Britany and Evan met at a YSA conference in Dallas. That’s it, the end.

Actually, when you look at the details a little bit closer, the story gets much more interesting, romantic, and miraculous.

Evan attended and graduated from BYU. Britany didn’t know him yet, and although her parents have been in Arkansas since she was in high school, the odds of her meeting Evan in Provo were actually quite high. Britany had moved to Provo in 2021, which put them both in the same place at the same time for four years. Both attended many BYU-related events, for which Britany would have to thank her sister who was also at BYU. However, though they attended many of the same events, the two were not meant to meet in Provo, and thus never crossed paths directly.

Evan began his career in the US Air Force following his BYU graduation. He was lucky enough to get chosen (very last minute, mind you) to attend the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, which is based in Wichita Falls, TX. He moved there in June and quickly became content to live alone forever, especially now that he had no roommates. Despite this contentment, he semi-actively participated in the local LDS young single adult group. This led him to signing up for the YSA conference in Dallas.

Around this same time, Britany (still living in Utah) was approached several times by her mother to attend the YSA conference in Dallas. Eventually, she did sign up for it, although she had no idea what she would be doing anywhere near Texas at the time. Shortly after that, she found out that the school she was working at was cutting back on aids, again. So, following the Spirit, she decided to move back to Arkansas with her parents. On her way back, she attended the YSA conference with her sisters, not expecting or hoping anything, but feeling like something might happen.

So, at last, these two content, single people were in a place designed for young energetic adults to meet. And meet they did. After the first conference-wide morning devotional, Evan went with the masses upstairs to attend a workshop. Britany, not wanting to attend the workshop downstairs (it was about dating), but not wanting to fight the masses upstairs, decided to wander around before joining the first dating workshop of the day, ignoring most of it. Evan had a meaningful time in his chosen workshop; the preferred one was full, but the one he attended invited him to get to know five people. With this invitation in mind, he went downstairs.

One of the very first people he met was Britany. They stayed for the next dating workshop and talked through most of it. Some flirting ensued and they decided to spend the rest of the weekend conference together after seeming to always be in the same place. With plans to go to the temple with Britany’s ward two weeks after that, they sadly hugged each other goodbye, much to both Britany's sisters' chagrin and delight. Throughout those two weeks, they texted, called, sent memes to each other, and overall fell more in love with each other. By the time they met each other in Dallas again, they were pretty decided to try this thing out.

 

Evan introduced Britany to his family on a trip when they realized they would both be in Utah on the same weekend. They saw Fiddler on the Roof where Evan's family were preforming at their local theatre.

 

Over the next several weeks they planned trips across the top of Texas. Britany would travel to Wichita Falls for Air Force events and temple trips with Evan, and Evan would go to Arkansas to spend many weekends with Britany.

 

At the beginning of October, Evan left to Colorado for IFT (initial flight training) for two months. By then, Evan and Britany had decided to get married. Within the first week of training, they had decided to get married before Evan started ENJJPT the next spring. Over the next six weeks they began to plan while Evan studied and Britany worked. Finally, after two months, Evan came back to Texas just in time for Thanksgiving in Arkansas with the Bentleys.

 

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, they continued to travel back and forth trying to spend as much time together between work weeks. The week before Christmas, they flew out to Vernal, Utah to spend Christmas and New Year's with Evan's family. Britany enjoyed her time get to know both Evan and his family better.

 

The day before Christmas Eve, Evan and Britany had plans to go to Salt Lake for lunch with some close friends. Evan was able to meet some of Britany's former roommates and Britany met a few of Evan's friends and their spouses. After lunch, they ran a few errands before going to see the lights at Temple Square. Britany was able to show Evan some of her favorite things about Temple Square. Little did Britany realize that most of this trip was a ploy to get the two of them in a very special and beautiful place for a very special and beautiful moment, one that would shape the rest of their lives. After some subtle coordination with one of Evan's friends, he got down on one knee and asked Britany to be his eternal companion. In the glow of Christmas lights and the front yard of the Salt Lake Temple, she said yes.

 

And that, as they say, is history.