Lost in German Woods

This morning, I decided to get a ride with my cousin on his way to work to Baumholder. I wanted to get a manicure because I have a wedding I have to go to the weekend I get home. He asked if I was sure if I wanted to go because I would have to hang out there all day, and there’s not a whole lot to do there. I didn’t think I’d be walking around too much, so I ignored the thought to wear my tennis shoes and put on my boots instead (mistake number 1). To keep myself busy, I went to the grocery store, ate a Berliner, got my nails done, went to a few shops, ate an early lunch (cordon blue schnitzel is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever had), then decided to catch the bus back home. The bus didn’t show up.
I knew there was some sort of hike back, so I looked that up. My Google Maps informed me that the walk/hike to the castle near my house would take about two hours, which was no big deal. I’ve been walking about two hours a day for a while now. I decided to try it, so I turned on my newly borrowed audiobook, “The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis, and started to follow the instructions on my app. Instead of informing my cousin I was going on this little adventure, I decided I’d wait to tell him when I got back home that I had left (mistake number 2).

The first forty minutes were more of a walk in a park. If you’ve ever been to Art Dye park and walked their path, it was similar to that. I saw that my phone battery was starting to die pretty fast because I had Google maps up. I looked ahead and saw that I mostly just had to follow the path I was on and look for the little “Nordic walk” signs I figured I could do that, so I turned my maps off (mistake number 3).
I followed the signs as best I could. I came to a clearing that had a lot of signs up, but they mostly just explained the types of trees, birds, and insects there were in that part of the wood. There were three paths I could take from there. I didn’t see the sign that I was supposed to follow, so I figured I’d better take the straight one instead of left or right.
I found different signs that looked promising, so I started to follow those. After about an hour, I realized I should have reached my destination about thirty minutes before. I pulled out my phone to see where I was, but I had no service. All I could see was that I was in the middle of the woods, and I didn’t need Google maps to tell me that.

I paused my book, said a quick prayer, and decided to keep going on the path I was on. I turned my book back on and kept walking. After about 10-15 minutes, I started to get a little nervous. I tried my maps one more time. It was still having trouble locating me, but from what I could get from it, I wasn’t near Thallichtenberg at all. I couldn’t believe that I was two days away from seeing my friends and family again, and I was lost in the woods, never to return.
I finally decided to just go back the way I had come. I turned around and tried to follow the path back. Luckily, I remembered certain spots along the path I had been walking so I didn’t get mixed up on any other paths. By the time I turned around, my book had finished, so I didn’t have a distraction anymore.

I didn’t get as anxious or nervous as I thought I would. I actually felt kind of peaceful and that everything would be alright. I kept a little prayer in my heart the whole time. But my thoughts did wander around a bit. I kept thinking how my old boss, Curtis, would be so upset with me for wandering in the woods alone. When we were working together, he went to go help find a lost boy scout in Idaho who had wandered from the group. I could only imagine the lecture I would get from him if he knew I was lost in the woods with no food or water.
I also remembered a story my friend told me about a similar situation he had been in on his mission. He had served his LDS mission in Germany. One night, he and his companion were walking through the woods to go to a town over to give someone a lesson. They got lost too. After a few hours, a lady found them and led them to where they needed to go. As I remembered this story, I thought “man, if only someone would show up here and guide me out. But what are the chances of that happening?” Moments later, I saw a dog running around and heard a whistle. I looked up and saw a woman.
 I couldn’t believe it. I walked up to her and asked her if she spoke English. Miracle of miracles, she did! I told her I was lost and trying to go to Burg Lichtenberg, or Thallichtenberg. She gave me a confused look, so I asked about the way back to Baumholder. She said I was going the long way back and that she would take me to a short cut.

I followed her for about five minutes until we came to a path that looked like cars would drive down occasionally. She said to follow this the whole time, to keep going straight. She told me multiple times to not turn left or right, just go straight. I would eventually pass her car, and I should keep going straight. I would eventually get to Baumholder. I thanked her multiple times, then started on my way back.
I couldn’t believe that I had run into someone, let alone someone who spoke English. The song “Angels Among Us” came into my head. I know the song is kind of cheesy, but ever since my brother passed away, this song has always had a special place in my heart. I knew that God had heard my prayer and despite my stupidity decided to answer it.

After about twenty minutes, I passed her car, so I knew I was getting close to the city. A few minutes after that, I heard the car coming up behind me. She pulled over and told me she’d give me a ride the last mile into the city. I couldn’t believe it. She was so nice. She took me into the city and dropped me off at the grocery store where I was able to rest, drink some water, and hang out until my cousin was off of work.
I realized how dumb I was. I shouldn’t have turned off my Google maps because I would have been home in two hours instead of lost for three. I also should have told my cousin, just in case I didn’t get back out so he could have some idea where I was and throw a search party to find me. I also should carry a snack and water around with me.
Today was a testimony builder in a couple ways for me. 1. Listen to the promptings, no matter how small (like wearing certain shoes, or texting someone where you’ll be) because they might help you in the long run. 2. The Lord answer prayers. Sometimes they are immediate, other times you have to wait a while for the answer, but it will come. We just have to trust that he is leading us where we need to go.