would have to think & pray about whether he was willing to take the risk of getting back together. I found out the he failed two tests the week we were apart because he was so heart broken by the situation (I felt even worse at that point)

I was frustrated but, understanding & impressed by his thought and prayer into the matter. The most excruciating 3 days of waiting ensued, then obviously we got back together (otherwise I would not be telling this story). About a week and a half later he invited to come to a large family home evening at his grandparents (aunts, uncles, cousins, the works) on Sunday. When we arrived the room went silent then there was a "ooooh, Brian who is this" and the ribbing began. Later that night Grandpa Crane was talking to Brian & I was right by them talking to one of his cousins. next thing I know I was tapped on the shoulder by Grandpa and asked how serious I was about Brian. he said he couldn't get a straight answer out of him. Now we had only been back together about a week maybe a week and a half, so I told Grandpa that I wasn't sure & that we were going to continue dating and see where things end up. Grandpa then took my hand and looked at me seriously and said "before you decide on Brian pray to make sure it is right. I love my grandson but there are a lot of good fish in the sea & marriage is an eternal decision." I was a little weirded out but, at the same time I really felt the sincerity of his statement. The night continued with ribbings from everyone but, we had a good time.

At that point in our relationship we hadn't even said "I love you" but, as we drove back from South Jordan we talked about what Grandpa had said. When we were dropped off , we got a ride from his cousin Barbara, we kept talking in the parking lot of the apartment complex. That was the night that we said "I love you" for the first time.

Brian was struggling in a few of his classes, no thanks to the week of separation, and so he asked Grandpa if he could get a blessing. We drove up the Thursday following the FHE and had dinner with Grandma & Grandpa and played some games. Before we left Brian received a blessing from Grandpa & in the blessing he was told that we needed to talk about and pray about marriage. I was sitting there listening to the blessing & I am pretty sure I gave an audible gasp as I could feel the poser of the Spirit confirm to me that statement was true. When the blessing was over there was an awkward silence and we got in the car and started driving. We were both floored by this revelation given to us by the Lord via Grandpa. We had only been back together for 2 ½ weeks and had only said "I love you" a few days earlier. Grandma & Grandpa live really close to the Jordan River Temple & it was on our way home. So, we decided to stop there to talk about what we had just been implored to do in his blessing. We walked the temple grounds and talked and then we prayed together. We went home and we both spent time on our knees an in the temple over the next 2 weeks and a day.

Jordan River Temple

Brian had gone through and looked at notes he had written about previous blessings and saw that in the blessing he received from his Grandpa right before his mission his Grandpa told him that He had been blessed to see the woman Brian was going to marry. He said that he had prayed and he felt that that is why Grandpa felt so emphatic about receiving an answer to how serious we were. We talked the Friday before Thanksgiving and decided that both of us received the same answer, that we were indeed supposed to marry each other. Brian left the next Tuesday to go spend Thanksgiving with his family. We told them Thursday night over the phone. I was on speaker phone while the his whole family was listening. We told them what we had decided. At that point only my roommates and his family knew.

Brian didn't want to make it official until He had the ring because the first thing someone says to you when you tell them you are engaged is "Can I see the ring?". A week later we were on our way to the Temple to do baptisms together and I asked if we could make it official so that I could tell people. When we got out of the car and headed up to the temple He stopped me in front of the temple and got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage while skillfully using my whole name. At that point he said we are officially unofficially engaged.

Provo Temple

I went to Texas to meet his family for Christmas. On Christmas Eve he took me out to lunch and then to the Water Wall in the Galleria in Houston. There was a capoeira group there (Brasilian Martial art/dance form) that Brian says he used he connections to have them there-not true. and then he led me into the middle of the water wall and while I was looking up at the wall he got down on his knee and pulled out the ring then took my hand. I looked down & even though I already knew that we were engaged my tummy was full of butterflies. He said that something along the lines of his loved flowed for me even stronger then the greatest water fall ever could and would I marry him so that it flow for me eternally. I am paraphrasing, it was a lot more eloquent and sounded a whole lot less cheesy at the time.

the Water Wall

So, even though Brian did propose to me, we joke that Grandpa did first because He was the one that started us talking about marriage in the first place. Had it not been for Grandpa's receptiveness to the Spirit, who knows when we would have gotten around to talking about marriage & how long we would have delayed the joy that we have in our eternal marriage, sealed in the Manti temple.

Manti Temple