It can work! Within Mormon culture it is very typical for missionaries to get "dear John-ed". But I am now engaged to my missionary and high school sweetheart. He proposed July 17, 2009 and we will be getting married in the Oakland, CA temple on April 17, 2010.
Now for how he proposed. First, he took me out to dinner at Olive Garden. (Italian happens to be my favorite kind of food). While we were eating there happened to be a very cute five-year old sitting across from us. I simple smiled at the boy, and Lance claims it was flirting. Anywho, Lance jokingly made a big deal about it, and I simply replied with my left hand in plain sight "Better hurry up." I was simply teasing him about proposing soon. I had no idea that he was planning on proposing that night. I thought that he'd wait until my birthday or our anniversary.
After Olive Garden we went back to his house. We were planning on attending a dance that night, but we had a few hours before we needed to leave. So, we decided to read scriptures before the dance, anticipating that we'd be to tired to read them afterword. After we finished reading Lance claimed he needed to use the bathroom, so he headed up stairs and I waited for him. When he came down, he decided that we should go on a walk before the dance. So we went.
But this was no regular walk. This was a walk up the hills behind his house. Within those hills there is a bench where you can sit and see the entire city. Lance planned on walking up there and watching the sunset. But once we got to the top of the hill, another couple was already sitting on our bench! I quickly suggested that we just go home. Lance on the other hand, pointed to an even taller hill and said we should go up there. I was not thrilled by this idea, but we started the walk up the next hill. While we walked I made it very known that I wanted to stop. The shoes I was wearing gave me horrible blister, and I kept getting rocks in my shoes. This was not my idea of fun. So, Lance being the sweet guy he is, stoped and said we could watch the sunset from where we were.
We hugged, and I could hear his heart racing. It sounded like he had just ran a marathon rather than a leisurely walk up a hill. So I asked him why his heart was pounding, and he simply answered my question with another question. "It is?" And then he changed the subject. That should have been my first clue.
Then I felt his hand reach into his pocket, and again I asked why. This time, he came up with a lie on the spot. "I'm just checking to make sure your cell phone is still there." (I had asked him to hold my cell phone for me before we went on the walk). Like a trusting girlfriend, I believed him. That should have been my second huge clue!
Then he got down on one knee with the ring in his hand and proposed!!! The happiest day in my life thus far!
