In Memory of Kristy. I wasn't one of her close friends, and we didn't hang out on a regular basis. I am younger than her by 3 years. She was one of the beautiful Laurels I looked up to and admired. She always made me feel special and that we could do something great. I'm sure I'm not the only one from my age group that thinks or feels this way. I remember one specific time when I was about 14 we were sitting in the chapel at the stake center and she was asking me about a boy I liked, asking what it was I liked about him. She acted so interested and excited to hear about my little crush, and all my insecurities and wondering how to handle the whole situation. After probably a long time of me rambling and her acting genuinely interested she smiled and said, "I think you're beautiful, just always remember that." And she continued to talk with me. Looking back to that I feel that only a truly beautiful person can say things like that to people the way she did. She was beautiful, and she had a way of making you feel more comfortable in your own skin. I also remember watching her sing a song in "Greater than us all" and she sang the part of Mary, I remember being so touched by that and thinking she sings like she knows how excited Mary was to have baby Jesus, she sang like she really felt it and we could all feel it. I remember her singing at my sisters wedding and thinking how she uses the gifts she was given in exactly the right way; to bless others. She later sang at our wedding, it was beautiful. My heart is hurt by this tragedy, I can't imagine what people are feeling who are close to her. I will try to be more like her and think outside myself. I think the hardest thing to go through in this life is losing someone temporally or spiritually. Our Heavenly Father has a miraculous way of comforting and changing our hearts and lives. I pray for her friends and family. If there is ever anything her little boys need in the future, please let us know.

Marissa Dickson Pope