As I've said, I have quite a few friends out in the mission field right now-- some of which are my best friends. I met the majority of them in Idaho the past two semesters I've been up there. During some of my spare time I made a missionary board in my room, which doesn't fail to make me think of them all the time.
I try my best to write them at least once a week. I will admit that I'm better at some than others. I look forward to Monday's more than any other day because that's the day those emails are returned to me. Now, let me introduce them. (In the order that they left)
Brad - I've known Brad ever since fifth grade. We've gone to school, church, and even prom together. He was easily one of my very best friends throughout high school. I was super bummed when I found out that Brad didn't get on the same track as me for BYU-Idaho. He went one semester in the Fall before he left on his mission. I had kind of been planning that we would be going to college together, but I've learned that a lot of the time things don't always work out the way you hope. Brad wasn't a huge fan of Rexburg, but he did end up in the same ward as my friend Roman. Brad is now serving in West Virginia.
Andrew - I met Andrew through Facebook during the winter semester of school. We formally met at a silly string uprising dance party. We became close friends
fast. He wasn't actually going to school at the time, but he had just recently moved to Idaho Falls, which was only about a 30 minute drive away. So he always came down and hung out with us on campus. Andrew ended up spending his last night hanging out with me and my friend Sydney before he left for the mtc the next day. He may or may not have shed a tear or two saying goodbye to us. Andrew is now serving in Argentina.
Josh - I met Josh on this app called Tinder. It's practically a dating app that lets you chat with people in your area. Lucky for me, everyone in my area happened to go to BYU-Idaho, so it wasn't too sketchy meeting people on there haha. Me and Sydney used this app whenever we were wanting to make new friends. (Seriously, worked like a charm.) Me and Josh got along right away and pretty soon became inseparable. He is best friends with Jake, so me and Sydney hung out with them as a pair at first. Then me and Josh [practically] dated. We were never official because he was leaving for his mission so soon-- we didn't see the point. Right before the semester ended, we decided to just be friends and that was that. Josh is now serving in Ghana, Africa.
Roman - Roman's kind of a funny story. I met Roman at a park around midnight, and I just so happened to be with Andrew, Brant, and Tanner at the time. It was super random, and to this day it amazes me how close we became just from a simple "Hi, my name's Roman. What's yours?" Long story short, I became Roman's go-to girl whenever he needed someone to talk to. This included many l o n g late night runs and talks together. He wrote me a letter at the end of the semester telling me that I am his best friend, and the only person he can tell literally everything to. He is also Mr. Popular on campus, and is friends with practically everyone somehow. He's friends with Josh, Jake, Brant, Tanner, Zach, Nate, Tyler, and even Brad. Roman is now serving in Washington.
Brant - There are seriously so many connections with these boys. Brant grew up with my friend Zach, who I [almost] dated winter semester of school. Although, I met Brant through Andrew. Him and Tanner were visiting Andrew in Idaho Falls for a week. Brant and Tanner live in California and have been best friends for years, then Tanner and Andrew met the Fall semester of school and became the best of friends during that time. Brant is one of the funniest kids I have ever met, and also the sweetest. We got to the point where we were texting/facetiming/calling each other practically everyday, even though he was in California at the time. Thanks to facetime, I was able to meet all his cute nieces and nephews. Brant is now serving in Bolivia.
Nate - Nate was roommates with Jake and Tyler, and he is also good friends with Josh. I was never way close to Nate, but we did hang out a couple times. Plus I was
always over at his apartment. Nate is hilarious. He's just so sarcastic! I was able to make it to Nate's farewell talk in Utah when I was visiting for my birthday, and he did a fantastic job. Nate is now serving in Australia.
Jake Ottesen - Jake is my best friend. If there is anyone I cannot miss to email every week, it's him. I met Jake after I started talking to Josh, and through Sydney too. Sydney was friends with Nate, who was roommates with Jake. Sydney and Jake actually even kissed each other at the i-night kissing booth before they officially met haha. This is another long story that I don't have time to get in to, but me and Jake became super close towards the end of the semester. He was my hardest goodbye when leaving Idaho, and I was even lucky enough to see him again in Utah for a week right before he left on his mission. That goodbye wasn't much easier. He sends me novels as emails, along with nearly 20 pictures attached every week. I absolutely love it. Jake is now serving in Columbus, Ohio.
Jake Ogden - I met Jake Ogden my very first week in college at the i-night dance. We didn't really talk much until the last couple weeks of the first semester though. Once we did, we became pretty close. If I could change one thing about my first semester of college, it would have been that I spent more time with Jake earlier in the semester. He wasn't there for the spring semester, but I really wish he was. Jake is now serving in Arizona.
Tyler - Tyler is one funny guy. I met him multiple times before actually realizing it. The first time was at a dance and we asked him if he wanted to be in a picture with us. We ran into each other again at McDonald's after a dance and I was showing him a video on my phone. Then we met formally at his apartment once I started hanging out with Josh and Jake. Tyler is roommates to Jake and Nate, also good friends with Josh. Tyler may or may not have third and fifth wheeled on a couple of occasions, but he's definitely a great guy. The night before all the roommates left to go back home I helped Tyler, Jake, and Nate pack up their suitcases... cram
all their stuff into his car... and deep clean their apartment. That was definitely an adventure. Tyler is soon to be serving in Alabama.
Tanner - Tanner's story has pretty much already been told. I met him and Brant at the same time-- which was actually at the gym where we decided to meet up to play some basketball. Tanner hit it off with Sydney pretty quick, so I'm not all that close with him, but Sydney is. Tanner is soon to be serving in the exact same mission as Josh-- Ghana, Africa.
It's not too fun knowing that all the friends I made in college aren't going to be there when I go back, but I know they are all off on greater adventures in their lives. These are some of the best people I know, and I'm just glad that I was lucky enough to meet these boys. Godspeed elders!
