A rapist was at large in our quiet neighborhood. He had struck five times within eight blocks of the duplex my wife, Patty, and I called home. Our local police had warned women in the area to lock and chain their doors and not to be seen out of doors alone at night.
My calling as ward executive secretary required that I attend meetings each Wednesday night and to accompany a member of the bishopric or elders quorum presidency on visits once or twice a week. Patty would also attend meetings on different nights as Relief Society secretary, which meant she would sometimes be home alone at night. We carefully scheduled our service so she would not return home to an empty house.On a night when we knew Patty would be returning home late, I accompanied the elders quorum president on a visit to a less-active member's home. The visit lasted much longer than planned. As the time neared for Patty to return home, it became apparent that I would not be there when she arrived. My concern for her safety was so great, at times I was distracted from the conversation at hand. With fervency and sincerity, I silently prayed for Heavenly Father to protect my eternal mate.
Upon returning home, Patty excitedly expressed her fear when she saw I was not there to greet her. She told how she had waited in her locked car until the winter chill forced her to chance going inside. Just as she opened her door, a police prowl car passed in front of our home, slowed to a near stop, waited until she was safely inside, then continued on its patrol.
Later we discovered that the time of the patrol car's arrival coincided precisely with the time of my prayer. We will forever look to this confirming act as an answer to a prayer from a kind and loving Heavenly Father. We have received answers to other prayers also, and, as a result, we share our testimonies that God lives, Jesus is the Christ and prayers are heard and answered.
