If we are paying attention, our Heavenly Father can teach us anywhere—even in the car. When we take time to reflect and to listen to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, we are teachable. One of my favorite places to ponder and pray is in the car, while I’m driving by myself. There are few distractions, it’s quiet, and I know that my kids won’t be running in and out. I have had some powerful experiences during this spiritual study hall.
Taught to Pray—In the Car
In the quiet of the car, I do a lot of praying. Even on short drives, I find myself talking with my Father in Heaven. On longer drives—especially when I’m the only driver—I find myself pleading with the Lord to help us arrive at our destination safely. The scriptures teach us the pray always. One of my favorites is in the Book of Mormon—another testament of Jesus Christ, a companion scripture to the Bible and a record of God’s dealings with some of the peoples who lived in the ancient Americas.
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things ye shall be lifted up at the last day (Alma 37:37).
In these times of heartfelt prayer, I have received sweet answers of comfort. One such occurred in the summer of the year that my husband and I were married. I was in turmoil over a very personal issue, and I was driving on the freeway in Salt Lake City. I was crying, praying and asking my Heavenly Father why this event occurred. I looked up at a billboard and it read, in big, bold letters: Let it go. That was my answer. I had never seen that sign before, and I never saw it after that. But I was taught by God in the car that day to let go of the confusion and turmoil and allow the peaceful comfort of the Holy Spirit into my heart. Elder Quentin L. Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—with the First Presidency, the governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church—said:
Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies. … Remember, “God is not the author of confusion, but [the author] of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). [1]
Taught to Listen to the Promptings of the Holy Ghost—In the Car
I grew up in Indiana but went to college in Idaho and Utah. Whenever my siblings and I went home, we always drove straight through without stopping for the night. I had two experiences during these 24-hour trips that taught me to always listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The first one happened one dark winter night when two of my sisters and I, crammed into the cab of a little Isuzu Pup truck, were driving home. I was behind the wheel, and all of a sudden the thought came to me that I needed to switch lanes. We were driving downhill on the Interstate, and there were no lights on the road. So I switched lanes. As soon as I did, we swooshed past a camper sitting in the lane we had just vacated. We were stunned. There were no lights on the camper, and I would not have seen it until we collided. I was shaken but grateful for the prompting that prevented an accident that dark winter night.
The second time, I didn’t listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. The summer that I graduated from college, my sister Rachel and I decided to visit our oldest sister in Arizona before heading home. As we were driving down an isolated two-lane highway somewhere in rural Utah, we needed to make a pit stop. To our left was a remote rest area, hidden from view of the road by trees. To our right was a gas station. Immediately the thought flashed in my mind that we needed to stop at the gas station. But I didn’t want to feel obligated to buy something, so we stopped at the rest area. I got out and used the facilities first. There was an eerie feeling, but I thought it was just me. Sometimes I have an overactive imagination. But I went as fast as I could, and prayed the entire time that I would be safe and protected and not hurt or killed. I thought it was all in my head until I got to the car and told Rachel it was her turn. She said, “I don’t have to go that bad. Let’s get out of here NOW.” We never found out the reason for those feelings, but I have always felt bad that I didn’t listen. Elder Boyd K. Packer, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, said:
It is difficult to separate from the confusion of life that quiet voice of inspiration. Unless you attune yourself, you will miss it. Answers to prayers come in a quiet way. The scriptures describe that voice of inspiration as a still, small voice. If you really try, you can learn to respond to that voice. [2]
As we turn to the Lord in all things, we are teachable. If we take the time to reflect upon the word of God and listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can be taught by God—even in the car.