For the Homies

Once upon a time I moved to Mesa to learn how to be a functioning member of society (aka not be a leech on my dad’s seemingly unending generosity). I got a full time job, started cooking for myself, and navigated living with roommates. The other thing I did was build a social circle for myself.

The other groomsmen are cropped out because
they didn't time their jumps right. Another
testament to the power of our friendship.
On my first day in my new ward, I sat next to a guy in the “New Member” class. His name was Derek. Because we didn’t know anyone else there, he and I stuck together through those first few activities as we met new folks and figured things out. As I got acquainted with more and more of the members in my ward, I made friends and met cool people, but it seemed like I’d struck it best with Derek on day one.

Fast forward a few months and Derek was assigned to be my home teacher with a guy named Eric. They came to visit me like the good men they are and Derek and I decided Eric was a cool guy. He ran off to do summer pest control not long after that, but when he returned I got to know him some more and our friendship was made official. We were even roommates for a while in what was the best living arrangement I've ever had.

In the five years since this has all happened, we’ve all worked through relationships, tackled school, moved a couple of times each, gotten new jobs, and just done our best to be good guys and have some fun along the way. In short, we've each done cool stuff, but we also been through it. They've both shown up for me when I needed it. I hope I have done the same for them.

Living together didn't ruin our friendship,
and I think that portends good things for us.
I don’t see either of these guys as often as I’d like because life is busy, but when I do it’s always the best. What’s great for me is that I’ve seen both of them multiple times over the last few weeks, and it’s been the ultimate blessing to be reminded that I’ve got pals in my corner who get me, who accept me, and who even seem to like me.

The ultimate cherry on top is that I see how divinely these things were made to happen. How could Derek and I have ended up in that same class on the same day in a brand new ward? And how could Derek and Eric have been made home teaching companions? It’s gotta be the Big Guy upstairs. So while I say I "built a social circle for myself," I don’t take for granted that He lined things up just right for me to have such incredible friendships pretty much right off the bat after my big move. Not just friendships that helped me like it in Mesa, or the kind that were fun but not substantial, but the kind that I hope their kids call me Uncle Zac and they’ll be my groomsmen one day. And that’s a big freaking deal.



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