Christiellen had this brilliant idea for a fundraiser at the Fall Festival. We would compete to see who got more money, Pathfinders or Adventurers. Whoever won would throw a cream pie at the loser’s face. As the Adventurers are a bigger club I thought I would win. I was really surprised when Christiellen and the Pathfinders won. So I prepared for the pie in my face. I was not expecting her to really slam the pie on my face and rub it all around and push it up on my head. My whole head was covered in whipped cream! 

This moment really sums up her leadership style and our friendship. 

Whenever she would plan for Pathfinder events she would think about making it as much fun as possible for the kids. I’m usually taking the more easier, faster route to get the job done. But Christiellen was always thinking bigger, better. She had such a fun, playful side and would often suggest activities based on the pure fun of it.

Then she would commit fully and completely. Whatever was going on in her life, no matter how busy she was, she would always deliver %150. She always was present, she always showed up. She always answered, she always listened and she always cared.

She always encouraged me and more importantly she made an effort to find out what I really wanted to do - what my end goal was. She would push me to be honest with her and not accommodating. She made me find my leadership voice, and make a decision and be proud of it and stick to it. That’s the biggest lesson she taught me - be strong and go forward in the Lord.

Last year Cristiellen was my professor Fossilrock.   She came dressed in a lab coat and generally looked very much like a professor and the kids loved her section of VBS.   She made a great Professor Fossilrock,  

It was a postluck Sabbath and Cristiellen was wearing a white skinny white skirt that she had gotten something on so I commented and told her what might take it out.  The. We stayed there talking, close to the dessert table.   On that table there was a particular cake that she loved the icing on it.   So as we talked she proceeded to cut small pieces of the cake and like the icing off and then put the cake down and cut another small piece and lick the icing off of it she probably did this with several pieces as we were talking all the while telling me that she would start her diet later.  This is the last time I interacted with her and it is such a fun memory.   Sorry I do not have a picture.   Wordpictures are all I can provide.