The First Changes
When I was 7 years old my parents decided to build a house in South Jordan, Utah. To say the least, we were all so excited but so sad. I think the thought of moving out of “the house that build me”, starting over somewhere new, new school, new friends, and new surroundings was a scary to me. I remember our family going over to the lot where our house was being built a few days a week to check in and see how it was coming along. Our house was one of the first to be built in our neighborhood. Over the progression of the house being built, my brothers and I would play in the dirt, slide down dirt hills, and just have fun being kids. It became one of our favorite after school activities. The quality time with my two brothers, brought me so much joy and annoyance at the same time. I remember a few times a week we would have dinner at the new house on the unfinished wood flooring, but still be as a family and enjoying that time together.
When I was almost 8 years old, our house was finally finished! We moved in right before my birthday, and had so much help which was nice. When we were all moved in and settled, that’s when it got real. I was at a new school for 2nd grade, I was forced to make new friends and face all of the challenges that came with it. This was the first major change that had happened in my life. I met two of my best friends to this day in 2nd grade, Jessica and Alyssa. I spent most of my free time after school with them, we had so much fun together!
When I turned 8, that meant I got to be baptized into the Mormon church. My parents, teachers, and bishop had been preparing me for this day since I was born. In the LDS (Mormon) church being baptized is a huge deal. You can only be baptized when you are 8 years old or if you are a convert to the church later in life. I was never an official member of the church before this day. On this day all of my friends and family would come to our stake center, which is just a bigger version of our normal church building that had a baptismal font in it. They would all sit in the room rowed with chairs facing the font. There were songs, prayers, and a few speakers before the baptism took place. When it was time, I went in the bathroom with my mom behind the font, dressed in a white jumpsuit in preparation to enter the font with my dad.
When I entered the font the water was HOT, I was the first kid to get baptized that day. My dad held the Melchizedek Priesthood, so he was worthy of baptizing me. He hugged me and asked me if I was ready, I nodded my head with a nervous look in my eyes. He held my right wrist with his left hand, I held his left wrist with my right hand, I plugged my nose, then he put his right arm up in the air and started to pray.. “Lauryn Janna Spevak, Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” After he was done he held me, dunked my entire body under the water, and pulled me back up. If even one toe, hair, or body part comes above the water you have to be baptized again. Thankfully that didn’t happen to me. This is symbolic to the church and the members as entering into a covenant with God to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ, keep his commandments, and serve Him to the end. The reason I was baptized at the age of 8 is because “The Lord revealed that was the ‘age of accountability’ ”, when in reality the men in charge of the church decided that. I was officially a member of the church. To be completely honest now that I think back about it, I had NO idea what I was doing. Yes, I was told and taught how special this was and what it meant. But, I wish I had a little bit more time, and years under my belt to fully understand what was taking place.
After the baptism was over our family and friends would come over to our house. Baptisms usually take place on Saturday. My mom and relatives prepared a delicious meal for everyone. I was dressed in a pretty white dress that my mom and I picked out for this occasion. I felt beautiful, and powerful. I was gifted my first pair of scriptures with my name engraved on the front from my parents. This day was about me, and the decision I made to get baptized.
Our house was the house to hold all holiday events at, we would host Thanksgiving whenever we had the chance to. Our family from all over would come and join us! I remember having so much fun with my cousins, eating the best food, and enjoying everybody’s company.
At Christmas time we would usually go down to Cedar City, Utah to spend it with my dads side of the family. On Christmas Eve we would act out the Nativity scene from the Bible. I was usually on of the three wisemen. On Christmas morning, I remember getting a karaoke machine… I was stoked! But so was everyone else, we sang karaoke songs all night on Christmas!
Elementary school was a challenge for me. I don’t think meeting new friends and fitting in was my strong suit. There was a “popular” group of kids that I did become friends with, but they were insanely cliquey and just didn’t know how to be nice. I lived in the most “wealthy” city in the Salt Lake valley at the time. These kids were surrounded by money, and all the nice things. I wouldn’t say my family was well off or anything but you could just tell by how they acted that money was never an issue. Fitting in with them, was hard because my family did had financial struggles and I was raised to be humble. I had some of the most amazing teachers, who were nice and wanted to give me the best education possible.
One day at recess in 2nd grade, there was this boy named Chase. I think he had a crush on me, but was known at the school for being the “bad kid”. The cops were called multiple times for his behavior or when he would just run away from school. Anyways, at recess we were all playing tag and I was it. I started to chase him around the playground, then he stopped right in his tracks from running away from me, turned around, and slapped me straight across the face. No one had ever hit me, this was a first. I of course cried and asked the teacher to send him to “Think Time” which was where you just sit at a desk facing the wall, and fill out a paper about what landed you there. Being hit in the face by a boy was just something I thought was normal. I thought he was just being a kid, and I’d never get hit again after that point.
In the 3rd grade I was in my classroom learning how to write in cursive. My mom and dad had just bought me brand new glasses which helped me see far distances, plus they were really cute! My confidence was through the roof! There were a few of the “popular” kids in my class, I remember sitting at my desk, minding my own business, practicing cursive. Then out of nowhere this kid named Jake who was apart of the “popular” group looked at me and started to laugh. I was unsure why, or if I did something that was funny without knowing. He proceeded to laugh and then blurted out “FOUR EYES!! Hahaha!” I looked down at my paper that I was writing on and started to cry. I’d never been called a name like that degrading my appearance before. This was the first time someone had judged me for the way I looked, and knocked my confidence down. My teacher noticed I was upset, and she asked what had happened. Needless to say, he was also sent to “Think Time”.
To say I was never bullied in school is false. Even though those two examples don’t seem that extreme, they were to me. I have always been an emotional person, but still had thick skin. This was the start of me realizing I had to stand up for myself no matter what was said or done to me, of course I was a child at the time.. so subconsciously that thought was there.
In the 6th grade I had to transfer to a brand new school because the boundaries changed. This school was just built, my brothers and I were apart of the first group to attend. I remember thinking my teacher was a monster, she had this look about her that just made you feel uneasy. She smoked at least a pack a day before, during lunch, and after school. The smoke smell, made her whole demeanor 100 times worse.
My mom was apart of the PTA which I thought was very cool! She was always at my school, and I couldn’t wait to see her everyday. We had “bring your parent to school day” with a theme that was different every time. My dad would always volunteer to take time out of his busy work day to participate. Having my dad in my classroom, seeing where I was, what I was doing, and him enjoying it made me so happy. My parents were very involved in my school life that year, more than others.
I started my period in the 6th grade. I remember almost every girl in my class started theirs at school. The bathroom was right across the hall from our classroom, and those poor girls who went to the bathroom and didn’t know what was happening to them was so scary. Lucky for me, I started mine at home and my mom explained to me what was going on. I did learn about it in 5th grade, when we had the full assembly about puberty changes, but I didn’t think it would actually happen to me until it did. This change was a big one for me. Right off the bat I started to have the most unbearable cramps, to a point where I would throw up and not want to move. I later learned my mom also had the same issues when she started and still did up to that point. I would have to say, having a period is the worst thing about being a girl.
All and all I would say elementary school was tough but taught me so much. I made so many different kinds of friends, and lost friends too. I tried to fit into different groups and would either get rejected, made fun of, or continue to be apart of certain groups. A boy hit me, a boy made fun of my looks. I had my first few crushes and I either told the boy, someone told him… or I just kept it to myself. I think we all go through those awkward, intense, tough stages at the beginning of our schooling, which starts to form us into the people we are today. I don’t regret learning the life lessons I learned back then, if anything I am so grateful.
After elementary school, my parents entered a lottery to get my brothers and I into a charter school. I honestly still don’t know the reason as to why they wanted us there, but it was yet again another change and new experience. So much happened to me, in those next 3 years.. and that’s when I started to become the woman I am today.