Tiffany's Journey

 

In January Eric and I started attending the missionary discussions with a girl that I had never met before, Tiffany Clark. The first time I met her was at the church after she had gotten off work at Wendy's, which is just up the street. It was a gray and drizzly evening, and Tiffany came rolling up to the door in her rollerblades, with a huge set of headphones on, and with a lot of spunk. I immediately thought to myself, "Well, this is going to be interesting!" Little did I know at that time what an amazing experience I was about to have with someone who appeared to be my total opposite.

 

Tiffany was looking for truth, and she was intrigued with the church. She had so many questions. I was immediately impressed with her voracious appetite for knowledge. She wanted to know everything, and with every answer we gave her, she would nod her head and say, "I like that. It makes sense."

 

Tiffany had come from a life of difficulty. She had been homeless as a teenager, pregnant, and abandoned by nearly everyone she knew. She went through so many trials at such a young age, and yet through it all developed an inner strength and resilience. I admired her right away for her drive to find truth and meaning, and her amazing sense of integrity to not involve herself in the garbage that surrounded her.

 

The longer we went with the discussions, the more Tiffany wanted to be baptized. I couldn't be more thrilled. The first step, however, was to marry the man that she was living with, and the father of her two youngest girls.

 

Tiffany and Kiel make a wonderful couple. In Kiel, Tiffany has found unconditional love, total commitment to their family, and a solid support for her. Although he has not shown interest in the church yet, he has been completely supportive of Tiffany as she was exploring her interest in the church and eventually wanted to become a member.

 

The thing that sticks in my mind the most that Tiffany said about Kiel is that he loves it when Tiffany and the girls go to church, because he can feel a difference in their home when they return. What a beautiful comment on what an impact the church can make in a family, even if it is a part-member family.

 

Tiffany and Kiel were married on June 21, 2014 in Brother and Sister Jensen's backyard. It was a gorgeous day, with a beautiful setting. What a special way to unite this family!

 

With the help of several ladies from the Ward, we put together a sweet little party. The decorations were simple. The bride was lovely. The food was delicious, and the spirit which was in that backyard was precious. Several of Tiffany and Kiel's family members and friends were able to attend the ceremony, along with a number of people from our Ward. It was wonderful to have so much support for this new family!

 



 

The elders were very excited for this wedding, since it meant that Tiffany could take the next step and be baptized!

 

 

Tiffany's second daughter Kaylee was baptized first, on June 15th, 2014. It was a really special day for her, and I was so proud of her for taking that first step to becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 



Then it was Tiffany's turn! Tiffany was baptized on July 6th, 2014. It truly was an amazing experience to witness her baptism. The Spirit bore testimony to me of how sacred this ordinance was, and how much it meant to Tiffany. As I stood on the side of the font, watching my dear friend be fully immersed in the water, just as Jesus Christ himself had done two millennia ago, my heart was brimming with pride and love. I knew that our Heavenly Father was so proud of her and the decision she made to be baptized. I knew that even though Tiffany had struggled through so much heartache in her young life, the Savior was watching over her and was with her for every step of her journey. He was preparing her and her heart for this special moment.

 



 

I was able to assist Tiffany as she stepped out of the font. Although she was dripping wet we embraced in a hug and I couldn't help but exclaim in excited whispers, "You did it! You did it!" Later on I discovered that our gleeful exclamations had echoed around the font and that everyone who had attended the baptism were witness to our joyful moment. I heard from many people on how sweet the Spirit was which was present in the room, and that our greeting was an incredibly touching moment. It was a moment that I will never forget.

 

 

Tiffany had started the missionary discussions with two sister missionaries, Sister Adams and Sister Garn. Both were able to attend the baptism, which was incredibly special. Sister Garn, who flew up for the event from her home in Utah, gave a beautiful talk on baptism. I was privileged to give the talk on the Holy Ghost.

 

  

The elders who completed Tiffany's discussions were Elder Paul and Elder Galante. They did such a wonderful job bringing the Spirit into all the discussions with both Tiffany and Kaylee. I was constantly impressed with their zealous dedication, their hard work, and the absolute love which they were able to share with us.

 

I feel a special connection with each of these missionaries who played such an important role in Tiffany's journey. They were all in our home so much, they almost feel like a permanent fixture there. What a wonderful blessing it has been to have them in our home.

 

I will forever be grateful for the opportunity which I have had to be a small part of Tiffany's journey to baptism. No one could have possibly guessed that two people who are so different, with such different backgrounds and different personalities could become such wonderful friends. Tiffany is not only my friend, though, she is my sister.

 

We are sisters of the heart and sisters in the gospel, linked forever through love and sacrifice, healing and hope, renewal and rebirth.

 

My sister, my friend.