When Rich and I lived in Florida nine years ago (before we had kids) one of our favorite things to do in our free time was go to SeaWorld. We'd been given season passes as a gift and we tried to use them as often as we could.
Right before Christmas one year, Rich had to leave Florida for six weeks to do an away rotation in Washington DC. Because I worked, I had to stay behind which meant we were going to be apart for six weeks, so we decided to spend our last day together at SeaWorld. We had a great day watching the shows and walking around, but our favorite thing that day, as always, was going on the rides.
There was one roller coaster in particular called the Manta that we loved. This large roller coaster hangs you on your stomach and takes you over a good portion of the park (over waterfalls, shrubbery and people), and because the lines were always so short, we would go on this ride over and over again.
During one particular ride, I slid my simple slide phone into my back pant pocket, just like I had done several times before, and got on the ride.
Half way through the ride, as we were going over shrubbery and trees, I felt my little phone slip out of my pocket. I tried to reach back and catch it, but it was too fast, and before I knew it, it was gone.
I know it might sound silly, but I was devastated by this. This phone was my only source of communication, and with Rich leaving the next day I didn't know how I was going to call him. At the time, we were dirt poor and going out and buying another phone really wasn't an option. Of course, there was always Skype but it wasn't nearly as convenient.
Rich and I tried to have fun the rest of the day, but both our spirits were quite dampened by the loss and after a couple hours, Rich finally looked at me and said, "Natalie, let's go find your phone."
I didn't believe there was even a chance we could find it. Not with how expansive that roller coaster was and all the ground it covered, not to mention the fences and gates that shut us out of the shrubbery sections. To me, finding that phone seemed impossible.
But I went along with Rich. It was difficult to guess exactly where on the ride my phone had slipped out, but I did my best and we headed to that part of the park. We looked around on the walk way and in the bushes. We looked up in the few nets that were carefully placed to catch gum and other objects that fell from those on the ride, but we found nothing.
After a while I got more and more discouraged and wanted to give up. But Rich took me by my shoulders and said, "Natalie, I know Heavenly Father loves you, and I know He knows exactly where that phone is. Let's say a prayer and ask for help."
We were standing in the middle of an amusement park, with people swarming around us. We probably looked silly, but after feeling the faith Rich had, I folded my arms and together we asked Heavenly Father to help us find my phone.
When we were done, Rich told me that we needed to look for my phone for at least ten more minutes. This time, I did so with more faith. More belief. I really tried to think that my phone could be found.
After several minutes, we rounded a corner where the path lead to a dead end. It was a quiet area with no people, but up above this path, there was another catching net. In the middle of that catching net was a small black rectangular object. I tried not to get my hopes up, but as soon as Rich saw it, he pulled out his own cell phone and called my number. The little black object lit up right away. We had found my phone.
Getting a direct and immediate response to my prayers, is not something that happens every day in my life. Most times I feel like I have to wait and be patient until the timing is right in order to receive what I've asked for. Or I have to wait for understanding to know why I haven't received what it is I so desperately desire.
But this experience was one of those rare and precious moments when I received an immediate response to my prayer. When I saw my phone light up, I felt such a profound amount of love from my Heavenly Father. He knew who I was. He knew where I was and how much that phone meant to me. He loved me.
I have held this memory close to my heart since it happened. It's a friendly reminder during the dark times that Heavenly Father is aware of each one of us individually and that He loves us.
I want to share my own testimony that I know our Heavenly Father and Savior live. I know that life is dark, scary, lonely and difficult, and sometimes it seems as though the Heavens have withdrawn their power. I am here to testify that they haven't. Miracles are around us, and if we hold on to them, they can become our life-line to get us through the dark.
I am grateful for the faith my husband had. I did not believe, and would not have believed if it wasn't for him.
I also want to remind everyone that in case you didn't already know, you should never take your phone on a roller coaster :)
Happy Tuesday!
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