My Heavenly Father Loves Me

One of my favorite songs from Primary goes like this:

Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by our lilac tree,
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see
The color of butterfly wings.
He gave me my ears that I might hear
The magical sound of things.
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:
I thank him reverently.
For all his creations, of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me.


President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, has said:

"When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day. . . how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family. I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to our family today?" As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done" (General Conference talk, October 2007).

I too have recently seen, even in small things, the ways Heavenly Father has played a part in my every day life. He hears me. And he looks out for me. I had an experience this weekend that shook my friends and family to the core.

A STRANGER SAVED MY LIFE ON SATURDAY...
I was alone with my photographer doing a photoshoot up in the canyons on Saturday when three cars of men drove by and hollered at us. We ignored them and continued with the shoot.
About 30 minutes later a car came back down the canyon and parked behind her car. She immediately began to walk backwards towards her car and yelled, "GET IN MY CAR. NOW!"
I stood there...completely shocked...not sure where to go...or what was going on.
I slowly began to walk towards the car when the driver jumped out and said to my photographer, "So what kind of camera do you use..." as he walked in her direction in an intimidating way.
She once again yelled, "NOW! RUN!"
As I started to step towards her car the three other car doors popped open and a bunch of middle aged, rugged looking, gross men jumped out. They stood and stared at me as if they were saying, "what now?"
I kept my composure as to let them know I was not afraid...but I realized my feet hadn't moved and my photographer was already opening her car door to jump in. I slowly walked towards her car without taking my eyes off these men who were slowly stepping towards us.
Right then another car began to head up the canyon and slowed as it passed us. When the men noticed the car coming up...they froze. I took full advantage of this random car passing and BOLTED for her car. I slammed the door and she hit the lock button as and she sped forward...leaving equipment behind.
When we looked back at the men...they were quickly gathering up what we had left behind. Each was holding a different tool of some sort. One holding rope and others holding things in which I choose to forget and don't want to mention here.
I tried to slow my breathing as I stumbled for my cell phone. When I flipped open my phone to call the police...it died. It had been roaming while up in the canyon and the battery was completely used up.
It turned on again long enough to send out a text...and died again. We finally made our way down the canyon and rushed home. The police went back up into the canyon to see if they could retrieve anything but couldn't.
We had been so unprepared. If not for that random car passing up the canyon...I am not sure what I would have done. I feel so blessed that I froze for that moment in shock.
My mind was trying to process the best solution to the problem and it wasn't coming up with anything...until the car passed.
You would like to think that your fight or flight instincts would kick in faster than mine did...but then again...maybe what happened WAS meant to happen.
If I had run for the car when the driver jumped out at my photographer...it may have triggered adrenaline in them and they may have chased me then rather than later. I kept thinking "don't startle them...don't let them know what you are going to do...act like you are going to answer his question about the camera...act like you are walking towards him and not the car."

All of this happened in a matter of seconds, but it seemed like slow motion.
Heavenly Father was there with me...
So many things happened leading up to that moment when the car pulled up that worked to our advantage.
1. Her car was parked far away and I found a pretty location to angle the shots so we moved her car RIGHT behind us. She was practically sitting on her car as she shot. If her car had been down the canyon where it was before...I have NO idea how we would have gotten away.
2. When she parked I told her to lock her doors...she said, "no...I think I will leave them unlocked so I don't have to deal with keys while I shoot." ...Because her doors were unlocked...we were able to leap into her car as these men ran at us. She had also left her keys in the ignition which made for an easy escape. (Typically not recommended.)
3. In a split second I had a feeling to pretend someone else was with us...so right before the life saving car drove up the canyon...I had looked back and acted like I waved at someone further down the canyon. (NO idea why I did that...it just kinda happened.)

The feeling that came over me when these men jumped out of the car at us is indescribable. This experience taught me that there is safety in numbers...but that doesn't mean bad things don't happen.
I have to ask myself...how can I be more prepared? First of all...no more photoshoots up in the mountains or out in fields with just me and my photographer. :)
Secondly...always staying in tune with God and listening to His promptings.

What a scary experience. I may eventually post pictures from that shoot...they are really cool...but they kind of haunt me. Those could have easily been the last pictures taken of me if it had not been for the stranger who saved my life.