About Us:

Laurel

I was born in New England, Massachusetts, but spent most of my young adult years growing up in Citrus County, Florida. I come from a very tight-knit family and am blessed to have such wonderful examples of love in my life. I am the oldest, with one younger sister, Heather. My Mom and Grandma are the strongest and yet most caring women I know. Any strength and sensitivity I possess, I attribute to them.

I enjoy the outdoors, especially hiking, biking, shooting, camping, spelunking, and kayaking. Much like my Dad, I can often be found spending my spare time in nature. I also enjoy all art forms, especially photography, which I do both personally and professionally. I like scrap-booking, basket weaving, pottery, and other crafts. I was encouraged from a young age to keep a journal and still continue to develop my creative writing skills. I have been awarded for many of my poems and short essays. Besides being outdoorsy and artsy, I also play tennis and love physical fitness. I enjoy Kickboxing, Zumba, and Weight Training.

Raised in a very Christian home, I was always taught to seek truth and meaning in life. I was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 14 years old and was baptized soon after. My faith has been a great blessing in my life. I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who understands and knows me perfectly. I am thankful for His son, Jesus Christ, and for His Infinite Atonement.

I have been fortunate enough to study at Brigham Young University (Go Cougars!) and am currently in my final semester of college. Come December 2009, I will be a certified elementary school teacher! I completed a minor in Family Life and believe that the family is the single most important unit in society. I hope to one day earn a Master’s degree in Child Development or School Psychology.

I have found that life moves quickly and usually doesn't work out as "planned." However, I am glad that the Lord is in control and knows what's best. A wise person once said, "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." As I have internalized this teaching, I have been able to witness God's Hand in guiding and directing my life. I'm excited for the journey ahead and cannot wait to be married to my best friend.

Aaron

A common question people ask when meeting someone new is, “where are you from?” I grew up in a small town in Southeast Alaska—Petersburg is the place. Though I was raised in Alaska, I was born in “Happy Valley, Utah”—aka Provo—while my parents were finishing their education at Brigham Young University.

I am the oldest of five boys. I don’t know how my mom managed to raise us and still maintain her sanity. All I can really say is that she’s an incredible woman. Growing up in Alaska, I spent a lot of time outside. In fact, from the age of about seven until I left for college I worked, along with my brothers, as a deckhand on my father’s commercial fishing boat. Through my experiences on the boat, I learned the value of hard work. Ever had Dungeness crab? Well, let’s just say that I’ve caught a lot of it in my day—and I mean a lot!!! Spending so much time outside, I developed a love for being outdoors and have always preferred the mountains, hills, waters, and open lands to busy city places.

All my life, I dreamt of serving a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was able to realize this goal when I turned 19. From the age of 19 to 21, I had the opportunity to serve in the Arizona Tempe Mission. People often ask me how I adjusted to the heat moving from Alaska to Arizona. One of my more common responses is “I prayed a lot.” The experiences I had while on my mission helped prepare me for marriage and the future more than any other life experience. While there were trials and difficulties, it was the most rewarding experience of my life to serve the Lord for those two years.

Both before and after my mission, I attended Brigham Young University studying Civil Engineering and I plan on graduating in 2011. Upon graduation I plan on pursuing a Master’s degree. Ultimately I would like to have my own construction firm designing and building custom homes.

I have also been involved with the BYU Cheer Squad. While on the team, I learned more about working with people and true leadership than at any other period in my life before my mission. It was on the squad that I developed friendships that will forever positively impact my life.

From my Father I learned the value of hard work. From my Mother I learned the importance of empathy and sympathy. From the Cheer Squad I learned important leadership skills. On my mission, I was able to bring all these characteristics together. The hand of the Lord has been incredibly apparent in my life, and I am very, very grateful for all that He has done for me. Were it not for the wonderful people in my life, the experiences I’ve been blessed with, and the lessons I have learned, I would not be ready to share my life with a girl as wonderful as Laurel.