I know most of the family knows about our courtship, but I thought it would be interesting to read about some of the steps in our courtship that we both know were more than coincidence. Think of Bob his first year of college (they are look a likes). Just like Bob, Dad started college at BYU the summer after he graduated when he was barely 17. He transferred to the Jr. College in Ventura, CA. where he worked on a pre-med degree. It didn’t take long to realize that his real love was English. Dad changed his major and went to Summer school again at BYU. Neil had nowhere to go the short time between Summer School and Fall Semester and so he was one of the few residents at Stover Hall. Originally, Neil was assigned to the 2nd floor and was in a different ward. The Matron of the Dorms was encouraged by Dad’s friendliness and easy going personality. She asked him if there were any chance he would be willing to room with a fellow that had a hard time with roommates. Neil agreed and that was the beginning of our miracle courtship.
I naively came to BYU with no arrangements for housing. I planned to live with Grandma and Grandpa Adams and commute until I found something. I had made friends with a fun girl from our stake at Youth Conference and so knowing no one else at BYU, we started spending time at her apartment. I immediately asked the apartment managers if there were any openings. There were none at the time, but I put my name on the wait list and then the second miracle happened. Mary Ann and Elsa’s roommate couldn’t get the classes she wanted and went home to Idaho to work until the next semester. Because the manager knew me and of course liked me, I jumped to the top of the wait list and moved in and the very next week Neil and I were in the same ward.
Miracle #3 was that Neil and his roommate were assigned to be in our FHE group. In case you didn’t know, my ebullient spirit has mellowed a bit over the years, but when I introduced myself to Neil that Sunday, he thought I was a bit much over the top and thought I was coming on to him. He resolved in his heart to never give me the satisfaction of ever asking me out. When we had our first FHE my opinion of Dad was that he was really insecure and not very committed to the gospel since he was not planning on a mission until the Summer and here he was a junior in college!
There were lots of twists and turns in the plot over the next 6 months, but in the end, Neil and I met on a wintry Sunday morning and he told me of his desire to date. So much for his vow and of course, during those months I realized he was full of confidence and very committed to the gospel and was only held back by his tender age of 18.
Miracle #4 was that even with several humorous misunderstandings that led me to give Neil the ultimatum of either date me or don’t, but if you do date me, I expect a commitment. Always good for his word, Neil was, is and will be forever committed to me.
I naively came to BYU with no arrangements for housing. I planned to live with Grandma and Grandpa Adams and commute until I found something. I had made friends with a fun girl from our stake at Youth Conference and so knowing no one else at BYU, we started spending time at her apartment. I immediately asked the apartment managers if there were any openings. There were none at the time, but I put my name on the wait list and then the second miracle happened. Mary Ann and Elsa’s roommate couldn’t get the classes she wanted and went home to Idaho to work until the next semester. Because the manager knew me and of course liked me, I jumped to the top of the wait list and moved in and the very next week Neil and I were in the same ward.
Miracle #3 was that Neil and his roommate were assigned to be in our FHE group. In case you didn’t know, my ebullient spirit has mellowed a bit over the years, but when I introduced myself to Neil that Sunday, he thought I was a bit much over the top and thought I was coming on to him. He resolved in his heart to never give me the satisfaction of ever asking me out. When we had our first FHE my opinion of Dad was that he was really insecure and not very committed to the gospel since he was not planning on a mission until the Summer and here he was a junior in college!
There were lots of twists and turns in the plot over the next 6 months, but in the end, Neil and I met on a wintry Sunday morning and he told me of his desire to date. So much for his vow and of course, during those months I realized he was full of confidence and very committed to the gospel and was only held back by his tender age of 18.
Miracle #4 was that even with several humorous misunderstandings that led me to give Neil the ultimatum of either date me or don’t, but if you do date me, I expect a commitment. Always good for his word, Neil was, is and will be forever committed to me.
Great post mom. I love that picture of you guys flying a kite. Looks like dad is having a tough time figuring things out. Also, excellent use of the word ebullient. Loved the phrase "the manager knew me and of course liked me...". How could she/he not?!
ReplyDeleteWe first met Ruth Ann on a Saturday in early spring. I love to sleep in, but this particular morning I woke up at about 5am, and couldn't go back to sleep. Jim and I were living in Ogden at the time, and I had the strongest impression that I needed to go to see my brother Neil, in Provo, right away. The feeling kept returning, so I finally mentioned it to Jim, and he felt we should head down there. There weren't cell phones in those days, and no phones in the dorm rooms, so Neil didn't even know we were coming. We tracked him down at the Helaman Halls Cafeteria. When I explained my strong feeling that we should come, he said it was really important to him that we had, because he wanted us to meet someone. That someone was Ruth Ann, and Neil explained that she was one of his FHE sisters, and he was falling in love with her. Now, Neil had just extricated himself from a complicated love triangle, and he was planning on a mission, so I said, "Oh no, not again!! You just got out of a situation like this!!"
ReplyDeleteNeil explained that he hadn't intended to fall in love--it had just spontaneously happened, and Ruth Ann was wonderful, and he was wishing that his family could meet her. He felt that this is why I had the impression we needed to go see him.
Jim and I agreed to go over to meet Ruth Ann, and it didn't take long for us to see what an amazing girl she was--sincere, friendly, brilliant, and strong in the gospel. It was also clear what a terrific couple they made. The friendship and affection were already there between them, and they were just so natural together. We advised him to, "Go for it!" and we're so happy that he did, and she did, and all of us have benefited from the blessing of their being so "right" for each other.