Neal A. Maxwell — Divine Preservation on Okinawa

During his military service in World War II on the island of Okinawa, Neal A. Maxwell experienced a moment of divine protection. While under shelling, he prayed for protection and recalled the promise in his patriarchal blessing that his life would not be shortened and that he would fulfill his premortal assignments. A shell exploded less than five feet away from him, yet he remained unharmed. He later attributed his survival to the Lord answering his prayer.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in The Story of A Disciple’s Life - BYU Studies):

Three shells in a row had exploded in a sequence that sent a dreadful message—the enemy had completely triangulated his position, and the next series of shots would hit home. Suddenly a shell exploded no more than five feet away from him. Terribly shaken, Neal jumped from his muddy foxhole and moved down a little knoll seeking protection, and then, uncertain what to do, he crawled back to the foxhole. There he knelt, trembling, and spoke the deepest prayer he had ever uttered, pleading for protection and dedicating the rest of his life to the Lord’s service. In his pocket, he was carrying a smudged copy of his patriarchal blessing, which gave him a special promise of protection. No more shells exploded near him after that moment. He came to know God that night in a way that changed him and directed his life’s course.