Mormon Monday: The Miracle of the Church Shoes

We went to my parents' home this weekend. 

We had a great time, and Kevin really enjoyed playing with his cousins. It was nice and relaxing. It was warm enough for the most part that Dakota got to stay outside, and I saw her rolling around in the grass with delight. She's missed being outside sometimes, I think. At night she came inside so she didn't freeze to death. She survived the trip none the worse.

Everything went well until we were returning home Sunday morning. As we were packing, Grig asked me if I had seen his Sunday shoes. I told him I hadn't. We looked around, but assumed the shoes were in his suitcase. We were in a hurry because I was trying to get back in time for church. I had to teach in Relief Society and I didn't want to miss it.

However, when we got home after the three hour return trip, we couldn't find Grig's shoes anywhere. Both he and I looked through the suitcase, but the shoes were nowhere to be seen.

With horror, we realized that we had left his shoes at my parents' home. He didn't have any other Sunday-type shoes, so he put on his bright white wedding shoes, and we reluctantly decided we were probably going to have to buy him another pair of black Sunday shoes. It would be cheaper than mailing or driving to get them, and he couldn't really do without them.

I told Grig I didn't think anyone would even notice his shoes, but he was convinced he was going to be made fun of. I bet him that no one was going to talk about them. Unfortunately, the first person we met at church pointed at Grig's shoes and said, "I'll trade you shoes!"

And he wasn't the only one. Lots of people commented on his shoes.

Grig was right. I was wrong. People did notice.

However, that night, Grig came in the room and said, "Thanks for finding my shoes!"

Confused, I asked him what he was talking about. He told me that he had just found his shoes in the middle of the living room floor, and had assumed that I had found them and placed them there.

I told him that I hadn't seen them anywhere, and I didn't know how they'd gotten there. We wracked our brains, but neither of us could remember seeing the shoes before he found them in the middle of the floor.

I am convinced that it is a miracle.

Many people don't think that miracles occur in our day, but I testify that they do. A Book of Mormon prophet (named Mormon) said (Mormon 9:18-21):

18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
 19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
 20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
 21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.  

Miracles do occur in our day, even if it is something simple like a pair of shoes appearing where we could have sworn they didn't exist before. The Lord loves his children, and if we believe in him and have faith in him, anything is possible.

I know this is true.

Even if we did find out how the shoes got there, that wouldn't make the event any less of a miracle in my eyes. We were praying to find the shoes, and we did. That is enough for me.

The Lord is very kind to us.