Freedom of Religion

There are things I find odd about the United States. For a country founded on principles of religious freedom, to be more specific. Yes, a country founded on principles of religious freedom. Let me elaborate. We are taught in school that people came here to escape religious persecution. Now, take into account the first amendment to the constitution:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I just read this and was surprised that the first thing mentioned is not freedom of speech, but freedom of religion. I realize it is referring to congress but I believe it should apply to all people. The free exercise of religion should not be infringed upon. What I see happening around me is that when someone decides to say something publicly about God or religion or his beliefs, there is an immediate uprising against him! You hear all this hubbub about "separation of church and state" and people not wanting to have other people's religions forced on them, but if you really think about it, what is happening is none other than RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. If a person has a belief in God, he should have no reason to fear exercising it, even publicly. It is a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT. People fled to this country to escape religious persecution. How will we explain to our founding fathers in the next life that even this land of freedom became a place of persecution as well?

What you probably HAVE been waiting for...

I will preface my post with this: I always dreamed I would be whisked away by a foreign man. I just didn't know how.

I could start from the beginning, but I don't know where the beginning is . . . it could be anywhere! So this could be a short story, or a long one. Hmmmm... I'll shoot for a happy medium.

I served a mission in Quezon City, Philippines, Sep '08-Mar '10. Sylves served there from Sep '07-Jul '09. So I suppose we saw each other at Christmas Conference '08 and a couple zone conferences in the Spring of '09. I don't remember him, we never talked or anything but everyone knew my name being the white sister who always played the piano :-). He says he kind of liked me and hoped there would be a way for him to contact me after my mission. Well, when I came home, there were millions of friend requests on Facebook from fellow missionaries and such. Since I could tell from his picture that he was from my mission I accepted his request.

That would have been April. Skip to August... I was on Facebook doing things for HARBOR and he starts chatting with me. It was surprising but not creepy. I knew what he was doing but it took me a long time to accept it. That time was filled with prayer, reading of the scriptures, meeting with my bishop, talking with my parents, reviewing my patriarchal blessing, and attending the temple. I knew Sylves was different. I had to visit him. That was my trip this past December. Everything worked out very nicely for it to happen.

Sunday, December 12: got up early, showered, ate breakfast, and was playing the piano in the time before church. Sylves came to sit by me and said he had something to give me. He had been telling me that but had led me to believe it wasn't the ring . . . well, it was! Since it was the sabbath day, it was already a special day, and he wanted to make it extra special for such a special girl like me :-) Well, yeah, he makes me feel pretty darn special and even until now I feel good about my decision to say yes. And it is a most definite YES. I know things will not be easy, not in the least, but I still feel good about it. A kind of peaceful feeling.

So the plans: 1. get him here ASAP (not a simple task what with the immigration process and all)
2. be married April 30 in a temple of our God
3. work in CA over the summer for his uncle who owns a restaurant there
4. finish school at WSU
5. go back to the Philippines (whisking away complete!)