Michael William Lindsey a.k.a. Mikey Pooh

This month can't pass fast enough.

It's hard to believe that it has been nearly six and a half years since I met Mike.

I can remember the day that he stepped through the door of Ms. Brown's chemistry class. He was nearly 15 minutes late for class, because apparently he could not find the classroom. Mike was a a pretty average looking boy. Green Abercrombie & Fitch polo, jeans, gel encrusted hair, scrawny...cute. I didn't know it at the time, but I was lucky. I was the student with an empty seat next to me that day. Ms. Brown instructed Mike to take a seat and handed him a copy of the course syllabus.

Mike and I didn't talk a lot during the first week or two of class. I was new to the school and only knew one other person in the class. I soon realized that she and Mike were friends, and took advantage of her acquaintance with him. The three of us worked together during the first lab, but once I realized how fun Mike was (and I'm pretty sure he thought I was cool, too...) we paired off. We were now permanently lab partners, but it still took some time to form our real friendship.

I worked up the nerve to call Mike for 'help' on an assignment that was due the next day. He gave me some brief advice, and our conversation immediately deviated. We started writing notes to each other during class. We got into trouble for talking during class (I've never been glared at by the teacher in the way that Ms. Brown glared at me. It was soul-piercing). We ate lunch together. We became inseparable. It was pretty apparent that we were both pretty interested in each other, but because we weren't yet 16, it was nothing more than a mutual 'crush'.

We continued to talk on the phone often. On one occasion, I played Popcorn Popping on the piano over the phone for him, and he played the guitar and sang for me. We would talk for hours. I was always a bit paranoid that my parents would be listening-in, as I did not have a cell phone yet, but it didn't stop me. I remember falling asleep talking to him on the phone. I remember laughing to tears. I remember a five-hour conversation about the gospel and hearing Mike bear his beautiful testimony to me for the first time. I remember making plans.

Mike and I remained close for the remainder of our sophomore year, but summer came around and Mike went to debate camp. I wasn't able to talk to him as much; we were both busy. The summer flew by, and our junior year quickly approached.

The weekend prior to the new school year, a mutual friend hosted a party. I was thrilled to see Mike again! I found him at the party...asking for another girl's number. I was bummed...but I dismissed it for the most part. I talked to him soon after, and everything seemed normal...until he asked me to grab a drink and a brownie for him. When I returned, he told me he didn't want them anymore and soon left to socialize with someone else. At that point, I wanted to go home. I hadn't come to see anyone else. I had other friends, but in the previous year, Mike was my companion and I had wanted to spend time with him. I found a seat on the porch swing next to Ben, and quietly sat tuning in on bits of his conversation with Christian until my parents could pick me up.

I received a call the next day from Mike. He was calling to let me know that he was not going to ask me to homecoming anymore, as we had planned months earlier. The conversation was short, less than a minute. I knew that our relationship would be changing.

Mike and I didn't talk much after that phone call. He was spending more time with his debate friends, and I kept busy with my new job as a lifeguard and swim instructor, but I missed Mike.

One night, I was logged into MSN Messenger and his name popped up as 'available'. I engaged in light conversation with him, asking how he had been. He had recently turned 16, so I asked him if he had been on any dates. He responded in a way that I hadn't expected. I teased him a little, but it soon turned into an argument. That argument changed our relationship permanently. He had displayed an arrogance that I had never know him for. I was hurt by his words and his attitude that night, and I had determined from that argument that I could not maintain a friendship with him.

Following our argument and a bitter email, we did not talk for months. He started eating lunch with a new group of kids. We didn't have any classes together, so it was fairly easy to avoid contact with him. We were becoming strangers.

It seemed that our friendship had completely disappeared, until I was surprised one day to feel a tap on my shoulder during lunch. I was a bit startled to see Mike when I turned, but entirely shocked when he asked me if I would go to Junior Prom with him. In my awe, my reply was not convincing, and he restated his request. I would go to Junior Prom with Mike. I had answered, and he left. I wasn't sure what to do at that point. This boy, that I had decidedly despised, would be my date for the Junior Prom!

For weeks we exchanged information about where we would meet and what we would wear and who would be in our group for the dance. I was precise and demanding about what he should wear, in order for us to match. I wanted him to wear a white tux and a red bow-tie. It had to be a white tux. We were going to be the most stunning couple to ever attend the Junior Prom, and I didn't feel any guilt forming requirements for Mike. I felt like he owed it to me after what had happened to ruin our friendship. If he wanted it back, he would have to work for it. I was merciless, but he came through. I think that was the most expensive apology that I have ever received from anyone.

The day date was fun, disregarding the awful sliver that penetrated my palm during our mini-golfing at Boondocks, and the dance was...loud (but we looked DANG good). I was still a bit uncomfortable, as we were in a group with his debate friends, who were dating each other, and who I was not acquainted with at all...but it was fun. We watched a movie, ate some food, and had some car trouble afterward (the battery died), but I got home feeling like my friendship with Mike had never been impaired.

Once again, we became inseparable, but this time it was different. We were 16. For about a month, Mike and I were officially 'an item'. Unfortunately for him, I was young and afraid of commitment. I broke-up with him. We still talked a lot. I cried on his shoulder. We went to lunch together. We watched movies together. We were best friends.

Our Senior year began. I got a new boyfriend. Mike had a few new girlfriends of his own. We kept in touch. We offered each other advice, but we didn't see each other as often. I watched Mike go through some tough times. He had to make a lot of decisions, and not all of them were what I would have wanted him to make, but I always knew that I wanted to be his friend. Through thick and thin. I made sure I could be there for him in whatever way possible, if he needed me.

The day came. We marched onto the stage, one following the other, to receive our High School diplomas. Mike and I were growing up. Our plans would be changing drastically.

I moved to Ephraim, he moved to Salt Lake City. We were hardly able to see each other. We made visits and talked as regularly as we could, but for a time I didn't know what Mike's plans were. I knew that he wasn't attending church, which made me sad, but I was still his friend. Then I received a call. I have never been happier to hear news through a telephone.

Mike would be serving a mission. He hadn't told anyone yet, but he was getting his papers ready and was arranging everything with his bishop. I danced around my apartment with joy. Literally danced...and yelled...and nearly cried. Mike would be serving a mission!

A few months later, after a weekend of anything and everything we could think of to do together, I attended Mike's farewell. He spoke eloquently about his struggles and his trust in the Lord, about his family, about his friends, about the things that matter. I bawled. I could hardly imagine spending two years without my best friend, but I knew that the Lord had called him to Taiwan because he was needed there. I knew that the next two years would change his life forever. I stayed with Mike for as long as I could that night. We played Jenga (I dominated). I didn't want to say goodbye, but I had a two hour drive back to Ephraim. Pulling out of the driveway, I burst into tears once again. I had to pull over, only yards from his house, because I couldn't see the road well enough to drive. I regained some composure, and headed back to Ephraim.

The next two days were torture. I got to talk to Mike like we always did, but I knew that it would only be a matter of hours until our communication would be severely limited. He was set apart as an Elder, and left me with a short text message, that I will keep forever. I cried myself to sleep that night, and every night that week.

Mike left for the MTC the next morning, and I had a letter ready to send. I wrote Mike whenever I could. I sent him packages. He wrote me back. He sent me a package.

One letter was not as cheerful as the others. Mike's uncle had passed away. Of all the things to experience while serving the Lord, I can imagine that a death in the family would be the hardest, but Mike kept working hard to become an incredible missionary. I watched his testimony grow. Every letter I received from him was a witness that he was doing the Lord's work, that the gospel is true, and that Christ lives. I was grateful to be able to see such changes in my best friend.

It has nearly been two years since Mike left. He will be coming home next month and I am beyond excited. I am proud of the work he has done. Despite the trials of losing a parent and uncle, a close friend, while serving the Lord, he has endured to the end. Mike is one of the most incredible people I have had the privilege to know. I look forward to being friends with him forever.

This month can't pass fast enough.