Sunday in the Park with George

So I already wrote a blog for today- but I just told a little about the incredible conference that I was so privileged to be here for and then the YSA fireside after – there is a lot more that happened today – so…
This has to start with a Background story –
A few weeks ago I was coming home from Church. One of the girls that went to the Stratford ward with me was feeling sick and we were trying to find the fastest way possible home- we had taken the bus most of the way the week before and it made for an almost 3 hour journey home- way too long! So we tried a new way and took a train that we had not been on before. At one of the stops I saw two missionaries get on the train. I of course started talking to them, “hi elders” I looked at their name tags and I asked, “what language is that?” Bulgarian was the answer. “huh- I thought are there a lot of Bulgarian’s in London?” So I made small talk with the elders and I was asking them questions and such and then one told me, well we are not really missionaries. I was really confused by this. Turns out they were on their way to church and they wanted to play a joke on someone by wearing their old missionary name tags. They are actually members of the singles ward here in London. Their names are Greorge and Sam. Turns out that Sam is my friends little brother too ha! Random connections I have. Anyway – George told me that the singles ward has activities all the time and such and said we could come along so I told him to write down his name and I would contact him on facebook and maybe come to a singles activity sometime. I added him as a friend on facebook and the first thing that George wrote me was an apology for the whole missionary name tag thing and the trick that they were playing. He said that he felt really bad.
Anyway he told me about a few activities but I was always busy- or I went on the travel weekend to Ireland or had shows to see etc. so we were kind of in touch over facebook but were never able to really get connected to get together.
The next time I saw George was right before conference started today. I walked in and he was standing there with his friend Angela (she is a cute girl from Scotland who is also in the singles ward) I asked George where he was sitting and he said how about there? So we sat next to each other during Stake conference.

George asked me if I was going to go to the fireside tonight. I had actually planned on it previously but had forgotten about it – so I was really glad that he reminded me. I told him yes I was going to go and asked him what he was doing for the few hours in between conference and the fireside. He said that he was maybe going to go to the park or something. I told him that my flat was nearby and he was welcome to come over for lunch if he would like. He accepted. After Conference George and I walked to my flat. It was raining a little bit- George shared his umbrella with me. We had a great conversation on the way home. This was the first time that I had really talked to George, like a real conversation. We dropped our things off at my flat and decided to go across the street to Hyde Park for a walk. We walked around Hyde Park and talked, sat on a bench and talked more, and I was really impressed. We got along really well and were able to talk about lots of things, school, relationships, work, the gospel, etc. That was probably my favorite part, being able to share our favorite parts of conference and mission stories and George even shared his conversion story with me. The longer we walked and talked the more and more impressed I was with George. I was also surprised at how compatible we were and how we could talk about just about anything and we were very comfortable. I was able to talk to him about things that don’t usually come up during the first conversation you have with someone and it was really good. One thing that George told me was that he thought I hated him when we first met and I found out that they were not really missionaries – haha. He told me that he really felt bad. And he didn’t think that I would ever talk to him again. Because he thought that I was really mad at him.
We headed back to my flat and I made us some lunch. We ate and talked and then headed back over to the church for the YSA fireside. The fireside was awesome! I loved it! After the fireside George wanted to see some of his friends that he doesn’t get to see very often – but there were some that were going out to eat and he told him that he would join up with them later cause it was Sunday and he didn’t want to go out on a Sunday. (I really respected that!) So he told them that he would meet up with them later – which was nice cause that meant that I got to spend that time with him. We left the church together to go for a walk.


Funny thing- President Utchdorf talked in the conference about dating a bit. He talked about him and his wife and how they like to go on walks and how they started dating, and then invited us single adults to go out and date, to go for walks and etc. and then told us we should write him and tell him how it goes. (Haha- does this mean that I need to write to President Utchdorf now?) I love it cause that is what George and I did. We went for a walk, this time holding hands as we left Hyde Park chapel and walked down the street and to the park. This came as a surprise to me- I really wasn’t expecting this to happen but it was. Now I have told you before about how very beautiful Hyde Park is and how much I love it there! And of course me being a girl had thought before how nice it would be to have a guy to walk with holding hand through this beautiful park. Well I never really thought that it would happen – but there I was – there we were hand in hand walking, talking, enjoying the cool weather and conversation. One thing that is nice about today is it was raining earlier but it cleared up – so it was still cool but not raining anymore which I really like cause Hyde Park get REALLY busy on Sundays lots and lots of people! But today it was a lot more quite because the weather wasn’t as warm – but I was okay with that. At one point during our walk I noticed 3 people dashing across a field and then hide behind a tree. Haha- we had spies! 3 of my friends Mel, Cat and Alison from my program were taking a walk and spotted George and I walking through the park and decided to spy on us- it was funny. I took a picture of them and we went on our way.

can you see them poking their heads out from behind the tree? HAHA
George got a call from his friend and needed to go and meet up with them. We planned to see each other again on Wednesday. Why is it that when you like someone it is so hard to say goodbye- or even just a see you later. We walked a little more and we stopped and were talking to each other. George leaned down and gently kissed me.
Wow I wasn’t expecting this – not at all! But I was okay with it- more than okay I was quite happy. And also pretty surprised that I like this boy so much so soon. I will spare you more of the details- I have probably included more than I should anyway.
I walked away thinking to myself “um…I just kissed a boy in London! Ha! I NEVER dreamed that this would happen to me!” I walked home smiling, and excited and pretty giddy. I walked into my flat and all of the girls turned to me and asked- “so how was YOUR night!? How did it go?! Who is this boy? Etc etc- lots of questions. I guess my smile and perhaps a bit of blushing was answer enough for a bunch of girls to gather around me in the commons room begging me for story time. Lol they all wanted to know about my “Sunday in the Park with George”.