During the Winter semester, it’s no surprise that accidents of some sort happen. BYU-Idaho campus has lots of hills, and students are always rushing to get to class or work because someone’s alarm didn’t go off or a paper wasn’t quite finished the night before; therefore, causing some poor soul to call it good enough with but minutes to get to class and turn it in. The slick ice and deep snow contribute to the stress of the day-to-day life, making prayer a constant need if you want to succeed.
Luckily, prayers are answered. Even if we don’t realize it or just don’t like the answer, our prayers are always heard and answered. Sometimes in ways we don’t expect. Sometimes a kind individual chooses to act on the impression he feels to serve when he walks by someone in need.
Just last week this happened. My car was stuck in snow 2 ft. deep. I spent 20min. trying to dig myself out, but it made no difference. I could move maybe 3 in. forward or backward, but no more. Then, out of all the students hurrying to school, one younger looking chap, probably fresh of the mission or in the preparing stages, stopped and asked if he could help. I said he could try, but I didn’t want to make him late.
“I have a few minutes,” he said.
I felt like crying because too often I was blessed with help almost as soon as I needed it. I wasn’t worried I wouldn’t get out. I just made a quick call to say I’d be late to work. Unfortunately, even with that kind soul’s help, we made little more progress than I did by myself, so I told him I’d be ok, and he hurried off to class.
I sat for a minute. It took a while for me to think about my options. I could call the one friend I knew had a tow rope. I could just not go into work and get some better gloves and stuff on to dig myself out. Maybe if I tried reversing just once more it would work, but as I tried, and failed miserably, a minivan pulled up behind me. An older gentleman jumped out with a shovel and within 5min., my car was free. He spoke just a few words to me while he shoveled and pushed, but then he was gone before I could really even offer my gratitude.
I don’t know who that man was or why he stopped for me, but I’m convinced that there are many great people out there, serving because they can and for no other reason. My siblings and I would always joke, growing up, that when we saw a random guy on the side of the road or helping someone in need, it might just be one of the 3 Nephites. They might not be the actual ones, but part of me wondered if I didn’t meet one or even two of them that day.
