I had received a call from a couple of frantic sister missionaries. “Sister Corpany, we are at the grocery store near your house and we locked our keys in our car.”

“Okay, I'm on my way. I've got AAA, so we can call a locksmith, and it won't cost you anything.”

“Can you do that if it isn't your car?”

“As long as I am with the car.”

“Thanks! You're a lifesaver.”

“Hey, I'm glad it is someone else for a change. I can't tell you how many times I've used them for this very thing.”

It didn't take me long to find the stranded sisters. We went to the pay phone near the store, since this was back in the day before everyone had a cell phone. I called and gave AAA all the information we needed, and we went back to the car to wait for the arrival of the locksmith. What I didn't realize is that in the process of making the call and chatting with the sisters, I had walked away from the phone booth and left my wallet sitting on the shelf under the phone. (This is the reason I have AAA in the first place, because of my absent-mindedness.)

A few minutes later, I saw a lady from our ward walking towards us. I didn't know her well. She worked at the grocery store, and I had conversed with her more in the checkout line than I had at church. I figured she must have seen me standing there with the sisters and had decided to come say hello. As she approached, she held out my wallet.

“Are you missing something?” she asked, with her delightful Jamaican accent.

“Uh now, I wasn't. Where did you find that?”

“It was by the pay phone.”

“Oh wow! I'm so glad it was you that found it! What are the chances that the next person who made a call from that phone would be someone who knew me?”

“I wasn't making a call.” She smiled. “I was getting ready to go on my break, and the spirit spoke to me and told me to go out to the pay phone.”

I was speechless. Quickly I reflected on my own nature in that regard. I would have immediately asked, “Why?” Then I would likely have reflected on how valuable my break time was, or tried to come up with some logical reason why it would not make sense to go out to the pay phone.

But sweet humble Sister Forester just obeyed. I was in awe of her after that. She was my hero. I have learned that it is often in obeying that we find out the reason for the prompting.

Go the Other Way

Sometimes, though, we learn why a prompting came when we disregard those feelings. A few years after the accident that took my husband's life, I was at the grocery store (theme for the day), pulling out of the parking lot to go home. An impression came to me very clearly that I should turn around and go out the other exit and go home by a different route. I talked back “There are already people behind me waiting to out this exit. I would have to make a U-turn . . .” I continued on home, ignoring the prompting. Had I gone home the other way, I would never have known that I had missed driving by an accident very similar to my husband's just as they were loading the man into an ambulance.

A few more experiences like that, and I have learned to listen better, even when the prompting seemingly does not make sense.

I'll Find you a Companion

I was flying to Utah from Hawaii with my stepson, Aaron, who had recently finished his mission. He had remarked that he was still adjusting to not having a companion and it felt like he was breaking the rules. We had quite a while until our plane took off, so I told him I was going to go get us some breakfast. Then jokingly I said, “And I'll see if I can find a companion for you.”

As I walked towards the shops, I saw a tall businessman in a suit looking at the departure schedule. The prompting came very clearly. “Go talk to that man.” I hesitated, but the feeling came again. “You need to talk to that man.” So I walked over and looked at the schedule and started a conversation the best I could.

“So where are you headed today?”

“Do I know you?”

I cringed in embarrassment. “Uh no. Just making small talk. Got here early with time to kill and . . .”

He turned to face me, and I saw that he was younger than I had expected him to be. “No, I think I know you. I'm in the Kilauea Ward. I think your ward meets in our building.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, I'm in the Ainaola Ward. So where are you headed?”

“I'm headed to Salt Lake City to the MTC.”

“You're kidding! We're probably on the same flight. I was just going to get some breakfast for my son. Let me be the first member to feed you on your mission.” We walked together down to the shops and picked up some breakfast sandwiches and milk, and as we headed back down to the gate, I told him about how I had a companion waiting for him.

He asked me what kind of work I did. I told him I was a writer. He asked me who my favorite LDS author was. I had just finished one of her books, so I said, “Well, besides myself, you know who I really love is Chieko Okasaki.” We discussed her books as we neared the gate.”

“Hey Aaron, I found you a companion just like I said I would.”

“No way!”

The two immediately began talking missions, and I felt kind of left out and was wishing I had someone to talk to. A few more people were starting to gather in the area. A woman walked toward the vacant seat next to me. I looked up and couldn't believe my eyes. It was none other than Chieko Okasaki. I like to think that a little voice whispered to her to take the seat next to me.

Great things happen when you listen.