By James E. Kerns, 23 October 2011

Ivy needed to go somewhere, and could not find her car keys.  When not in use, the keys are always hung on a peg in the kitchen, or are put in a particular kitchen drawer.  The keys were in neither place.  Ivy voiced her perplexity to 22-month-old Kilynn:  “Where are my keys, Kilynn?”

“Closet,” she replied.

Thinking Kilynn had gotten the keys off their peg, Ivy opened the closet and looked on the floor.—No keys.

“Orange jacket,” said Kilynn, and pointed to Ivy’s jacket.  Ivy checked the pockets of her jacket—and there were the keys!

“How did you know?” Ivy asked joyfully.  Ivy had put the keys in her jacket pocket three days earlier when they arrived home from church, and had not driven the car since.  That Sunday was the only time Ivy had ever worn that orange jacket, and Kilynn had taken note.

Margie carried baby Amy out of the church, and could not find the car.  “Where is the car?” she offhandedly asked the baby.  Amy pointed behind them and said, “There!”

It was on the opposite side of the parking lot from where the family normally parked; but the baby had noticed, and knew where to direct her mother.

“What have we done with the keys this time?” Katie asked her children.  A Saturday evening appointment had already been missed, and the keys to the car would be needed if the family was to get to church that day.

A family prayer was held, asking for direction to find the missing keys, after which a minute search of the house would be conducted by all nine family members.

As they arose from prayer, 3-year-old Gideon, the youngest member of the family said, “Keys under TV.”

The TV was situated in an entertainment center and sat flat on its shelf, with no space below where a key could hide.  The family began searching at the other end of the room.  When Isaac reached the TV, he pulled it forward.  Behind the TV was an older, previously-lost car key!

The current set of keys was sitting safely on the desk down at Grandma’s house where Katie had left them while using Grandpa’s computer.  Thanks to Gideon’s revelation, the family now had two car keys.

The Farber family had thought all summer about making a trip to Monument, Oregon to see their old home, friends, and branch members.  They had hunted mushrooms that spring, and had put aside their $200 earnings to pay for the trip; but the time was never right nor convenient for going.  On a Friday night in October, 3-year-old Gideon was voice during family prayer.  He said, “Bless us on our trip tomorrow.”

A family discussion ensued in which it was determined that no better time to go to Monument would ever present itself.  School commitments and winter snows would prevent the trip entirely unless the family went the very next day.  That Saturday evening was spent with Joe and Alice, old friends and neighbors of the Farbers.  Joe and Alice were leaving on Monday, and would not return for a month.  Joe and Alice were key to the Farbers being able to go to Monument, to stay in a motel, and to be able to attend church in their old branch the next day.  Had they not gone that very weekend, the trip would not have happened.

“This summer we went to visit my great grandma.  It was hot inside, so we all decided to go sit outside in the shade.  After awhile, one of my cousins decided to go inside and noticed that the door was locked.  We were all locked outside and my great grandma began to get very worried because she didn’t have a key out there or anything.  My uncle got busy trying to pick a lock and my dad began searching for an open window and when he couldn’t find one he began trying to open closed windows.  My uncle and dad tried and tried to get in and nothing was working—it was like trying to break into a fortress.  It was Sunday, so there were no locksmiths to call.  My great grandma was very worried.

“Then I remembered to say a prayer.  I said a prayer in my mind that we would be able to get into the house.  Soon after I prayed, I had a feeling that I should try a window that led into the bathroom.  I climbed a ladder and tried it and it wouldn’t open, but I could see how it might open with a screwdriver.  I ran to my grandpa’s shop and got one and when I tried it the window opened.

“Heavenly Father knew how we could get into the house and when I asked for help, the Holy Ghost helped me know what to do.

“I am so thankful to have the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

—Caden Gee, October 2010, 11 years old.