Well today has been 6 months exactly. I’m a little nervous to blog about this subject but it’s been such a huge part of my life and has impacted my life in every way possible. So I just hope you guys can love Devin as much as I do!
So it’s been 6 months from today that one of my good friends, Devin Todd Jensen, passed away in a car accident. Words can’t even explain the feeling of that night. It was full of so many emotions. That night I learned about the power of friendship! Watching my two best friends lose their best friend killed me but I had so many friends to help me through it and it meant so much to me when we all comforted each other and just stuck together that night and helped each other through it. We kept telling each other funny stories of random experiences we have had with Devin! That night I learned the value of prayer and that your prayers will be answered and that the Lord is going to comfort you when you lean and rely on him. I gained a testimony on several things during this experience but mainly on friendship, Prayer, and especially Eternal Families. The night of the accident as all the friends were gathered at Chase's house to have group prayers, to support each other and to help each other through this loosing such a close friend. I kept looking at the big picture of the temple hanging on the wall. Whenever I looked at that picture the song, “Families Can be Together Forever” kept popping into my head. Just that picture helped me a ton because I knew that Devins family is going to be together forever and that there is life after death. I was also so grateful knowing that my family is together forever! Devin is someone that I look up to in so many ways. We have had so many fun times together and memories that I will cherish forever. We weren’t the type of friends that had known each other for years but this school year we grew really close. I don’t think anyone could kick someone out of a car so politely, light their hand on fire so willing or be so friendly to everyone. Me and him were called the “Dream Team” in seminary for managing to be tardy every day together. The day I sluffed he was way better then my parents at giving me a guilt trip and told me I better pray in class the next day because I needed the blessings. Devin was a friend to everyone and treated everyone with respect. He was such a great leader and example and extremely smart! He had a strong testimony of this gospel and I’m so blessed that me and him got to be buddies in seminary and also become better friends through Ashlyn and Chase. He taught me so many things and I really do look up to him.
The week of his funeral I spent every moment I possible could with my friends. We made shirts, Laughed, watched movies, Cried, played video games, talked, had epic snowball fights and laughed and cried some more. Our friendships with each other grew stronger and closer as we helped each other out and I’m so grateful for EVERYONE that helped me and my friends in one way or another and just being there for us and the Jensen Family. The funeral was amazing and couldn’t have been better! All the people that were there really showed how much everyone loved him. And it was an amazing sight to see when all the young men there stood up and sang "Called to Serve!"
The past 6 months have diffidently been a struggle and I would never like to relive them. It’s been hard not only because of Devin and the accident but because I struggled with some friends and I made some pretty stupid decisions also. But everything happens for a reason and everything has been such a great learning experience. Yes I have diffidently had my fair share of challenge after challenge, stupid decisions and things I regret but over the past 6 months I realized who I am. I don’t think I could have figured that out without the experiences I have faced over the months. Needless to say I realized that no matter what type of hardship and challenge you’re dealing with in the end it’s always a blessing. If things get bad, DON’T EVER GIVE UP! You will find something better and make you happier if you are just patient and do the things you know are right. I am so grateful that I have a testimony of this church and that I know families can be together forever! That if you fast, pray and read your scriptures they really will help you in so many ways and ways you would least expect them too. I gained a testimony on seminary and how it can help you, how you learn so much from the people in your class and also I’m so grateful for Brother Burger because he was one of the people that helped me the most and made me realize that Devin’s okay and he is a missionary in the spirit world now. Brother Burger made me feel like it’s okay to cry and his lessons made me feel the spirit so strong. I miss Devin so much but he is one that no one can ever forget. His family is seriously the best people you will ever meet! They are so loving, kind, positive and happy! I may just have memories that I will hold on forever but nothing can change the friendship I once had with him and the type of person I thought he was.
