How Bendra's Love Story Began

I have to admit that I have not been the best at keeping record of the important experiences in my life, and I am hoping that this blog will now help me to do better at that. So I just want to take the next few posts to document a story that means so very much to me.

The Love Story of Ben and Kendra (Bendra)

Our story began in September 2008 when Ben and I met through mutual friends at Hunter High School.

The first photo we took together with our good friend Tommy Lee

We were young love struck teenagers and decided that once we were both 16 we would become an "official" couple. On my 16th birthday (December 17th) Ben pulled me aside at school and asked me to be his girlfriend. I gladly accepted and our love began to grow. We attended our first school dance together, and I shared my first kiss with Ben. 

Then in March 2009 I decided that I wanted to do a little bit more exploring in the dating world and have the freedom to date other boys. So I broke off the relationship and we drifted a part for a few months. Then as time went on we slowly began to rebuild our friendship with each other.

End of Junior Year 2010

 In our Junior year of high school now, we built a strong friendship with one another. By the summer that friendship turned into romance once again. Ben and I shared many fun times together that summer, but by the end Ben decided he wasn't ready to pair off just yet and the romance was extinguished. Although our friendship stayed strong as we entered our senior year. 
Ben and I both went on several dates with other people and by February 2011 we discovered that what we had with each other was the very best. So by March we made it official once again, but this time we were committed to the relationship and to making it last forever. 

April 2011

Our Last School Dance (We spent our first and last dance together, aww cute! right?)

After graduation in June 2011, Ben and I had some tough decisions ahead of us. Our paths were destined to split for a time as Ben had chosen to serve a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My plan was to move to Logan, Utah and attend Utah State University for the next four years. As we contemplated how our relationship would work once I moved to college and he left for his mission, we spent the summer in bliss. We created as many fun memories as we could. 

Lagoon June 2011

 

Ensign Peak

Salt Lake Bees Game

Summer ended and after a lot of prayers and discussions, we decided to keep our love strong as I would faithfully wait for Ben to return home from his mission. Marriage was discussed but nothing was set as we both knew that two years can bring on many changes. Ben was scheduled to leave for his mission on November 30, 2011 (His 19th birthday). So from August to November our love grew stronger and anxiety began to rise as Ben prepared to leave and I began college. 

 

The day finally came and we said goodbye to each other for two years. We both promised to write letters to each other every week, and kept that promise. There were a few people who didn't believe that we could make it through the full two years or that I could wait faithfully, but I knew in my heart that what we had was special and with our Heavenly Father's help we could make it through anything! I remember saying often before Ben left, "What's two years compared to eternity?"

Those two years I would have to say were the hardest I had ever experienced before. There were nights of tears, fears, and all sorts of emotions. Looking back now it's really hard to put into words how I felt or what our experience was. Although I can say that it was through divine help from my Heavenly Father, Savior, family, and friends that helped me to stay positive and fall more and more in love with Ben. Here are a few pictures from those two years.

In one of Ben's packages that I sent to him, I gave him a hoodie with Elder Epperson on the front and Washington DC North Mission with the DC flag on the back. I got one too that matched but instead of saying Elder Epperson it said I Love My Missionary. Cheesy I know but we both loved to wear them :)

For my birthday in 2012 Ben had flowers sent to me. Such a sweetheart. :)

My Valentine to Ben in 2013

Ben and I exchanged CTR/Promise rings before he left. We wore them for the whole two years. In this photo we are showing off those rings. We both wore the rings on our left hand but I wanted to make this cool collage
 so I flipped my picture. 

Finally the day came for us to be reunited! 

Ben returned home on November 27, 2013 (the day before Thanksgiving). We struggled to only do handshakes and smiles until he was released on Friday November 29. After that first embrace on Friday, everything began to just fall into place. We picked up right where we had left off, and now looked forward to a possible marriage in the near future. I had transferred to Weber State University in Ogden, Utah at this point and was living at home. Thus it made it easy for us to see each other often and develop our relationship even more.