“The Parking Ticket,” New Era, October 2015, xx
The Parking Ticket
Fátima Rocha Gutiérrez lives in Baja California, Mexico.
Fátima!
Illustration by Bryan Beach
I went to the movies with some friends of mine from church. When we entered the mall, we were given a ticket for the parking lot. After the movie ended, we realized that we had lost the parking ticket. At first we thought we could just pay for the ticket, but none of us had the 180 pesos needed for the fine.
The consequence of not paying for parking was leaving the car at the mall to get towed, which would be even more expensive. Despair overcame my friends, especially the one who was driving since the car belonged to his father. I stepped away to say a prayer. I asked Heavenly Father with all my faith and humility to provide us a way to resolve our problem and return safely to our homes. I will never forget what happened just seconds after I finished my prayer.
As I was walking back toward the car, someone behind me started calling my name. It was Francisco, a friend from high school. He asked what I was doing, and I told him what had happened. Without hesitation, he got out his wallet and gave me enough money to pay for the lost ticket. This act of kindness was an immediate response to my supplications to Heavenly Father.
Francisco may never know what a great help he was, but I know that I will be deeply grateful for the rest of my life.
Sometimes the ways Heavenly Father answers our prayers are surprising, but coincidences don’t exist. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us perfectly and move the threads of our lives.
I know that when we live righteously, we enjoy countless blessings that only Heavenly Father can grant us, including His promise to us that “if [we] do these things, [we] shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 37:37).