Stephanie has a strong but very quiet presence. You’re very aware of the love she has for you almost immediately after sharing company with her. She is vocally opinionated when she is passionate about a subject, and so eloquent in her expression. She is an incredibly generous wife, mother, and friend. She has spent so much of her time in the service of others and living with her family first in her mind. She’s also the best lunch date you’ll ever have. Here is a little bit of Stephie.

When your kids leave home, how do you hope they speak of you? What do you want them to tell their friends about their mom?
I hope my children tell their friends that I am a woman of faith and that I helped them find their own testimonies. So many other positive qualities stem from faith. In the absence of faith, the thing left behind is fear. I want my children to live without fear, trusting that their parents here on Earth and their Heavenly parents will always be there for them.

You’re an avid reader, what is it about books and reading, that enthralls you so?
Books are a form of escape for me and always have been. When I was little, my mom would come up to my room in the middle of the night to tell me I had to put down my book and go to sleep. I would always say, “But I only have a few more pages!” I would read for hours and hours and I still love it when I can really get lost in a book. I’ve learned so much from the books I have read and love that I get to learn and be entertained at the same time.

How have you found Joy in life?
My greatest joy comes from my faith and my family. Knowing that I have an eternal family makes all the scary things in life seem a little easier to bear.

Do you believe building friendships [at any age] is important?
Yes, I believe building friendships is always important, but I think it’s of the greatest importance to build those friendships within our families. My husband is my best friend and after him, my mom and siblings are who I turn to for anything. They are my friends. I found a quote recently that said, “A sister is worth a thousand friends.” That is definitely the truth! When I find a friend outside of my family who I truly connect with, they become family too. I’ve always said that we have two families on earth: the family we’re born into and the family we choose. My truest friends are the family I’ve chosen over the years.

What do you want people to know about you, if they don’t know you (or if they do)?
I want people to know that no matter what, integrity is of the greatest importance to me. I believe in being honest with others and I make a tremendous effort to let people know that I am trustworthy.

What is the first life lesson you remember learning?
When I was baptized just after turning 8, my family went out to dinner to celebrate. There was one restaurant that we usually went to and that was my favorite, but my dad announced that we would be going somewhere else. Both places were buffet style, but I was furious! I wanted to go to my favorite place on my special day! It didn’t matter what I said or did, though. We went where my dad had decided we were going to go. At first, I refused to eat anything. After a while, though, I got myself a plate and started eating. The food was delicious, much to my surprise! It ended up being a great meal and later that night I told my dad that I would never be afraid to try something new again. He was proud of me for coming to that conclusion on my own and looking back, I think it’s pretty cool that at such a young age, I learned that lesson and truly internalized it. I haven’t ever let fear of the unknown keep me from trying something new.

What makes someone good?
There a lot of things that make people good, but my favorite way to gauge someone’s goodness is to watch how children behave around them. Children, especially very small children, can sense goodness in people. My husband, for example, is the kindest, most generous, and most loving person I have ever met. He is humble and truly cares about others. I have a bit of a biased opinion of course, but kids ADORE him. They can sense his goodness! We all have goodness inside us, but what makes a person truly good is the willingness to let that goodness shine, regardless of what the world thinks is cool or popular.

Who is your hero? Why?
My hero is my Savior, Jesus Christ. He died to save my life and yours and because of him, I get to keep my family forever. For that and for everything else He has done to bless our lives, I know that I am eternally indebted to my big brother and truest friend.

How has motherhood changed you?
This is a hard question to answer. The simple answer is that I have learned more about love since my daughter was born than I had ever known before. But there is a lot more to it than that. There is one particular person in my life who I have a deep and special love for, but who is no longer physically present for me. His name is Alex and I had the privilege of being his nanny for three years. I thought having a baby would relieve me of the ache I’ve felt for him over the years since my time with his family ended. My daughter was born on April 2nd and Alex’s birthday was April 23rd. To my surprise, 21 days after becoming a mother, that deep ache returned when Alex’s birthday came. I felt sad all day that I couldn’t tell him in person how much I love and care for him. And I realized that my baby could not replace Alex. Instead of filling the void, she simply adds new love to my heart. I’ve always had a great capacity to love other people, but I feel like that capacity has doubled or quadrupled since I became a mother. It’s as though my baby brought a special key with her that opened a door I didn’t even know existed. The love I have for her is beyond expression, but I also feel that I am now capable of loving others even more than I did before. I love my husband more, I love my extended family more, I even love Alex more. All thanks to that tiny little person who I carried into this world. It is truly a miracle!

What do you think it takes to truly love another?
Truly loving another requires faith, trust, and a willingness to risk everything. I don’t know of anything that hurts more deeply than a broken heart, but we must be willing to take the chance of feeling that pain in order to completely love another person.