Oh man. This was a long night. Aubrey's last LAX game of the Fall season. Matt, her friend pictured above, and I had both gone to watch her game, and we all three traveled home in different cars. Aubrey got annoyed at a light that never gave her a green arrow, so she eventually followed other cars in her lane and proceeded straight. Straight into the next city, turned around, and not quite sure how to get back home.
Before she knows it, all the lights on her dash were lit up and as she pressed on the gas, the RPM's went up and the speed went down. Car dead in the middle of an intersection near a freeway interchange.
A very nice man behind her saw her distress and pushed her car into a nearby motel parking lot. She called Matt, told him of her predicament, where she thought she was, and he headed out to help her. Thinking I was already in a church meeting scheduled that night, she sent me a text telling me Matt was on his way, and she was fine, or atleast she had felt fine, but now she was getting a little nervous. It was dark, there were people pulling in and out of the motel parking lot, but Matt had not arrived. I called Matt and he could not find her. Fear and anxiety set in. I was tied down to the home phone with Matt in one ear and my cell phone with Aubrey on the other ear. I prayed out loud for her and asked the Holy Ghost to please comfort her and keep her safe until Matt arrived. She thought she was in a Motel 6 parking lot, but couldn't see the sign through the large trees, and we both felt she should stay in the locked car instead of getting out. Matt scoured Motel 6 and every other motel within a 2 mile radius until finding her in a Studio 6 motel parking lot.
That wait was terrifying, but the night was just beginning for these two. Once I knew Matt was with her, I ditched the home phone and drove out to meet them. Tow truck driver was still 60-90 minutes from arriving and they both convinced me to go onto my meeting with our Area Seventy. It was now about 8:00pm and we could have never guessed that we were still 4 hours away from returning back to our homes that night.
Tow truck driver got the car running, they drove it a few more miles towards home before it died again and they had to wait for Mr. tow truck driver to return to this time "TOW" them to the shop. It was a long night. It was sad to see the Lexus slowly die, never to be repaired or resuscitated again. But there were many tender mercies that laced this night as well. Aubrey was able to rely on prayer and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. She was safe, protected, and watched over. Matt, who is a very kind young man, was a great blessing to her. They got pizza and drinks and turned his headlights on to played LaCrosse (she had just come from a game) and football in the motel grass area while they waited. He brought her his sisters sweats and coat so she wouldn't be cold, and never made her feel uncomfortable or vulnerable in this situation, which shows the respect he has towards her.
With Robert out of town, and my emotions running high, it was me that needed a 'priesthood blessing' that night. I'm grateful for the worthy priesthood holders who placed their hands on my head and gave me a blessing of comfort and strength, and assured me of my divine roles as a mother and leader to the youth that live in our area. I was able to feel Gods love for me individually and felt the peace that only comes from that heavenly source.
When Aubs and I finally got home that night, we pretty much collapsed on the couch and gave thanks for our many blessings, and for the fact that school was not in sessions the next 2 days for Fall Break. We seriously needed that break.
