It is only 6:00 a.m., and I’ve already been witness to several miracles and tender mercies.  These things happen more frequently when the blessings you pray for are for others, and not necessarily for yourself.

Two weeks ago Elder Brooks, who was serving out in the bush, in Fanafo, gave me a small, red flash drive, and asked me to download the last four general conferences onto it.  I did so, and then awaited the opportunity to return it to him.

Four days ago missionary transfers happened.  Elder Brooks was made a zone leader, and moved down to Luganville.  On Monday, knowing that I’d be seeing him, I put the flash drive into my pocket with my keys.  As I climbed the hill from our doorway up to where the pickup was parked, I reached into my pocket to get my keys.  The missionary who was following me said, “Oh, oh” as he saw something drop into the grass, and I bent down to retrieve the little, red flash drive.

Later that day I saw Elder Brooks, reached into my pocket for the flash drive, and discovered that it wasn’t there.  Remembering that it had followed my keys out of my pocket once before, I retraced my steps, and again found the flash drive lying in the grass on the hill leading up from our house.  I put it in a safe place until I knew that I’d be seeing Elder Brooks again.

I always keep my keys in my right pants pocket.  I keep my camera in my left pants pocket.  Since the flash drive liked to come out of my pocket with the keys, I carefully put it in my left pocket where it could be the companion of my camera.  When I later reached into my pocket to get the flash drive, it again wasn’t there!  It must have come out of my pocket when I had stopped along a street to take pictures of three separate, beautiful, flowering trees.  I made a mental note to go look for the flash drive in those spots, hoping that someone passing by had not already picked it up.

Yesterday evening, at 9:20, the zone leaders called.  They were locked out of their house.  Could I come let them in?

I’m the keeper of the spare keys to all of the missionary apartments on the island.  I’ve had a key for 6 of the apartments, but never one for that house.  That fact periodically bothered me, so two weeks ago I finally remembered to ask the zone leaders for a copy.  Fortunately, Elder Brook’s predecessor had immediately provided me with one.  On the way to the elders’ house, I had a premonition that the key was going to cause us trouble, so as I slid into the driver’s seat, I handed the house key to Marjorie and said, “Keep this clutched in your hand.”

The elders were able to let themselves into their house, and I apologized to Elder Brooks for again losing his flash drive.  “That’s all right,” he said.  “You’ll find it.”  I had my doubts.  He handed the key back to me, and I passed it to Marjorie for safe keeping.

On our way back home in the dark, I took a detour to see if by chance we might find the missing flash drive.  I parked in the street, took our flashlight, and began carefully searching in the three possible places where I might have removed the camera from my pocket.  Looking back into the headlights, I beckoned to Marjorie to switch into the driver’s seat, and to follow me.  She got out of the passenger side, went around the pickup, and got into the driver’s seat.

The search for the flash drive was unsuccessful.  Back at home I asked Marjorie for the missionaries’ house key so that I could put it away.  A look of consternation came over her face.  She searched through her clothing.  No key.  I went back up to the pickup.  No key.  With the flashlight I searched the grass going down to our apartment.  No key.  Now we’d lost not one, but two of Elder Brooks’ things.

Which brings me to this morning.  At 5:20 my eyes came open.  I carefully slid out of bed so as not to awaken Marjorie.  I went out into the living room to have my morning prayer.  I propped myself up on the arm of the couch and thanked the Lord for my testimony, my priesthood, my family, the scriptures, the gift of the Holy Ghost, my righteous children and grandchildren, my wonderful wife, the commandments, and for the opportunity that the Savior has provided for us to repent of our sins.  I asked Him to direct me to those whose lives I might bless this day.  “And, please Father, help me to find Elder Brooks’ key and flash drive.”

I felt impressed that I should go look for those items right then.  I went up to the pickup.  Though I had thoroughly searched the pickup the night before, I felt that the missing key should be there.  I moved both seats back and forth, and looked beneath them.  I looked in all of the compartments and cubby holes.  No key.  The floor mats had accumulated dirt, so I removed the one from the driver’s side to give it a shaking.  There was the key underneath!  I went weak with gratitude.

I shook out the other three floor mats, and then drove to the place where I’d taken the three photos of the trees.  I parked on the right side of the street, and approached the first tree.  I looked up at it and thought, “I would have been right about here so that I could have gotten this angle.”

I looked down at my feet, and the first thing I saw was the missing flash drive, lying on its side in a small depression in the grass!  I was so overwhelmed by these two quick answers to prayer that I couldn’t even think a thank-you prayer in my head or I’d have burst out crying.  It really wasn’t necessary to put my gratitude into words.  Heavenly Father could see me smiling both inwardly and outwardly.

But I did kneel and thank Him when I returned to our flat.  It wasn’t yet even 6:00, Marjorie still wasn’t up, and my prayers of the morning were already answered.