LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

Day I received my blessing

Do you know the story of how your grandparents met and fell in love?

I liked that Carol told about her marriages so I decided to join her and tell about my story.
When I was fifteen I received my Patriarchal Blessing.  Before I went I was asked to fast and pray about specific things that were a concern in my life.  My biggest concern was that I would never get married.   I was quite a scrounge and sorta a Tom Boy

Me and my siblings before I bloomed.

and often felt I must be homely.  I was always made fun of for how skinny I was, which added to my insecurities.  So my concerns were about marriage and living a long enough life to be able to have a family.  In my blessing it mentioned that I would live long upon the land.  It also said that one of our Father's son will seek you out (I love that) and he will propose to you, that you and he will become companions in this mortal existence.  It admonishes me to pray to have the strength to know the right one, there will not just be one, but there will be many, so it will be my decision, so the only way to be married is in the House of the Lord.  It tells me not to let any of those who approach me to marry outside of the Temple.  If I am patient and do not worry about time, that when that companion comes I will know within my heart that he is the right one.

Over the Summer before my Junior year in High School, I guess I must have blossomed.   My first day of school that year I walked into a classroom and the teacher asked, "what happened to you, you are beautiful."  The first time I ever experienced a reaction like that.  I was now

 sixteen and my dating years had began.   I dated many people in High School and had some steady dating companions.  My senior year I started dating a boy who was not a member of the church.  He was a nice guy but I knew I wanted more than he could give me.  So after graduating from High School I began to earnestly pray for a righteous Priesthood holder that would take me to the temple.  And that is when Lyle came along.

Graduation

Lyle and Francis Jones rented the downstairs apartment in our home.  The first time I saw Lyle, I knew "within my heart"  he was the right one.  I had not yet met him, but the spirit bore witness to me.   I began trying to find situations to be around him.  We had a college class together and I would always go in late so I could sit by him.   One day I didn't have a car so I was walking to one of my college classes.  He asked if I needed a ride and we began our relationship. 

I was still dating this other boy.   One day he took me in front of a house, stopped, and asked, " if I would like to live here and have two kids"  I knew he was asking me to marry him, but I said, "I want to live on a farm and have eight kids."  He never asked me out again and I later found out that he had bought the house.

House I lived in when Lyle and I started dating. 

Lyle and I's first date was to a Beach Boys concert in November 1979.  We stopped at a friends apartment and had crepes, and he introduced me to his friends.  We went to the concert and I enjoyed being with Lyle.  We didn't really date much after our first date.  We went to a couple of movies and to some of the college activities.   I lived upstairs so mostly he would come up and we would watch ballgames together.   He went home for Christmas and I knew he was the right one.   I missed him so bad that I couldn't enjoy Christmas.   The song 'Blue Christmas', constantly ran through my mind.  I was so happy when he came back to Price.  He brought me a dozen roses and a turquoise ring.

On January 4, 1980 we had been watching a movie at my house.  After the movie we were doing some playful wrestling.   All of a sudden he said, "How about we get married".   I was a little stunned and didn't know what to say so I said, "Shouldn't we pray about it first?" 

Engagement photo

The next morning he came upstairs and asked me what I thought about what he asked me.   I said that I would like to marry him.  So on March 14 1980, four months after our first date we were married.

                                                                    "And you will go to the house of the Lord
and there you will be sealed for time and all eternity"

Poem written by my mother shortly before I got married.

TO LESLIE-----

It seems only yesterday
I held you in my arms
so new from your Father above.
For you we had so much love,
And it seemed as if we'd have you forever
  and I watched you grow.

It seems only yesterday
You were a young child
So sweet and loving and mild.
Your smile capturing everyone's heart
Right from the very start
   and I watched you grow.

It seems only yesterday
You were a lovely young girl,
Making our home come alive
With your sweet charm
Bringing so much teasing and joy to your dad.
And I thought it would last forever,
   and I watched you grow.

It seems only yesterday
Your smile captured that someone special's heart
And he has captured yours,
So sweet and tender and loving
    and I watched you grow.

Now I'm happy for you in a sad way.
I know this is all part of Heavenly Father's plan
He only lends you to us for such a short while
To help you to prepare for this day
   and to grow.

Soon, very soon, you will kneel together
   at the alter in the Temple.
And this worthy son will have you forever
   and that love will grow.