As we drove through a snowstorm over the holidays, my mind went back to many childhood memories of making the same winter drive.  One is more vivid than the rest.  I was 14 or 15 and riding in a little Honda CVCC with my older brother and two of our cousins.  My parents were in a Suburban in front of us and my uncle and aunt’s car brought up the tail of the caravan.  

 

My cousin and I settled into opposite sides of the back seat, ready for a nap on the drive home when I found that the seat belt on my side of the car was broken.  My mother was a real stickler about seat belts at a time when not many people were so I rationalized in my mind that I would sleep better in the side seat with a window to rest my head against.  The seat belt in the middle seat was only a lap belt, I really didn’t want to sit on the “hump” seat.  Even as the argument in my head continued, I slid over next to my cousin, put on the seat belt and remarkably fell asleep.  I woke to the sound of my cousin’s voice. “Hold on!” he called and my eyes opened to see our car sliding head on toward the underside of an eighteen wheel semi truck.  A black box hung from the undercarriage of the truck, our car hit it and slid on ice back out from beneath the moving truck.  My cousin managed to get the car stopped on the side of the road where my uncle had plowed into a snowbank in his effort to avoid colliding with us.  As we exited our cars, we were grateful to find that everyone was unharmed and safe.  

 

I was grateful I had put on my seatbelt and even more grateful the next morning when I saw the bruises where my hips had hit the lap belt with more force than I had realized.  The decision to move to the middle seat did not feel like the result of a spiritual impression.  The voice I remembered and heard was the voice of my mother and I grumbled at it.  I learned that often the Holy Ghost sounds a lot like my mother, urging me to take care of myself, sharing a testimony of the plan of redemption, reminding me who I am and that the Lord has a plan for me.  He nudges me to be a little better, to be a little more kind and to choose to have a little more faith.  He confirms that my prayers have been heard and that the scriptures I read are true.  He urges me to repent and try again.  He helps us all to remember God’s commandments, the covenants that bind us to our Father and the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who guarantees our covenants and the promise that we can always have His Spirit to be with us. Through every new effort, new challenge, new day and new year, His familiar voice reminds us of Heavenly Parents and the lessons of our heavenly home.