`No more strangers'

A trip to northern California in June 1989 gave me a powerful reminder of the gospel truth expressed by Paul to the saints of Ephesus when he said, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Eph. 2:19).

I made the trek to spend some time with my college-age daughter, who was living with my sister for the summer and working at Stanford University. My sister had flown to Hong Kong to vacation with her husband who was temporarily assigned there with his firm so I went to California to keep my daughter company.Two days after I arrived, my car's engine went completely dead as I drove into the parking lot of the Morgan Hill (Calif.) Stake Center. Through sacrament meeting in the Morgan Hill 2nd Ward, my mind was far away to my lifeless car in the parking lot.

With my limited knowledge of auto mechanics, I knew this problem would not be solved with a jumper cable. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness overcame me. I was a stranger in this community, knew no reputable garage, and, to make matters worse, my sister had moved into her new home a week before my arrival and was new to the area.

In Relief Society I told one sister about my situation and without hesitation she volunteered the mechanical expertise of her husband. He determined that the timing belt in the motor was broken, but was unable to make the repair.

Another brother, Jay Nielsen, who sat in front of us in sacrament meeting, mentioned several garages that might repair my make of car. His optimism helped dispel some of my anxieties. But my most pressing unvoiced concern was my daughter's transportation to her job, an hour commute.

To my surprise and joy this brother offered the use of his car for as long as we needed it. He continued to go the extra mile by locating a garage, scheduling the repair work and taking the time the following day to borrow a truck and tow my car from the church to the garage. By the end of the week, my car was repaired.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught us that "God does notice us. . . . But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs." In this instance, Jay Nielsen was receptive to an unknown sister's distress, and out of the goodness of his heart generously solved her problems. - Eleanor Berrey, Pocatello (Idaho) 11th Ward

(Another in a series of "Shining Moments." Illustration by Deseret News artist Reed McGregor.)