Manipulating Scripture and Gospel Quotes to Share an Adventure

Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I got in my car after work. I decided that I didn’t really feel like cooking anything, so I made my way to Costa Vida to pick up a sweet pork burrito with black beans, not very much rice, and smothered in their mild tomatillo sauce. After parking, putting my keys into my pocket, and exiting the car, I wondered how people ever seem to lock their keys in their car. It just seemed like a very dumb thing to do. Duh. I’ve never done it! What kind of person locks their keys in the car?

I came out of the restaurant and put my food on top of my car to unlock the door and open it. What kind of person drives off with their food or other belongings left on top of the car?

Doctrine & Covenants 38:30 – ...but if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.

My car, Esther, had been beeping at me for a few days. She was starving and needed fuel. I had been debating whether I should gas her up before the Thanksgiving holiday. Some friends were giving me a ride to my holiday destination, so I didn’t actually need to gas her up at that moment. She was going to sit around for a few days, anyway. I decided to gas her up in spite of it not being necessary, thinking that if I got home late on Saturday I probably wouldn’t remember to or want to go gas her up before Sunday. Besides, I still had a few minutes before I needed to be getting home to meet Sarah for our dancing appointment. I still had time.

Marvin J. Ashton – Who among us hasn’t felt the chains of bad habits?

The pumps seemed to be rather busy. I realized that it was probably because it was actually a reasonable time to be gassing up one’s car. I usually gas up around midnight or at least at a time when there’s no station attendant working and I’m the only person wanting fuel. Or maybe they were busy because of the nearness to Thanksgiving? Who knows? I got out of the car, throwing my keys into my purse and thinking that I would just have to be sure not to lock the car as I got out, like I usually do.

Isaiah 55:2 – …and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

As I stood out in the cold while Esther was being filled, I thought of the hot burrito waiting for me in the car, blithely unaware that the burrito would be lukewarm before I delighted in its fatness. I was also thinking that the guy next to me at the pumps was pretty good-looking. I would have to come at a reasonable hour to gas up Esther more often!

Psalm 119:78 – Let the proud be ashamed…

As you have probably guessed by now, I locked my keys in the car. Duh. My parents were out of town for the holiday already, so nobody was at home. The good-looking guy had already driven off with someone, who I presumed to be his wife, sitting in the passenger seat, so I couldn’t ask them for a ride or if they knew how to break into cars. I looked around at the others who were at the pumps that night. I felt very stupid.

Doctrine & Covenants 121:38 – Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks…

I formulated a few plans in my mind. Plan B was to find someone who could check to see if, by chance, there was a door unlocked at my house. Then they could get my spare set of keys and bring them to me. Plan C was to somehow contact my aunt and uncle to see if they had a spare key to my house. I vaguely remembered giving them a spare at some point when my parents lived out of the country. After all, you never know when you may be locked out on accident. The problem was that I didn’t know if they still had it or if they even knew that they had the key! Plan D, the last plan, was to get some professional help.

James E. Faust – Increases in technology, scientific inventions, and medical miracles have been marvelous and incredible.

Yes, I did have a Plan A. I decided that since probably everyone locks their keys into their car at some time in their life, the station attendant might have a ready solution for me. I knocked on the glass. The guy sitting at the back of the cubicle-esque edifice walked over to me, and I told him that I locked my keys in the car. He told me that they used to have a slim-jim, but they had gotten rid of it because of all those new-fangled cars (okay, so he didn’t use that exact terminology) that are so hard to get into. Enter Plan B. I asked him if he had a phone that I could borrow. Apparently they had gotten rid of that, as well. Good thing the man had one of those new-fangled cellular telephones!

James E. Faust – Electronic marvels can actually bring some pitfalls.

Now, who to call? Problem #1 was that I didn’t know anybody’s phone number. That’s what cell phones are for! I didn’t have to have anything memorized! Okay, so really, whose number did I know? Ah ha! My neighbor! I knew her number because I was friends/former roommates with her daughter! Yeah… I got the machine. Of course I got the machine! I called from someone’s random phone! Okay, okay. Umm… Oh! I could call my friend who I was supposed to meet at my house! She could have been wondering where I was! Oh wait, I had no idea what her cell number is. But, I did know her home number. I called and got her cell number. Unfortunately, she didn’t answer. I left her a message to check my house doors if she was nearby, but otherwise I would be walking home.

By this time I decided that the attendant was probably wondering if he would ever get his phone back. I snapped the phone shut and sent it back through the tray to him. “Thanks, and is it okay if I leave my car here?” If it weren’t okay, I really couldn’t have done anything about it, anyway.

Matthew 7:2 – For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measure to you again.

The good thing about the walk home is that it gave me a chance to think. I thought about how God was teaching me how people lock their keys in their car. All you do is put or leave your keys someplace in the car, get out, lock, and close the door. It’s really quite simple. If I can do it, anyone can do it! I also thought about the last time/only time I had walked that path before. It was in 2002. I was on a date with Ricardo, and he was telling me about how he liked science fiction and about his aspirations in life. I wondered what Ricardo was up to these days? I hoped that he was doing well. He was a nice guy. Not for me, but still a nice guy.

Genesis 27:29 – Let people serve thee… and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Suddenly, there was a car turning around, obviously for the person to pick me up or at least talk to me. After momentary confusion, I realized that it was Sarah driving her sister’s car. She had gotten my message! (Sarah, feel free to insert your side of the story in the comments.) We drove to my house, and she told me that she had checked all of my doors, but they were locked. I wasn’t ready to go to Plan C yet, so I informed her that we were going to try to break in or perhaps check to see if there were any windows open.

Matthew 24:33 – So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Yeah, of course there weren’t any open windows. It was cold outside. It was also dark. Sarah’s sister was really quite prepared with multiple flashlights in her car. Her battery preparation wasn’t quite as admirable, but we’re not all perfect, are we? I had only seen someone break into a place once before, unless you count in the movies or on TV, which I don’t. Sarah was also inexperienced in the art of breaking in.

3 Nephi 27:29 – Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

I made some feeble attempts at breaking in. We decided that we needed to find some better tools, so Sarah went back to forage in her sister’s car for items. I decided that now would be a good time to pray. Surely, if I asked in faith, it would be given me? So I asked that we would be able to break into my house, explaining how it would be a very nice solution to our problem. You see, God is quite reasonable. I figured that He knew that it would be a nice thing for us to be able to get in. Sarah shortly came back. I continued to try to get in, but I was not skilled in the art of breaking in. Sarah tried it, and before long, we were in!

Psalm 149:3 – Let them praise his name in the dance…

I was so grateful. Even if it hadn’t been Thanksgiving that week, I still would have had the spirit of Thanksgiving with me after that experience. We were then able to rescue Esther from the gas station. She was filled, and I was soon also filled , only with lukewarm burrito, instead of gasoline. But best of all, Sarah and I were able to dance. Now I’m just waiting until I leave my food or some other item on top of my car and drive off. It could happen.