My boy friend...

Many believe that soon-to-be-missionaries shouldn't have a boy/girl friend. I used to feel the same way.

However, having a boy friend (in my opinion) has been the best thing for me. Our relationship is complicated. I won't lie to you. I don't think a lot of people get it. Some disaprove of the relationship; I know because they've shown me their disaproval with glares and words or otherwise.

But...

He makes me happy. He makes me smile. He makes me want to be a better person. How can that be a bad thing? "I feel beautiful," I told a friend of mine. I was trying to explain my relationship with my boy friend to her. "I can look in the mirror, and I like what I see---and it's because of him....That HAS to be a good thing."

I want to take this time to assure everyone that just because I have a boy friend does not mean I am not going to Australia. Quite oppositly: he makes me want to be the best missionary I can be; and the closer it gets to leaving, the more excited I am getting. I love the idea of Australia! I love the idea of bearing my testimony and helping others to come unto Christ....

It is going to be hard to say goodbye to my boy friend. No doubt about it. He isn't going to "wait" for me. I don't want him to, really. I don't even know if we will date when I get back. Even if we don't, I don't think I'll regret being with him right now. I love him. It's good to be in love. That's never happened to me before. It's a good experience. I've learned a lot.

So--- I have a boyfriend. And I'm not hiding it. We've been going out for a while now. We broke up for a few weeks, but we're definatly back together and loving each other's company. We won't be boy friend and girl friend for too much longer (because I'm, obviously, leaving). But I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

A friend of mine who is on a mission right now used to have a girl friend. It was hard for him to leave, but he says that it was great to be love before he went on a mission. And he says to let my boy friend encourage me and help me to become a great missionary. So, that's what I'm doing. I'm enjoying his company. I'm asking him questions, talking and laughing. I'm feeling really good about going to Australia. And I feel really good about being his girl friend....