The first year at BYU I made an appointment to get my Patriarchal Blessing. It was November 19, 1951 with Amos Newlove Merrill. It was a most sobering and humbling experience. He talked for such a long time and I could see the stenographer writing so quickly as he talked. I can still visualize in my mind, the room, Patriarch Merrill and remember how I felt. My Patriarchal Blessing has been a great guide to me. It said I was going to marry someone who wanted to take me to the Temple (but it surely took me a long time to find him). I was also blessed that I would be safe as I traveled up and down the earth and that the hand of the Lord would be outstretched to save me from harm and accident and sickness. I can certainly testify that that has been true.
The first time was driving home from BYU with Marilyn in the Plymouth one Christmas. Twice on that trip we had some perilous moments. Once was when we were coming to a bridge and Marilyn accidentally turned off the lights as she tried to get them to go brighter. It was in the South Pass area and no moon. It was so black I thought that was the end for sure. Another time she came around a curve too fast and went off the road into the gravel--that was really a miracle getting us out of that one. I remember Stan warning us about driving and I said, "Oh, don't worry, we never go over 75!" and his eyes widened and he began a lecture. I was totally serious. It did not seem so fast to me. Now I realize in those cars it was way too fast.
Evidently he asked her to marry him and so she came back to Glendive. It was a beautiful ceremony that my father performed in our living room. The old house had been enlarged and the living/dining area was very large and lovely with those gorgeous crossover white curtains that I loved.
At any rate it was decided that I should have the car Marilyn had been driving (the green Plymouth) and would drive it back to school. The Thayne's would be driving behind me just in case I had any problems. Just before we were at the South Pass area in Wyoming I really had to go to the bathroom. We did not have cell phones in those days, of course, so could not communicate and I mistakenly thought I could dash in to a gas station, go to the bathroom and still get out ahead of them. Just as I approached the highway, however, they went sailing by me and did not see me on the side of the road. Now they were ahead of me and did not know it. I tried to hurry and catch them but wasn't able to, so there was nothing I could do but to just keeping going and hope for the best.
An Answer to Prayer in the Mountains
Everything was fine until I was slowly going up one of those high hills in South Pass and another car hurrying to get to the top decided to pass me and then just near the top quickly cut me off. I braked to avoid being hit, lost my momentum and slid back down the hill. When I tried to go up the hill, I would just slide back down. I even backed up the other hill and tried to get a little speed but to no avail. I was essentially stuck at the bottom of the hill and there were really not too many people driving that area in the winter so I felt very alone and frightened. I had never driven this long a distance by myself and it was winter out in the wilderness of Wyoming. I began to pray very fervently to Heavenly Father to help me think what I should do. It finally occurred to me that I couldn't do anything but Heavenly Father could, so my prayer became one of "I can't do this but I know you can get me up that hill, please take me up the hill as there is no other way I can make it." Miracle of miracles my car began to slowly climb up that hill and we made it to the top and I just kept rolling. There was no doubt in my mind but that my prayer had been answered. It has been a great testimony to me through the years of the love our Heavenly Father has for us and the fact that faith precedes the miracle and we need to believe in Jesus Christ our Savior. He is there, he knows your needs. Trust in the Lord...
