When Pete met Vickey

Back in 1997 when I moved to Orem, Utah and purchased a condo I ended up in Vickey’s singles ward. Call it coincidence, fate or stupid luck, that’s how Vickey and I met — in a singles ward.

Since I was returning to Utah after a couple years back east near my family, in my free time I hung around with some of my former performing arts friends and even ended up dating one of them. That didn’t last too long.

Vickey and I both sang in the choir and she taught gospel doctrine, the Sunday school class. I was more than impressed with her lessons. I was somewhat smitten by her conviction and in awe of her poise in front of the class.

I had felt, since my mission, that I wanted to marry a returned missionary. Vickey had served a mission in Fiji and was living there teaching middle school in Lindon, Utah.

It just all fell into place. From our first date we both felt we were compatible. We thought alike and enjoyed the same things. Plus there was a physical attraction, which is always helpful.

We actually spent our first date on a double date with my brother and his wife, going to dinner at a not-so-great Mexican restaurant in the Salt Lake valley and then playing card games with them at their apartment near State Street and I-215.

It was a fun, exciting time.

I have always said that Vickey’s Sunday school teaching is really what inspired me to ask her out. It was like Heavenly Father put her up there and me in her class to bring us together.

For the past couple of years Vickey has co-taught gospel doctrine in our ward. Her former co-teacher was released and she’s been going it alone for several months.

After I met with President Romney in June, he’s the first counselor in our stake presidency (Mitt’s cousin), I had this sinking feeling I was going to be called as Vickey’s co-teacher. I guess the premonition was to help me embrace the opportunity and not shun it, as would be my natural tendency.

My impression was confirmed tonight as the ward’s first counselor extended the calling to me to “teach in the Sunday school, as a co-teacher, teaching gospel doctrine with Vickey.”

When Vickey returns from her Chicago Pampered Chef conference in four hours she’s going to laugh! At least coordinating teaching schedules will be simple. And if we’re both out of town, the first counselor already volunteered to substitute for us. So I guess we’re all set.

Hopefully by posting this I don’t spill the beans before the calling is announced in our sacrament meeting tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. I don’t believe I have any loyal blog readers in our ward, so I feel confident the secret’s safe.

Regardless, I’ve confided in a half-dozen people that I was worried I’d get called to be Vickey’s team teacher. So it’s not like it’ll be that big of a surprise.

At least now I’ll have good reason, besides supporting my wife, to keep up with the class reading schedule.