Easter is a really special Holiday for Eric and I. Not just for the obvious reasons, the Resurrection and Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, but as fate may have it, it is when Eric and I began to fall in love. In April 2009, wow that sounds like a long time ago, I was finishing up Junior year of college, and decided I would travel home to Alabama for the Summer semester. Years past were not good to me, and I vowed never to stay in Rexburg another summer just because I had feelings for a boy. Eric was in a steady relationship over the last couple semesters, though it was an unhealthy and unstable relationship, he was committed. We were friends, as always, but a day or two before Easter I packed up my car and my friends, Sydney and Steffaney, and we were headed down south to the land of the pines. Eric called me the night before I left and asked me to come by his apartment the morning I was supposed to leave for just a minute. The next morning about 6 am I knocked on his door. He opened the door holding a beautiful white Easter basket filled with goodies. I thanked him, we said our goodbyes, hugged, he gave me a huge map of the country, and told me to drive safe. That was it. I hopped in the car and we drove, and drove, and drove. Somewhere in Nebraska I got tired of driving and Sydney took over the wheel. I jumped in the back seat and laid down. I can't fall asleep in cars, yeah its weird, call me paranoid, but I laid there staring at this giant eater basket trying to figure out why Eric would give me this. I began thumbing through the goodies; candy, a Nik Day CD for the road, a book...a BooK? The title of the book was Beloved Emma, The Illustrated Life Story of Emma Smith. If you know me then you know one thing, I love to buy books, but I hate to read. My attention span is short and before you know I am dead asleep with a book in my hand. Well, I picked up the book. As I opened it and thumbed through the pages, a hand written letter fell from the pages. I opened it and read this beautiful heart felt letter written by Eric, apologizing for the last couple semesters, and for how our friendship had been altered do to his relationship. He shared his heart and soul on those pages, and thanked me for never leaving and giving up on our friendship. I immediately knew then that Eric and I had a connection that couldn't be broken. The summer went on and Eric's relationship ended, and we reconnected again. By the following Easter Eric and I were dating, and this time I wrote him the letter. I told Eric how he had changed my life, made me happy, and how in love with him I was. Over the years Eric and I would continue the demonstrate our love every Easter with hand written letters and flowers. I think Eric even orchestrated a plan with my roommates and snuck into my bedroom while I was gone and left a beautiful jewelry box and my favorite flowers, gardenias. To us Easter is much more sentimental to us then Valentines day, and now almost 3 years into our marriage, and sealed for time and all eternity to my best friend since Freshman year of college, I couldn't imagine life any other way.
Because of him, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who made all things possible through the Atonement, through his suffering in the garden of Gethsemene, and on the cross. Because of him I know I will be with my husband forever, I will be with my family forever, and through him and by him I can be forgiven of all my sins and shortcomings. I can be comforted, loved, carried along the way when needed, and helped by my older brother to make it home to my Father in home who loves me. He heard and answered my prayers, even though I was just a young college girl, praying for love, praying for a friend. Because of him, I have it all. And this morning as I was sitting in my sunroom, reading old hand written Easter letters that Eric and I have written to each other over the years, I felt an overwhelming love from my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for my knowledge and testimony of the gospel, and for the sacrifice made for me and all mankind. And though I have trials and tribulations, though I may cry at times, and be imperfect, because of him, I am whole. I am loved, I am saved. To all my friends and family who may read this, Happy Easter, and try to remember the real reason for the season, and the One who gave all. Happy Easter
