Kyle and Raquel Young

It was February 17, 2010 when this handsome boy ordered a sandwich from me. I had been working at the Seasider Snackbar on the BYU-Hawaii campus while attending school there. I had no idea this boy would be the one I would spend forever with.

I arrived to Hawaii on January 1^st, 2010 – New Years Day – by myself. I had hopes of meeting some new friends. My first goal though, was to find a job, preferably on campus considering the lack of jobs available off campus on the small North Shore side of the island. I had been applying online to on-campus jobs for the next few days in which I had no luck. I decided to just go talk to a manager in hopes of finding more information on how to get hired because obviously their online job site was not working out. I had to find a job, and quick before more students began to arrive for the semester. I walked straight to the Seasider Snackbar on campus and asked to speak to the manager. I was taken through the back door in the Snackbar to meet a very stern but nice Polynesian lady named Ivona. As I handed her my resume I told her I needed a job. She said she needed someone to work the Sandwich and Ice Cream shop and asked if I could start the next day – um yes please! I was stoked. I worked every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12-4pm and absolutely LOVED my job! This was the first tender mercy: finding a job so easy and quick.

One night, BYU-Hawaii held an International Food Festival in the big grassy field in front of the school (called the flag circle) which students could walk around to different booths and buy all different kinds of food from different cultures and play games. I had gone with my Chinese roommate (Cathy) and we were talking with some friends when I heard a group of guys next to us say my name. I turned and saw one of them looking over and hurried and turned away – not thinking anything of it.

A few days went by. It was Wednesday February 17, 2010 when I was working at the Snackbar again. As I was making sandwiches for each person in line, this boy had ordered one who I had never seen before. I thought nothing of it as I made him his sandwich and he was on his way. Two days later on Friday February 19 I was working with a girl named Amber. A boy came up to order a shake in which he asked for my number. I told him I don’t give my number out at work. It was pretty much the lamest excuse to tell him I was not interested. Within the next few hours 3 complete other guys proceeded to ask for my number. It just became a joke to Amber and I because no one had asked for my number before and just in that day there had already been 4 guys asking me for it. Oh, and I said no to each one of them as well. Then, that same boy I had made a sandwich for on Wednesday was in my line again that day. We made small talk while I made him a sandwich in which usually he would then walk over to the cashier and she would ring him out; however, the cashier was busy so I decided I would just ring him out in which we continued making small talk. I mentioned I was from Mesa, Arizona and he talked about how he served a mission in Tucson, AZ. I found out his name was Kyle Young. He then said. “Hey so my friends are doing a group date tomorrow night over in Honolulu, would you want to go?” I was trying so hard not to laugh as the 5^th boy of the day proceeded to ask for my number. I could hear Amber silently laughing behind me as I smiled and said “Yes I’d love to!” I gave him my number as he held out his trembling hands to type my number in his phone. Yes, he was shaking terribly. But it was cute. I’m not sure why I had said yes to him and no to the other four boys. I honestly do not know how to explain it but there was a spark to Kyle. He seemed different than anyone I had ever met. He was very handsome, very polite and looked like the perfect Mormon boy any girl would want to date.

That night after dance practice I had a voicemail on my phone. It was Kyle asking me to call him back. It was kind of late – probably around 11pm or so when I finally called him back. I told him I was still up for the date the next day and he told me he would pick me up tomorrow evening.

Kyle picked me up at from Hale 5 where we then both hopped in the back seat of his friend Alex’s red car. Alex and his date were in the front seat talking (they obviously knew each other well) which led Kyle and I to talk and get to know each other while we drove an hour to Honolulu. I remember how easy it was to talk to him and how we both were interested in what each other had to say. There was a point during the drive where I was just fascinated about this boy I was talking to. I honestly remember the exact thought come into my head: ‘If I marry this boy someday, I am going to remember this moment.’

That night was so much fun! We first met up with his friends and ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in Honolulu. I remember looking at the menu at what to get when Kyle leaned over and told me to get whatever I want. I remember little things such as that where I felt so at ease with this boy I hardly even knew. We first took a picture with the whole group before starting the picture scavenger hunt around the strip:

Each couple then hurried with a list of different pictures to take as we each had to take them and be back within an hour. It was so fun and I felt so much at ease as we checked each picture off the list. There was a point in the scavenger hunt where it said we had to propose to our date on the beach. We thought it would be funny as we asked these random Chinese girls to pose and act excited in the back of our picture as Kyle got down on one knee and “proposed”. However, the Chinese girls did not speak very good English and thought it was for real as they hugged and congratulated us after the picture was taken, with complete tears in their eyes.

After that night Kyle and I began seeing each other each day throughout that semester in Hawaii. I was a little hesitant though, but was still smitten over Kyle. One night Kyle dropped me off at my dorm for the night. He kept hugging me and telling me how much of a fun night he had.. I could tell he was just nervous and stalling as he was trying to figure out when to kiss me. I finally looked at him waiting for him to go in for it, and he kissed me.

Towards the end of March I had been thinking about things between us. I knew he was going back home to Utah after the semester and I was going back home to Arizona. Although I was falling hard for him, I did not want to do any sort of long distant dating, just assuming it might not work out. I thought that it would be best to end things sooner than later, (so lame now, I know). So I broke up with him the night before my 19^th birthday. Sounds dumb, but I didn’t want him to think I wanted to get dinner and a gift out of him for my birthday and then break up with him – so I thought it would be best before he did anything for me. However, he still bought me a ukulele for my birthday.

After I ended things I regretted it right away. I still would go over and wanted to be with him. I even bailed out on another date I had and asked Kyle out instead.. (that boy wasn’t too happy when he found out I ditched him for Kyle.. ha oops!) Kyle and I sort of saw each other here and there until he finally dropped me off at the airport for my flight back to Arizona. We said our goodbyes as I took my bags and boarded my plane – never knowing when I’d see him again.

A month later I received a phone call from Kyle. He told me that his cousin Brady Mathews and he were coming down to Arizona to sell pest control in Glendale (only 40 minutes from my house). I was stoked! We planned a date to go out and set up Brady with my best friend Nikki Fox (Corley). Us four went to dinner and to a comedy show. I was so happy to see Kyle again. This was the second tender mercy: Kyle moving to Arizona for the summer.

That summer was spent driving to Glendale to see Kyle and him driving to my house to have pool parties in my backyard with friends. There was a connection between us still but we acted like nothing more than friends. It was the end of the summer about a week or two before Kyle left back to Utah. I was leaving his house in Glendale back to Mesa when he walked me to my car. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to kiss him but I wasn’t sure if he felt the same. But before I knew it we had said our goodbyes for the night and he was walking back inside. As I was driving away I was like, “What am I doing!?” I quickly parked my car and ran back to Kyle. He hugged me again as we both went in for a kiss. I felt so relieved! I felt like nothing had changed and we finally had gotten back to where it all started. I was so in love with him and wished we had figured this out the beginning of the summer rather than right now.

We spent our last few days together with as much time as possible, and spent our last at Tia Roses for dinner while talking and smiling at each other. I remember him walking me to my door as he picked me up and kissed me one last time before, again; I thought I would never see again. I was so happy how things ended this summer but so mad. Why is he leaving? Why is he going back to Utah? Why am I here and not going back with him? I cried that night not knowing what to do.

A few months passed as I began my job that fall as a front desk Receptionist at Avalon School of Cosmetology. My friend whom I had sent off on a mission was coming home soon in February. I neither had good nor bad thoughts about him coming home, but decided to pray about what I should be doing in my life. I remember praying one night to know what I should be doing with my life. Out of nowhere Kyle’s name came right to me as I threw up my head in confusion. I was seriously in shock. I had not talked to Kyle in months. Why would his name come to mind now at this time? It just did not make sense.

A month or so later I received a phone call from my cousin Kalie Brown. She was living in Provo, UT and told me she needed a roommate in a few months starting January and asked if I wanted to move up and live with her and 2 other girls. I thought it sounded so much fun but told her I would think about it. A few weeks later I found out that my friend on the mission was postponing his return date for another month. I realized that I just needed to stop worrying about that and do what I felt was best for myself. I remember sitting in front of the Mesa temple praying to know what to do. I had the strongest feeling I needed to move to Utah. I was not sure why but I knew that was what I was supposed to do. So I told my mom, I called Kalie, I quit my job and packed and moved to Utah.

I called Kyle the first week I got there and he asked me out on date that Friday (it was the first or second week of January). He was going to Utah State in Logan while I was living in Provo – over a two hour drive. I decided I couldn’t wait and asked Kyle if him and some friends wanted to meet Kalie and I at the movies in Salt Lake that Wednesday before. I remember when I saw him at the theaters at Gateway I was again so excited. He then picked me up in Provo for our date that Friday where we went to Color Me Mine and painted mugs:

Afterwards we went to his sister Jamie’s house and watched a movie in her Theater. He leaned over and kissed me and I was in love all over again. After that we began seeing each other every other week, then every weekend, then sometimes Kyle would make the 2 hour drive down randomly during the week and surprise me for dinner then make the 2 hour drive back to Logan that same night – just to see me. Kyle was perfect. He would surprise me with flowers randomly, or show up at my house unexpected with groceries to make lunch, or buy me my favorite chocolate he heard my once say, or leave me notes. He was everything I ever wanted and more. My friend on a mission was coming home in a few weeks. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. I was head over heels in love with Kyle and did not want anything to change. He was everything I had ever dreamed of but still, I wanted to make sure I made the right choice. I wanted to know and be 100% sure who was right for me and who Heavenly Father wanted for me.

Kyle and I put things on hold for a while. The one thing I remembered that Kyle told me right before then was that he respected my decision and told me even if it took weeks or months, that he would always be there waiting for me. That meant alot to me how much he cared about me and I never forgot that. He left for his Mexico cruise for Spring Break, and I left to California with my family for Spring Break. I drove with them back to Arizona and had plans to drive back up with my friend from the mission to Utah where he was to see his sister. I thought the drive would be plenty of time for good conversation. When he came home he came over to my house to say hi to me and my family. After he left I was laying on my bed when my mom walked in. I starting balling. She asked what was wrong and I told her I couldn’t stop thinking about Kyle. All she said was “I wouldn’t ignore those feelings”.

That Monday was the worst drive ever. We not only had nothing to talk about but I honestly did not want to talk. He dropped me off in Provo and I ran to my room and opened up my Patriartical Blessing. After reading that and praying I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Kyle was the one I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. I was crying of happiness because I felt the biggest weight being lifted off my shoulders. I knew it and there was no doubt.

I tried calling Kyle but he would not answer! I could not believe it. Here I knew that I was supposed to marry this boy and he wouldn’t even answer my calls. I couldn’t blame him though. We had decided to take a break a month ago and hadn’t talked since. I was just about to get in my car that night and drive straight up to Logan when finally Kyle texted me and asked what I wanted. I asked if I could come up to Logan the next day (Tuesday) and see him but he said we could just talk on the phone instead. I told him No and that I needed to come talk to him in person. He finally told me I could come up on Wednesday. A whole two days later.. I was dying inside, but agreed.

Right after work that Wednesday at noon I jumped in my car and drove as fast as I could to Logan. I was so nervous and planned out exactly what I was going to tell him. He loves these caramel apples we used to eat from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory so I bought him one to bring to him. I remember standing at his apartment door waiting to knock but feeling absolutely terrified. What if he didn’t have feelings for me anymore? What if he didn’t want anything to do with me anymore? I finally knocked and when he opened the door he had the biggest grin on his face. I was so happy. We drove to a nearby park in which I tried to explain my thoughts. Everything I had prepared to say during the drive was not coming to mind. I remember telling him how happy he made me and how much I loved being around him. He honestly looked stunned. I could tell that was not what he was expecting to hear. He hugged me for a long time and I knew everything was going to be ok. I was back with the boy I fell in love with.

Easter weekend Kyle and his parents invited me to go with them to St George. It was such a fun weekend. I remember driving back though I told him how I have been thinking about moving up to Logan to be closer with him. He looked so excited. I finally got the courage to tell him I was falling in love with him. He looked over at me and told me “Raquel I love you, and I have been wanting to tell you that for such a long time.”

We finally decided to get married. Without telling anyone yet we set a date of August 15, 2011 in the Salt Lake City Temple. It was a Monday but we thought it was perfect. We told our parents but no one else until I had the ring.

We ended up driving down to Mesa during Memorial weekend in which Kyle was to ask my dad for my hand in marriage – little did I know he had already called him. That Friday the 27^th of May my mom and I went to a ring store to look at men’s rings for Kyle. We met up with the rest of the family but were supposed to meet Sterling and Kyle for dinner at Moki’s Hawaiian Grill. But when we got there Sterling and Kyle weren’t there. Instead, the Hawaiian lady at the counter asked if I was Raquel. I said yes and she put a lei around my neck and gave me a paper with a poem on it. It read:

“It was 15 months ago way out on Oahu

That I first saw that girl that looks just like you.

She had a way with meat, cheese, and bread

That I just could not get out of my head.

“Sandwich Girl” seemed to take over my dreams

And I vowed to make her mine by any means.

“Not so fast!” she said after dating a while,

It wasn’t right then so she traveled many miles.

Who would guess that in Arizona I’d have a job very soon?

Living that close to her again put me over the moon!

A second state, a second chance – at Tia Roses we chose

Great food and made memories to help our relationship grow.

Your family will now take you to this special place

To see what is next in this exciting road race!

We then drove to Tia Roses, my favorite restaurant in Arizona. I was so nervous that he was going to propose in front of all those people! But when we went inside, they gave me a bouquet of flowers with another poem. It read:

“At the end of the summer we once more said goodbye,

Not knowing if we would see each other again almost made me cry.

She stayed where the weather was nice and warm,

While I ventured up north and made Logan my home.

I found many Aggie girls that seemed kind of nice,

But compared to Sandwich girl, I didn’t want to look twice!

One cold day in November when I thought I would freeze,

I got a call that warmed my heart and I shouted with glee.

The distance between us was to become little more than two hours,

Utah could now be the third state in this progressing story of ours.

Many hundreds of miles in my trusty Mazda 6 were driven,

And times spent with Sandwich girl made me feel I was in heaven.

As things go, one last time she felt a break was needed.

I had no choice but to make sure her wishes were headed.

My faith in us was indeed put to the test,

But 32 days later I got a visit that was simply the best!

We started anew, and this time things were better than ever.

We vowed not to part again, but to be together forever!

I’m looking forward to gazing into my Sandwich girl’s eyes across the alter,

But first there are a few details to attend to if my nerves do not falter!

Some very special people have agreed to help me out,

To now show you, my beloved Sandwich girl, what this is all about.

At this time you will temporarily lose your sight, but don’t worry, your heart will easily guide you to “Mr. Right.”

My parents put a blind fold on me as we began driving. I was so nervous. I had no idea where we were going but I definitely knew it was happening! We got out of the car as my family guided me, still blindfolded, up a rocky path.

They took off the blindfold. In front of me was a staircase covered in rose petals with Kyle standing at the top of the stairs in a tuxedo.

It was at the back of a gorgeous home on top of a mountain with the sunset right in front of us. I started crying I was so nervous but so excited. I walked up the stairs as he took my hands and told me how much he loved, how much he wanted to marry me, and how excited he was to grow old with me. He then got down on one knee as he pulled out the most gorgeous ring and asked me to marry him.

I said yes of course as he put the ring on my finger and gave me a hug. I have never been so happy in my entire life. We ended that night by eating at Tia Roses and drove back up to Utah that weekend.

That summer we were married on August 15, 2011 in the beautiful Salt Lake City Temple. It was the happiest day of my life.