Recently our family moved to a new home within walking distance of our old house. We had borrowed a small pickup truck to transport our belongings. When we had finally moved everything, it was time to return the truck. The family would then walk back to the new house. One of my teenage sons had the key to the new house in his pocket. By now it was not only dark but also raining. We had to walk across a park, over the wet grass.
Just one street away from our new house, my son, who had the key in his pocket, discovered that the key was missing. It wasn’t in his pocket, and he couldn’t find it. It was gone, and it was the only key to the new house. We all stopped on the road, trying to think what to do. Without the key we would be unable to enter our new home. What were we to do? The son responsible for the key and his older brother, Lawrence, decided to go back along the route we had walked to look for the key.
I decided I would go with them, but my husband said, “No, you are tired. Stay.” Even though I was very tired, I felt that Lawrence and I should return and look for the key. Having anyone else with us would be a distraction. Lawrence had always been good at finding lost items, and I had confidence in him. I had a feeling that Heavenly Father would use me to find the lost key, and I had faith that He would help me. It was of course very important to find the lost key, as our family was now locked out of our home in the dark and the rain.
As we had walked through the park, my son who had kept the key in his pocket, had been jumping in a place where the grass was overgrown and long. Lawrence and I approached that spot, trusting in the Lord. It was daunting to think that the key could be anywhere, especially in that spot of long grass. We began looking for it in the dark, but we didn’t lose our faith. As I bent over and looked through the dark, feeling in the long wet grass with my fingers, I kept praying in my heart. The Lord knew we needed that key.
While we searched, my husband, my young daughter, and my other son, stood outside our new locked home. They prayed for us. They asked that we would be able to find the lost key, that the Lord would guide us in our search, and that we would know where to look. Then they sang hymns to bring peace and comfort to everyone’s hearts and to invite the Spirit’s presence. They too exerted their faith in the Lord that He would help us.
I walked from one end of the park to the other, never taking my eyes off the ground. As I walked back across the park the second time, there lay the key on the grass. How grateful I felt. How grateful my family were when we returned with the key.
God is so merciful. I know that He listens to our prayers and answers them. He answered our prayer. He used me as an instrument in His hands to help my family. I had felt that He would, and He did.