Ryan was a pastor from West Virginia. He had a huge passion for history and would often go on long hikes or walks with his metal detector, never knowing what he might find. He was fully dedicated to his hobby.
Lisa, on the other hand, wasn't much of a fan. Occasionally, she would join her fiancé on an outing. For years, Ryan had tried to get her more involved in his hobby, believing that treasure hunting with a metal detector was the most exciting activity.
A Walk in NatureHowever, Ryan persisted. He knew that eventually, he might be able to change Lisa's opinion. So, he decided to invite her on a walk with him and his metal detector. Although Lisa would have preferred to be in a busier area or a shopping mall, she reluctantly agreed to the outing her fiancé had planned.
It was mainly to appease him, hoping that he would give up on this idea if she just went along with it once. And so, on a cold April morning, the couple gathered their belongings and set off...
Changing her MindSince this would be Lisa's first treasure hunt with Ryan, he insisted they bring a camera to document the adventure. In the past, she had accompanied him while he casually searched for old artifacts without a metal detector. But this time, things were different.
Ryan's excitement began to rub off on Lisa, and she found herself just as eager. The idea of going out with a metal detector in search of potentially valuable items had a certain charm and romance to it. Equipped with their camera and metal detector, the two companions began their search.
Something Already!It was slow going at first. Many of the places Ryan had already explored in the past were thoroughly cleaned out. But he knew where he had never searched before. Soon enough, the metal detector began to beep, indicating they were approaching a mystery object.
Ryan couldn't believe their luck in finding something so quickly. He was elated and started digging into the ground. Maybe they had stumbled upon something of great value?! Something small and round...
Discovery after DiscoveryThe object turned out to be just a jacket button. Living in West Virginia, with its rich history, Ryan explained that the area they were in had been very active during the Civil War in the 1800s. So, finding such things was not uncommon.
Shortly after, the metal detector beeped again. Ryan started digging once more and this time, unearthed a coin from the same era. Lisa was starting to be impressed. Her fiancé was certain that they would find even more interesting items.
Lisa Gets ExcitedIn his previous treasure hunts, Ryan had found many other relics from the Civil War. He kept most of them in his office since they weren't significant enough to end up in a museum. However, the couple was thrilled with these two consecutive discoveries, even if their monetary value was low.
Lisa admitted that it was actually really cool to find something. Ryan asked if she wanted to continue, and she agreed. Her curiosity was piqued, and her interest kept growing. Then, the metal detector beeped for a third time?! With a smile on his face, Ryan started digging once again, and his fiancée was enchanted to see another treasure.
A Big DiscoveryBetween the faint beeping and Ryan's second find, he realized that this object was buried deeper than the others. However, he was not a beginner and came well-prepared... with his small gardening trowel.
He knew that bringing this tool would be useful for this kind of discovery. As he dug, Ryan realized that the object was much larger than he had initially thought. Lisa was curious to see what had triggered the beeping. What were they going to find this time?
Almost ThereRyan came across a huge rock blocking the treasure. He handed the camera to Lisa and asked her to film whatever they were about to uncover. She kept the device steady while eagerly awaiting what Ryan was going to unearth.
He speculated that it could be a breastplate or a piece of armor. Or maybe it was an artillery piece. He was slowly realizing that he would have to return to the car to get a bigger shovel...
A ChestRyan dug a little deeper and pondered aloud if the detector had malfunctioned. The signal had been weak, indicating that the object was either small or deeper underground. Perhaps if it was tiny, Ryan had missed it. Or maybe it was just a false alarm.
Then, the shovel struck something... At first, Ryan thought he had hit the root of a nearby tree. But with one foot in the ground, he realized that there was a buried chest. Neither Ryan nor Lisa could believe their eyes. It was the discovery of a lifetime!
What's Inside??Ryan continued to dig around the object to free the chest. He proceeded with the utmost caution as he began to pull it out. He had no idea what awaited them inside. The thought crossed their minds that the chest could contain a weapon.
Possibly explosives. However, Ryan continued to extract the chest because both he and Lisa were curious. Especially Lisa, who couldn't believe their luck and she couldn't believe what was about to unfold?!
The Chest is UnearthedThey had already found the button and the coin, which was already more than Lisa had hoped for. It's no wonder Ryan loved this hobby. Eventually, he managed to fully unearth the chest.
He dusted it off and began to open it. However, Lisa stopped him. She pointed to an inscription on the chest. Something was written on the top. Was it a date or a secret code? The couple was eager to find out.
Cracking the CodeRealizing that the letters and numbers were a clue, Lisa wanted to decipher them before opening the chest. Ryan began to read what he could. It didn't take them long to figure out what the inscription meant. Lisa's heart raced when she heard what the words represented.
It quickly became evident that they were Bible verses. The words read "Matthew 13:44" and "Proverbs 18:22." This was interesting. Ryan rummaged through his bag where he kept a small Bible because a pastor never goes anywhere without his Bible, right?!
A Bible SurpriseRyan flipped through his Bible to find the first verse and read it aloud. "Matthew 13:44 - The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field."
Ryan was delighted to reveal the second passage: "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord." Lisa couldn't believe how perfectly these verses aligned with their situation.
In His Element
Naturally, as a man of the cloth, Ryan was familiar with these two passages. As a pastor, he had also preached on these verses. He had already stumbled upon several treasures involving Bible verses during his hikes and with his metal detector.
At this point, Lisa could hardly believe what was happening, and upon hearing the verses, she started trembling. Confidently, Ryan opened the box. As he pushed the lid, two names engraved inside were revealed. Lisa was astonished when she read the names in question.
What's Happening Here?!
The names engraved under the lid were Ryan and Lisa's. She was so shocked that she felt like she was about to have a panic attack. What had they stumbled upon? But the surprises weren't over yet.
Ryan reached into the chest and pulled out a small box. It was a white velvet box that looked far from old. Lisa began to understand what was happening, and she couldn't believe that Ryan had gone through all this for her...
The Proposal
Ryan, of course, already knew they would find the chest. He knew because he had buried it there a few days before the outing. This treasure hunt was actually an elaborate plan to propose to Lisa. He had covered the box in dirt and buried it so his fiancée could discover it with him.
Ryan asked Lisa if she wanted to marry him. She couldn't believe her eyes - the man she loved so much was kneeling before her. Throughout it all, the camera didn't stop rolling. Ryan took the device from Lisa's hands and placed it to the side to capture her response...
A Happy Couple
Of course, Lisa said yes! Ryan told her that she was the most precious treasure he had ever found. Lisa burst into tears of pure joy. After the initial shock, she looked at her fiancé and asked, "Are you kidding me?" referring to all the work and effort he had put into his proposal. But she wasn't angry, of course.
She truly couldn't believe that he had surprised her with such a unique marriage proposal. After editing the video, Ryan posted it online. It quickly went viral. Everyone who watched it could see the effort Ryan had put into this proposal.