On Our
Way
On September
29th at 8:30 pm Don and I got set apart as missionaries by our Stake President,
President Brunner. It was a wonderful experience and we were able to share it
with John and Brittany. We didn't leave the Racine area till about 9:30 pm and
we got back into our neighborhood about 10:15 pm. John took Don and I out for
dinner and we had a very nice meal and enjoyed John and Brittany's company.
We had planned to get up and leave
at 6 am but because we got in so late (After Midnight) Don wanted to get up at 7 and leave by 8
am. I got up at 6 am and our dear friends the Wilson's showed up to wish us
well on our way. That was so sweet and it helped Don get out of bed too.
The best laid plans always fail because we didn't leave by 8 or
even 9 for that matter but we managed to get on the road at 10:30 am. It
was a beautiful sunny day in the high seventies. We were on the road for about
3 1 /2 hours when our engine light went on and we pulled off the nearest exit
that had only a Shell Super station. Don checked out the car and noticed that
the serpentine belt was loose. Upon further examination and some help
from a mechanic he found that the tension pulley had broken.
The mechanic didn't have the right tools for him to really help us
and we needed parts as well. We prayed for help and then we got to work. Don
was able to get a phone number to an Auto Zone and called about parts. The
young man who answered the phone in Moline, Ill. said that he would be willing
to drive the 30 miles to us with the parts when he got off of work at 5 pm.
While we waited we had our lunch and wrote in our journals and read our
scriptures. The young man finally arrived about 5:30 pm with the parts. They
worked at trying to get the old nut off the pulley so they could put the new
one on. The wrench just wasn’t long enough and their hands were too big to to
get a good grip in the small place to loosen the nut. It was getting dark and I
felt so sorry for Don. He kept trying to get a tool from anyone who came into
the station. While I was watching them work on the car a man came into the
station store with an elderly group of motorcyclist. I asked the guy if any of
them might have 5/8 inch wrench with a long handle. He said he’d check so he
asked his friends and they headed over to the van to see if they could help.
At 8:30 pm I talked it over with Don and told him I was exhausted
and I knew he was too and that we should just call for a tow. The young man
gave us a number and we sent him on his way. Don said he wanted to ask each of
the drivers that had pulled into the station one more time. I went inside
and said a prayer to Heavenly Father expressing my confidence in Him that he
was working on our problem and that I was so tired and spent that I needed His
help right away. When I went outside there was a white truck parked in front of
the van. He left as I got to Don. Don said that the guy had passed by and felt
strongly that he should return and check to see what was wrong so he turned
around and asked. His best friend was a mechanic so he left to pick him up and
bring him back to help us.
As they
were working on the car Julaine called and when I told her what had happened
she chastised me for not calling them right away. She said that she and Jason
would come right away. I told her to wait because this mechanic was working on our
car. I assured her that if it didn’t work out I would take her up on her offer. I can’t express
the gratitude I felt for her sweet offer to pull her babies out of their beds
to come and help us. Shortly after I hung up from her the car was fixed and we
were on our way to a motel for the night. I know that this day was full of
tender mercies from the Lord.
It was a
beautiful day after a week of rain and cooler weather. We were in this spot
where many drivers stopped. It was a comfortable place with a small eating
area, food, water and restrooms. The Lord heard and answered
our prayers and made sure we were in the right place when this all
happened. As we traveled through Nebraska, and Wyoming we realized even more
how the Lord had blesses us with just the right spot to have a break down. I’m
so grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows our needs and takes care of all the
details. This experience was a testimony building experience as we were heading
on to our mission.
We had planned to get up and leave at 6 am but because we got in so late (After Midnight) Don wanted to get up at 7 and leave by 8 am. I got up at 6 am and our dear friends the Wilson's showed up to wish us well on our way. That was so sweet and it helped Don get out of bed too.
The best laid plans always fail because we didn't leave by 8 or
even 9 for that matter but we managed to get on the road at 10:30 am. It
was a beautiful sunny day in the high seventies. We were on the road for about
3 1 /2 hours when our engine light went on and we pulled off the nearest exit
that had only a Shell Super station. Don checked out the car and noticed that
the serpentine belt was loose. Upon further examination and some help
from a mechanic he found that the tension pulley had broken.
The mechanic didn't have the right tools for him to really help us
and we needed parts as well. We prayed for help and then we got to work. Don
was able to get a phone number to an Auto Zone and called about parts. The
young man who answered the phone in Moline, Ill. said that he would be willing
to drive the 30 miles to us with the parts when he got off of work at 5 pm.
While we waited we had our lunch and wrote in our journals and read our
scriptures. The young man finally arrived about 5:30 pm with the parts. They
worked at trying to get the old nut off the pulley so they could put the new
one on. The wrench just wasn’t long enough and their hands were too big to to
get a good grip in the small place to loosen the nut. It was getting dark and I
felt so sorry for Don. He kept trying to get a tool from anyone who came into
the station. While I was watching them work on the car a man came into the
station store with an elderly group of motorcyclist. I asked the guy if any of
them might have 5/8 inch wrench with a long handle. He said he’d check so he
asked his friends and they headed over to the van to see if they could help.
At 8:30 pm I talked it over with Don and told him I was exhausted
and I knew he was too and that we should just call for a tow. The young man
gave us a number and we sent him on his way. Don said he wanted to ask each of
the drivers that had pulled into the station one more time. I went inside
and said a prayer to Heavenly Father expressing my confidence in Him that he
was working on our problem and that I was so tired and spent that I needed His
help right away. When I went outside there was a white truck parked in front of
the van. He left as I got to Don. Don said that the guy had passed by and felt
strongly that he should return and check to see what was wrong so he turned
around and asked. His best friend was a mechanic so he left to pick him up and
bring him back to help us.
It was a
beautiful day after a week of rain and cooler weather. We were in this spot
where many drivers stopped. It was a comfortable place with a small eating
area, food, water and restrooms. The Lord heard and answered
our prayers and made sure we were in the right place when this all
happened. As we traveled through Nebraska, and Wyoming we realized even more
how the Lord had blesses us with just the right spot to have a break down. I’m
so grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows our needs and takes care of all the
details. This experience was a testimony building experience as we were heading
on to our mission.
