The Ladies in Waiting Team...

Alright Ladies, we would like to introduce ourselves to you, to let you know where we are in our waiting process, and a little bit about ourselves and our missionaries. So here goes!

• Well, first off, we've got Erin and Elder Mayo:

Stuart and Erin

How we met: Primary

How long we've been dating: 1 year

Where he's serving: Tijuana, Mexico

How long he's been out: 6 days (as of 04-26-11)

My dating status: Fully intend to marry Stuart, but am all for getting out and going on a fun date. Honestly, the large majority of my dates have been with friends just for fun and that's the way to go -- no pressure, no awkwardness, just two people having a blast.

Our story: Stuart and I have been best friends since I moved to Oregon when we were both four. We were at each other's houses several times a week. We went to Primary and Kindergarten together, then we did home school together. He introduced me to Veggie Tales and I introduced him to jumping off tall ladders onto the trampoline. I played with his lego door bell and he built cities with my blocks. 

Stuart moved to California on Halloween when we were ten. We kept in touch and spent two weeks together (one week in California and one in Oregon) every summer for the next five years. As we entered our teen years, I finally decided it would be okay to like my best friend (I'd been very adamant against my friends' teasing up to that point). One summer we sat down with some friends to watch Phantom of Opera and he made his first move. I still love that movie. ;) 

We missed our annual visits for three years. I moved to Utah. We dated other people. In fact, I remember calling to tell him about my first date and he had just gotten home from his first date too. Though I was loving my dating life, Stuart was still often in my thoughts. Finally, I got him out to Utah during my spring break last year. The awkward getting-to-know-you-again phase quickly moved on to, "I really, really like you," and "Oh! You really, really like me too!" The week ended. He went home. We started talking for way too long on the phone every night and I thanked my lucky stars that my last semester of high school was a breeze.

We've now been "dating" (650 miles apart) for a year. All told, we've had three visits and about two weeks together since March 31, 2010. We've both been on dates with other people in that time. We're both still pretty stuck on each other. 

• Next up we've got Watch Tower and Elder Green Arrow:

I’d like to use code names for myself and my missionary.

I’m WatchTower and my missionary is Green Arrow. We met at BYU in line for textbooks. Being only just barely five feet, I was easy to spot when carting around four feet of books on a trolley at the cash register line. It was even easier for him to spot me as he is around six feet and two inches. After chatting in line, we would end up finding each other in the same Book of Mormon class. He hung towards the back and walk me to wherever my next destination was. We talked constantly. Eventually he even walked me all the way to my dorm and staid in my kitchen for two hours just talking about things from Star Wars to politics to new temples. I had never had so much fun just talking to another person. He is going to Texas. He starts in three weeks (as of 04-26-11). I’m going to wait. He’s worth every minute.

• And last but not least, there is Katy and Elder Peterson:

How long we've been dating: Ten months

Where he's serving: Spokane, Washington

How long he's been gone: 1 month (as of 04-27-11)

Our Story:

Jason knew my older sister Amy from the spring semester at college in Nauvoo, Illinois. I guess she talked about me a bunch (we're best buds) and it peaked his interest. So that summer while he was visiting some family in Utah, he decided to come over and pay my sister a visit. I wasn't to keen on the idea of my sister hooking me up with one of her college friends, so I was going to sleep in that morning, lucky for me I fell asleep on the couch.

On the morning of June 8, 2010 I walked into my front room, sat down on the chair and said to myself "oh crap, he's cute..." We talked a lot that day, and he gave me an awkward man hug goodbye. But that night we chatted, and then every night after that, up until August 13, when I flew out a week before school started to stay with him and his family.

After that it was long road trips, and even longer visits. We dated long distance from the time I left his house that first week, up until he got set apart as a missionary, March 23, 2011.

I am fully convinced that we are going to have our happily ever after. But in the meantime, I will be going on dates and living life. I'll give guys a chance to make me as happy as he did, but I honestly don't believe that will ever happen. He was an amazing person before he left, and I can't wait to see the wonderful man he'll be when he comes home! (I just hope I can keep up)

"Now Julie, repeat after me. On my word of honor..." "On my word of honor" "I will wait for you." "I will w-w-w-w-WOLLY!"

As Ladies in Waiting, we make a vow, not to wait, but to do something to help ourselves and our missionaries:


We vow to never ever send a sappy letter. Whether it’s an anniversary or a day when we are just feelin’ the love, we will not put that letter in a stamped envelope. By all means write the letter, just don’t send it.

We vow that no matter how tough the going might get, our letters will be positive and spiritually uplifting. Our missionaries should always be able to feel good about going out and spreading the gospel after they have read our letters.

We vow to live our lives. We will not stay cooped up in our sad stuffy little rooms all day, we will get out. Hang out with friends, or if the situation arises, we could even *gasp* go on a couple of dates. Our missionaries are spending all day everyday talking to people, they will be social butterflies when they return, and if we don’t get out of our shell, we will be on completely different pages when they get home.

We vow to better ourselves, and grow in our testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our missionaries are spending every waking minute thinking about the Lord, how they can better themselves, and help to further His work. They will grow leaps and bounds, and if we want to be on the same level as they are, we better be working on it everyday. We can’t devote as much of our time as they have, but we can make small everyday changes that will help us grow closer to our Father in Heaven. Oh, and for heaven’s sake, go to institute! Not only will we grow immensely from the lessons taught, but we will have more to write about.

We vow to gain a testimony and love for missionary work, and the good that it brings into people’s lives. When we were dating our missionaries, we would find out about their hobbies and interests, and then we would become interested in them ourselves. It is the same when they are serving a mission, it is their one hobby, and only interest for the next two years, and as we learn more about what they are doing, not only will we understand them, and what they are doing better, but we will want to help them be better missionaries in any way possible. (Going to a mission prep class can’t hurt either. It can really help you to understand what he’s doing, and it will help you to become more excited for him.)

We vow to keep our confusion, frustration, and worry about our relationships with our missionaries between ourselves and the Lord, not us and our missionaries. We do not need to be worrying the Lord’s servants with our roller coaster of emotions and questions. We can, and should, go to God with our worries and doubts, He loves His daughters very much, and He doesn’t like to see us so stressed. Not only can He give us answers, He can succor us, and take away the small worries that at times may seem so big. The Atonement of Christ is a wonderful, glorious thing. Not only does it take away our sins, but it takes away our sorrows and pains. Though we may think that our struggles with having a missionary are too trivial for the Lord and His Atonement, they are not so trivial to Him. He has felt it all, and knows it all.

We vow to develop ourselves and our talents, whether it’s learning to cook, sew, or other things that will help us as future mothers of Stripling Warriors (or Liahona Ladies), or things that interest us, such as singing, painting, anything! We should also try to further our education or work experience as much as circumstances will allow. This is not only a time for our missionaries, but for us as well, a time to experience life, and a time for each of us to strive to reach our full potential.

We vow to not become bitter if we do not receive our letters in a timely manner. It’s hard, and seriously frustrating when letters don’t come when we expect, or if they don’t come as often as we’d like. But they’re on the Lord’s time, not ours.

We vow to try to do our own missionary work. We can find opportunities for this everywhere, and it will bring great joy into our lives as we share the great news of the gospel with others. Plus it give’s us more to write about to our missionaries.

We vow to remember, that they are the Lord’s missionaries, not ours. But we should also remember that we are the Lord’s servants too, just in a different capacity. He love’s us just as much!

Okay Ladies, I'm no pro, and these are just my personal opinions, so if you think that there's something missing, or something I need to remove, let me know! Please! Just add as a comment, with your name so I can give credit where credit is due. :) Thanks!