In the summer of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, I decided to try my luck on the dating app called Mutual. I was eager to meet new people online, especially since going out wasn’t an option. Interestingly, I found out about this app from my mom, who encouraged me to give it a shot. Around the same time, Sandy, who hails from Ecuador, also joined Mutual. Her sisters were the ones who convinced her to give online dating a try. Our paths crossed, and after a month on the app, we finally matched. I was thrilled when she made the first move and sent me a simple “hello” on August 16th, 2020. Our initial conversation seemed promising, but we had a brief lull for two days until Sandy saw my last message and replied on August 19th. From that moment, we hit it off and decided to exchange numbers, continuing our conversations on WhatsApp. As we got to know each other better, we gradually transitioned from texting to having our first FaceTime call on August 23rd, 2020. It was amazing how engaged we were, talking for four hours straight that Sunday night, almost forgetting about the time. Our connection grew stronger each day, and we even started reading the Book of Mormon together during our FaceTime calls. After just a week of talking, I felt a deep connection with Sandy and decided to ask her to introduce me to her family over FaceTime. As time passed, I realized that Sandy possessed all the qualities I was looking for in a partner, and on September 24th, 2020, I mustered the courage to ask her to be my girlfriend, marking the beginning of our long-distance relationship. She was in Ecuador, and I was in Orlando, Florida. Despite the distance, we remained dedicated to each other, and I made a promise to visit her and her family in Ecuador. After my first trip in November 2020, I returned to the States and found a job at Lowe’s to save up for my next visit. Four months later, I flew back to Ecuador, and on April 4th, 2021, I asked Sandy to be my wife. It was an unforgettable moment when she said yes. With our engagement underway, we embarked on the challenging journey of obtaining a fiancée visa to be together. We sought the guidance of a migration attorney, and on June 7th, 2021, we submitted the petition. In the meantime, I got a new job with JetBlue, which allowed me to travel to Ecuador more often. In March of the following year, Sandy’s visa was approved, and she finally came to the States in May. Our love story reached its pinnacle when, on June 24th, 2023, exactly 33 months since we started dating, Sandy and I were sealed for all time and eternity in the Orlando temple. I’m incredibly grateful for the Mutual dating app, which brought Sandy into my life. She truly is the love of my life, and our journey together continues to unfold with each passing day.
