Big Head, BFFTE Extraordinaire

In eighth grade my mom decided to pack my two sisters and me up to move somewhere else. We moved from Willard to Brigham, and boy was I nervous, confused and a little sad. My family wasn't really amazingly active, but I felt a desire to be. I felt that I had a friend in my Savior and my Father and I didn't know it at the time, but I was being prepared to learn more about the gospel than I ever had, and to meet some of the most amazing people I have ever met.

I wondered who my neighbors were... They were pretty quiet but I could see there was girl there about my age. I wanted to be friends with her, but I wasn't sure how or even if she wanted to be friends with me. So I did nothing.

The first week we were there, Bishop Wankier came by to invite us to church. On Sunday I would ask my mom if we were going to go. My mom and my dad say I am very hard to say no to (I figure that's just fine as long as I use my super powers for good), and we started going every Sunday. It was hard for my family at first, but we kept going.

I remember my very first mutual. My sister Katelyn and I went in. I sort of stayed around Katie, because I was being quiet and shy. The girls were already started and sitting in a circle for some kind of game. I remember everyone introducing themselves and I thought OK, I will not remember any of these names. I looked at Jenny. For some reason I can clearly see that image in my brain still--that's really weird because I have a really bad memory.

Katie didn't like to come that much, but I started coming every week. I don't really know why. My testimony wasn't super strong yet, and I didn't have too many friends there yet, either.

School started and Penni asked Penny {haha} if she wanted to walk with us to school. We had some truly great times walking to and from school together. We would laugh and tease, walk and complain about backpacks (well, I did anyway).We hardly ever had to walk home alone, and I grew to love their companionship.

She said recently that she “gained respect, compassion, and an outreaching of sisterly love” for me when I bore my testimony at the second girl's camp we had. Little did she know that I could never hear her testimony without wanting to be more like her. I couldn't see her without wanting to make my life better, and I think that's what has made me want to be her best friend.

Years passed and we became very close. I came to not only look up to her, but to love her. We went to Girl's Camp every year together and had so much fun. At her last girl's camp after testimony meeting we just hugged and cried. Later we got to talk in the most beautiful place on the side of a mountain, looking out into the city farther away. She pointed out the temple to me. That night will forever be one of my favorites.

This girl is my best friend. I feel like I could tell her anything, and that she will always be there for me. I will always be there for her. She's going off to college now, and I will be one of the oldest girls in my ward wishing a little that I was going, too, because I don't really know what YW is without her. I've said this a lot recently... “Everything is changing.”

I know one thing that will always be constant. Our friendship. I firmly believe and decree that we will be best friends forever, throughout eternity.

Love, Mariah