Two weeks ago Justin and I started to feel the pressure and anxiety build as we still had not found an affordable apartment to live in when we move, nor had Justin found a job, nor had we figured out how we were going to move. We couldn't decide if we were going to move our furniture, try to sell our furniture, or what. Justin had applied to every job he could think of assuming that SOMEONE, please SOMEONE would hire him. Meanwhile we both had been researching apartment complexes and they were all asking too much. We found one apartment complex we both agreed on very much but when we went through the application process over Thanksgiving break they were asking for an $800 deposit and a pay stub that showed proof that we were making 3X the amount of rent per month. Ummm...nope, not making that much with our pay checks COMBINED, and we had no jobs lined up to show how we would pay rent when we got there.... emotions evolved from anxiety to fear, at least for me. I knew Justin had all the qualifications for plenty of jobs, but no bites! And there HAD to be an apartment complex SOMEWHERE asking for less that $750/month?
Finally, two weeks ago on Monday December 2 Justin and I had a serious talk. It was time to figure something out soon or we were in trouble. We had done everything we could at this point. We determined we needed Heaven's help, and we needed it now. I believe in the Lord's timing, but I also belive The Lord understands pressing circumstances and works His way when the needs are immediate. Justin and I talked about it and we reflected on how we were doing as a couple and individually with putting Heavenly Father first in our lives. For the first year of our marriage we had gone to the temple every week, but this semester has been crazy with both of us working long hours and we've let that excuse keep us from where we needed to be. We were dropping the ball not only in our temple worship but in other areas like family prayer and scripture study. We knew if we were going to make this work we needed Heavenly Father's help. So we committed, and that night we had a very heartfelt family prayer asking Heavenly Father to please bless us because we are helpless without Him. I studied my scriptures that night and read in 1 Nephi 13: 1-20. It talks about the abominable church and how the people there have their hearts set on riches and worldly things. I asked myself, "Where is my heart?" and realized that lately, it hasn't been as near to my savior as it needs to be, and I've been lacking on my part with my relationship with heaven. Our recommitment to turn our hearts to heaven was the first step, and we have witnessed miracles from that point on.
The VERY NEXT DAY, Tuesday the 3rd, I got an email from another student. She and her husband are in Las Vegas now and she's finishing her student teaching. They pay just a little more for rent each month than we pay now. They needed to get rid of their apartment PRONTO because they were moving the 21st, but the lease is until February and they needed someone to take over for the last two months of the lease. I called/texted/emailed her immediately and told her we were interested. I didn't even take the time to talk to Justin about it -- this was what he needed! I sent Justin a text saying we needed to talk about it when we got home. Lo and behold, when we got home I explained about the apartment and Justin reported that he received a very interesting phone call from a company in Las Vegas called Nationwide Power. This was a company he had applied to a while ago -- good salary 7AM to 3PM -- pretty much the same hours I'll be teaching at the middle school. They asked if he had a minute to talk and he said yes...and they interviewed him on the spot! Justin was not expecting it at all so it caught him quite off guard...perhaps it was better that way? Who knows! They said they would let him know within the week if they were interested in a second interview....a few hours later they called and asked him when was the earliest he could come down for another interview. Justin said anytime, so they scheduled him for an interview for the following Monday, December 9th at 1:00 PM. When we both got home to report what we had both experienced we immediately recognized it as the hand of God in our lives. This was NOT a coincidence! The only problem...we knew Heavenly Father was behind it all, but there was still the interview! Justin still had to prove that he was the right guy for the job.
Wednesday we planned to fast and attend ward temple night to show Heavenly Father our gratitude for the amazing blessings and to pray and fast for extra help still for Justin to get this job. Well the power went out at 6:00 Wednesday morning and didn't come back on until 1:30 PM which caused them to close the temple so the temple thing didn't work out, but we did fast and I don't know if there's ever been a time where I've prayed and fasted for anything as hard as I did that day. All the rest of the week we prayed and asked family to pray for Justin, and Sunday morning he headed down. He took his brother for company while I stayed here for school.
Monday his interview took THREE HOURS! Before the interview Justin was able to get our apartment paper work done so as soon as the couple moves out on the 21st we can move in any time. I was DYING all day to hear how it went and I finally got the phone call where he first reported that it took three hours and then said that they liked him, showed him the office, told him what they'd like him to work ok, etc....and I was thinking "Umm...it sounds like you got the job?" But we had to wait STILL for them to do a background check and check his references, etc. So Tuesday he drove back home and when I got out of class at 7:30 he picked me up and I asked if they had called him back yet. He grinned and I knew it! Justin said they offered him the job!!!! This was a total MIRACLE and we cannot deny the hand of God in the past two weeks. The company called our current bishop, Bishop Trane, whom Justin had put down as a reference and when the company asked him, "If it were you, would you hire him?" he replied, "You'd be an idiot NOT to hire him." I love that! Bishop told me he spoke very highly of Justin but another ward member told me what he really said...I couldn't agree more!
The only thing -- they asked him to start right away, like, RIGHT AWAY, so Justin spent the rest of the week with me and caught a plane this morning and he starts work TOMORROW! Since we can't move in until the 21st he is staying at a ward member's house (we figured out what ward we'd be in and Justin figured something out with the members) until Thursday when he will fly back, be there for my graduation, and then we drive "home" to Las Vegas this weekend!!!! CRAZY! I was thinking we would move the first week of January, or the last week of December...nope. We move THIS WEEK! Ahhh I can't stand it but I'm so excited at the same time. I'm kind of glad it's all happening at once...it will be better to adjust this way. But now Justin and I won't be home in Arco for Christmas for homemade strawberry ice cream, guesstures, salmon and waffles, and snow! Justin has a "real job now" (he keeps telling me that...) so he doesn't get any days off except Christmas Day, so traveling is pointless. It will just be Justin and me with not a single piece of furniture to our name (we found a couple who is buying ALL our furniture -- awesome!) and hopefully enough money to buy a turkey! Ha now that I know we'll be doing Christmas on our own far away I'm starting to think of things for us to cook and eat togehter -- truly the best part of the holidays!
Justin is safely in Las Vegas ready to start his first day of work tomorrow and this week is finals week where I'll finish up all my classes and prepare the final touches of my speech for graduation this Friday night! I can't believe we're here already but I know the story would be different if it weren't for Heavenly Father and his divine hand in our lives. This will be one to tell the kids and grandkids for sure. We pay our tithing and we rely on Heavenly Father and He provides the way. This experience has been the manifestation of the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 82:10 "I, The Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." I know The Lord keeps his end of the bargain when we do ours. He is always there waiting for us to ask Him to guide us and immediately he blesses us. I know God lives and He is aware of us and our needs. He will provide a way if we have faith in Him.
Meanwhile here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving trip. Next update will be about Chase and Rachel staying for the weekend and the final moments of our life in Rexburg! We don't know what Las Vegas has in store for us, but one year ago when I prayed about student teaching I felt strongly about Las Vegas and now we're almost there to see what The Lord has in store. I hope I will apply the words of this hymn as we start a new chapter. Cheers!
Lead, kindly Light
Amid the encircling gloom
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark and I am far from home
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet
I do not ask to see
the distant scene --
one step
enough for me
I loved to choose and see my path
but now
lead thou me on
So long thy power hath blessed me
sure it still
will lead me on
Wow, thanks for sharing your amazing story! I'm excited for you, and let us know if you need help moving!
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