Protection from Harm

Fam,

I think it was Kimberly that recently reminded me of an experience I had while down on the farm in Castle Valley. I thought about it and realized I probably never told you about it. So today I am going to share it with you.

There was always a lot to do on the farm. Planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting were jobs that took a substantial portion of our time. But prior to those activities, we had to prepare the ground, and that meant tilling. Granny and Grandpa purchased a TroyBilt tiller to help us prepare the ground for planting. And this was the activity I was involved in the day our story began.

As I remember, Granny had asked me to till the field where another portion of the garden was to be planted. I don't remember exactly what time of year it was, but I remember running out of gas while tilling the soil in the middle of the day, I suppose, because it was hot. I returned down the road and parked the tiller beside the North West corner of the house. I went to retrieve the five-gallon, metal gas can and returned with it to refill the tiller gas tank. The gas can had been in the sunand was bulging, but I impatiently removed the top without allowing the pressure to escape. The gas streamed out of the can like a geiser and directly into my eyes, hair, and face. I was shocked, partly because of the impact and partly because I didn't know what would happen with gas in my eyes. The gas sprayed all over my body, hair, and clothes and because I was just beside the corner of the house and the force was so great, gasoline also sprayed on the logs of the farm house and clear up onto the shingles on the roof.

At that corner of the house, there was a hose bib, which I tried to use to wash the gasoline out of my eyes and mouth.

Jeff was still very young at the time probably 9 or 10-years-old. He came to my aide and encouraged me to go to the back of the house where there was another hose bib that had a hose attached to it. Of course, it would be much easier to wash the gasoline out of my hair and clothes with the hose, so I left that spot where the incident had just occurred and walked to the back of the house. I remember seeing Gregg and Grandpa driving the old truck down the road toward the tiller as I walked to the back. No sooner did I get behind the house when there was an enormous explosion that rattled the home and our nerves. The gasoline at the front corner of the house exploded, igniting the shingles, logs, and the tiller at the front corner of the house. The gas fumes from the open five-gallon-can were burning as well. Grandpa and Gregg jumped from the truck and put out the fires with a hose before any permanent damage was done. The whole situation was incredible--especially when I realized that if I had resisted Jeff's promptings and remained standing in the front near the hose bib I initially had been using, the gas all over my body and clothes would have burst into flames as well and badly burned my body or possibly killed me. But because the Lord was guiding and protecting me just as he has done numerous times in both subtle and obvious ways, my life was spared.

I have been protected many times during times when I needed help. The power of God has blessed me throughout my life. Trust in the Lord in all thy doings. Feelings of the Holy Spirit can be likened to hope, joy, and peace in your heart and mind. It can change your life.

2 Nephi 4:34

I love you, dad