I said yes - before he even asked ;)

Engagement stories are fun, right? I always love hearing other people's - thought I'd share mine. I'm not trying to be 'that' girl. I just really want to share this beautiful, spiritual experience that my fiance made so perfect.

Let me start from the beginning...

So a month ago, Polo and I were shopping in the Las Vegas outlets. We were walking out of the Nike store and saw a Kay Jewelers and Zales.. We both looked at each other and thought, 'what the heck?' We had never really looked and our intentions were just to browse, but I FOUND THE RING OF MY DREAMS. I was in love (lust?) with this ring. We decided on not getting it and went throughout the rest of our day. You can bet I dreamt of that ring from that night on.

His family reunion was taking place just a couple weeks later in Vegas, and he told me he would look and see if it was still there. I was told by him that it was no longer there and because of the fact they were an outlet jeweler, rings come and go fast. I was disappointed but hid it pretty well. I figured we'd find another one in the future.

Little did I know, he had gotten the ring.

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About a month later, he came down on a Thursday to see me from Logan like he does every week on his day off and took me ring shopping once again. No luck. I just wanted that one I already fell in love with! We even looked at customizing that exact ring and took a pamphlet home from Kay Jewelers to do so. That was the plan - or so I thought.

He had told me that he wanted to take me for a picnic up by the temple after I got off work the next day. Now, some people say, 'Well isn't that obvious engagement territory?' .. Not really because we go up there all the time to talk or just to sit on the temple grounds! Plus, I thought there was no ring at this point. So anyway, after work we did some shopping at the District (to kill time apparently) :P and afterward we headed for Oquirrh Mountain temple. I asked, "Do you even have the picnic stuff?" he replied, "Yup, I'm all set. It's in my backpack!" I glanced back at a bulky backpack and assumed it was full of bread (gluten-free of course) :P and lunch meat.

As we were driving, I noticed he looked a little uneasy. I asked if he was OK and he said, "Yea, let's finish reading Alma 23 right now." That was the chapter we were on and I thought nothing of it as I grabbed his scripture quad. I read aloud and apparently he was not really listening, simply having me do this to ease his nerves. (He told me later that night that he was terrified and was hoping the scriptures would help strengthen him to go through with this). Hey, it clearly worked! ;)

We park at the temple, he grabs the backpack  and we walk to the grounds hand-in-hand. It was a beautiful day; the sky all different shades of blue and the sun was still high in the sky even at 6:00 pm, as tomorrow would mark the first day of summer. I was sweating. Granted, it was hot, but I was REALLY SWEATING all of the sudden. My heart started pounding. I didn't know why, but it was racing a million miles an hour. The spirit then told me that this was going to be a very important day in my life. 

In church we learn the spirit has a still small voice, but when He needs to tell you something, it can be pretty booming. I felt it through my entire body and I am feeling it now as I type. It is undeniable and real.

As we're walking, I noticed some guy over in the trees with a camera around his neck but chose to think nothing of it. I assumed he was just taking pictures of the grounds. I almost knew in the back of my mind, but I refused to look at him closer because I thought maybe I was just getting my hopes up for something.

We plopped on the grass and he said almost immediately, "Andrea, I want you to go on a journey with me." My heart continued thumping and I thought 'OK, he might be taking me on a scavenger hunt or something, this is cute. He can't be proposing, there's no ring Andy, no ring. Stop over-thinking!' He continued, "There's some things you'll need for this journey." He brought out my favorite snack and drink from his bag and said "First, you gotta have your favorite treats for a journey!" Of course that made me smile and laugh. What a dork :)

"Here is the second thing you'll need for this journey," he said as he pulled out a white box that he wrote the words, 'Our Center' on . I opened it and it was a statue of Christ - the Christus. He said, "I want this to be the center of our lives and center of everything we do together." I started tearing up and the spirit testified to me the truthfulness of this statement. I was overwhelmed with emotion. 

Well, I thought maybe that was it. I was thinking, 'Awwww, he took me to the temple to tell me all this and give me a gift, how thoughtful!' I literally thought that was all! However, he pulls out third gift and it's a picture frame. Inside the frame is a little picture he drew. I'm shaking a little as I look closer at this stick figure drawing and see a man kneeling down to a girl and the girl is saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!" 

My hand immediately covered my mouth and there was no more 'maybe' to this situation. I knew it was happening. I look up and his hand reached in his bag one last time. 

He said, "You're going to want to stand up for this last gift."

 I immediately rose as he got on one knee, pulled out a silver box and propped it open. "Andrea Lu," he said, "I love you and want you to be my partner for eternity and want you to join me on this journey" - and I couldn't even hold back, I said "YES!" before he finished! Hahahaha (I still laugh about it) I said yes before he even asked ;) He smiled and continued, "Will you marry me?" and I said yes again! He put the ring on my finger, stood up and gave me a big embrace. The whole time I am still in shock, sweating and practically hyperventilating."Smile for the camera!" he says as I turn to see the man I previously spotted - his friend and roommate Quinton

After it all happened, I was immediately shouting "I need to call my mom, my sisters, my dad, my friends!" He laughed and said, "They all know. There's a barbecue for you back at your house." 

When I got home family immediately started rushing out the door and congratulating me. My mom had a cake made that said, 'Congrats Andrea and Polo!' with little cupcakes that had diamond rings on them. My mom and Polo = cheesiest people alive. That's why I love them. 

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I remember feeling anxious/nervous/scared for when this day would come. I thought that he would be down on his knees and I would feel unsure or hesitant and terrified that it determined the rest of my life. I thought my mind would be clouded and spinning. Instead, I felt overwhelmed with the spirit. Although my body was sweating and heart wouldn't hold still (dang terrestrial problems), my mind was at complete peace. I mean, I said YES before he finished for heavens sake! I have never felt so right and comforted about a decision and I know that I am supposed to marry him. I love him with all my heart and am so excited to begin my "journey" with him. 

My favorite part is that he put Christ FIRST. He didn't show this glamorous ring and then mention Christ and the temple afterward. He mentioned that Christ is the CENTER of everything and THEN proposed. It reminds me of a quote by Marjorie Hinckley that says, 

“As we got closer to marriage, I felt completely confident that Gordon loved me. But I also knew somehow that I would never come first with him. I knew I was going to be second in his life and that the Lord was going to be first. And that was okay. It seemed to me that if you understood the gospel and the purpose of our being here, you would want a husband who put the Lord first.”

Just another confirmation to me that I am marrying a righteous and spiritual young man. 


So yes, it was a complete surprise and I was in shock. But on June 20th, 2014 I became the happiest girl alive.

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I haven't received our actual 'in-the-moment' pictures, but here are some cheesy posed ones we took afterward. I was floating on a cloud that entire night: