Our Story

Jon next to the mission office in Argentina

Jon Dempsey was born and raised in Washington state. When he turned 19 in 2008, he decided to serve a mission for his church - the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The LDS church does not allow members to select a location - one is assigned based on need. He received his call to serve a mission in the country of Argentina (Bahia Blanca mission). That was the beginning of the great adventure that would unite two people from different cultures, countries, and languages.

Jon and Laura in Laura's family home in Argentina 
after Jon was no longer a missionary

While in Argentina Jon learned to speak Spanish fluently. During the last months of Jon's mission he and his companion lived in a member family's home - the Videla/Sotos. Jon felt a special love for this family and enjoyed spending time laughing and talking with them. They became like his family. Jon also found himself noticing one of the daughters, Laura, and realizing that she seemed to notice him as well.  However, LDS missionaries are asked to focus on their mission (and not on relationships with girls), so Jon and Laura never expressed or acted on their unspoken, shared feelings.

Jon and his parents at the table with the Videla/Soto family 
after Jon was no longer a missionary

At the end of Jon's 2 year mission his parents flew down to Argentina to see the country their son had been living in and meet some of the people who had become special to him. As part of their trip they stopped at the home where Jon had spent the last months of his mission and met the Videla/Soto family. During their visit, Jon's parents could also sense something unspoken between Laura and Jon - but the two were very mature about handling their feelings. As Jon left the Videla/Soto home for the last time with his parents he told his mom and dad that "I want to marry a girl like that someday."

Jon with the Videla/Soto family after being released from his mission

Jon flew back to the United States with his parents in 2010. While he focused on finding a career and did some dating, he also stayed in contact with the people he'd met and loved in Argentina. One of the people he was sure to stay in contact with was Laura. They would text each other and talk, but they kept their relationship casual. It wasn't until the latter part of 2013 that they found they were talking more and more frequently - and  realized that they still felt something special between them. Finally, they decided it was time to act on it.

Although Laura was going to college in Peru to become a chef, she used a school break during the early part of 2014 to make her first visit to the United States to see Jon. It had been almost 4 years since she'd seen him and of course both of them had changed. But what they shared had not changed, only grown - and shortly after Laura arrived Jon proposed.

As Laura loves shoes, Jon purchased a pair of flashy high heels and hid the ring on one of the shoe's straps. She was surprised that he was giving her shoes, but even more surprised at the ring she also found in the shoe box!

And the rest of the story . . . well, they're busy writing it right now!