To My Future Husband:

Oh heyyyy.

You are probably wondering about the title of this, so let's start there. This was inspired by 2 things: 1) my brother is currently listening to the David Archuleta Christmas album, and David Archuleta was 300% my junior high crush (and if we're being real, I'd probably say yes if he asked me on a date) and 2) General Conference.

This post was NOT inspired by: 1) my upcoming marriage.

I got the idea for this post from this October's General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you've ever watched General Conference, you know that a lot of things were discussed. However, one of the coolest things about General Conference is that it is a time for you to hear the words of living prophets and receive revelation from them, but it's also a time to directly connect to heaven and receive revelation that doesn't necessarily have to do with what is directly being said. Watching General Conference opens you up to a special spirit that is powerful and real and definitely comes from Heavenly Father and it's very conducive for receiving instruction from God about specific ways to act - to do something, to make a real change.

This post is based on a powerful prompting that I received multiple times during Conference. That prompting was that I need to be better about expressing the way I feel about my Savior and His gospel, especially to those I love -- hence, my future husband. But also, all of you! So below are things that I hope my future husband will know about me, and things I want all y'all to know about me.

Family is the most important thing to me. I am a pretty high-energy person with big dreams, but I would like you to know that there is literally nothing I wouldn't give up to have a family of my own. I believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and I believe that family relationships are designed to exist far beyond mortality. I know that that is possible through the power of the priesthood and the blessings of the temple. My deepest desire is to get married in the temple so that I can have my husband and children as mine forever.

There is a lot of debate about the nature of marriage and families, but I want it to be clear to all who know me that I know the Lord has designed the both of those things to bless us and help us to become more like Him. It is through families that we learn how to sacrifice for others, how to forget ourselves and truly love someone else, enough to shape them as a person. The family -- mother, father, sisters, brothers -- is fundamental to the success of society as a whole, and to individuals who are striving to better themselves and become like Jesus.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I have read this book probably about 10 times from start to finish and each time I learn something new about Jesus Christ. I plan to continue to study it throughout my life and adapt its principles as my lifestyle. The Book of Mormon teaches obedience to God, to care for the poor, to love everyone regardless of their feelings toward you, to keep the commandments, to be baptized, and to trust in the Lord. It is true.

I am not perfect, but I am trying my best. I know that repentance is real, and I know that through Jesus Christ, we can forsake things that weigh us down, forgive people who hurt us, and have joy despite circumstances. I genuinely try to be better day-to-day, and I recognize my complete dependence upon the Savior in order to do so. I literally cannot do anything without Him.

Christ is intimately aware of the details of our lives. He suffered, it's true, but He also laughed, helped, served and loved. He sees each of us exactly where we are and knows the perfect way to get us to where we need to be. And, lucky for us, He cares more that we become that person than He does about making sure we're comfortable or that life makes perfect sense to us all the time. So sometimes, because God has a plan for us that is better than our plan for us, things get uncomfortable and confusing.

There's a CS Lewis quote that I love so much that illustrates this concept: "Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."

So if sometimes you feel lost, know that Christ knows you. He has all the blueprints to build you.

You are a child of God. Dude, I know that so much about you! I'm serious. He created you, and He loves you so much. He loves your quirks, and He loves anything you do to try to be closer to Him. I know this because sometimes He'll let me see you how He sees you. And I'm always so in awe every time, with the quality of the people I see everywhere and their potential and their beauty. Each of you is so beautiful and amazing, and I know it can be hard to see that sometimes, but please, if you ever need to know what anyone could ever see in you, pray and ask God! He will sure tell you. I know that cause I've tried it.

Also, look at all the evidence there is that He loves you! There's pretty flowers and towering mountains and people who are kind. There's a living prophet on the earth, also! Isn't this a cool time to be alive?

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He is everything we say He is. He really did come to earth. He really did go about doing good. All the stories you read in the Bible about His life are true. And He really did atone for us, for you and me and everyone. He is the reason we can live with God and our families forever. I am so grateful for that, and I hope to show my gratitude for that every day, by doing my best to love His children. I know I fall so incredibly short, but I am grateful He lets me keep trying. Maybe someday I'll come close to getting it right.

He will one day return to earth, and I hope I will have become someone He can be proud of when He does.

I love you.

Love,
Em