What a remarkable day!

First, before I forget, I have found a website that will force me to write and store it and hopefully "publish" it. I like to write poetry. Yeah, I know. I can hear Daron and TK puking now. Go ahead, puke. I did, too, when I was your size, little fellers.

It's called allpoetry.com and you can find my poems here. You will note that some of them might be rather dark. But I want to imagine the feelings of others. I mean, c'mon, you don't think the author of "Twilight" or "Harry Potter" is evil, do you?

**************

Today, I was scheduled to drive a hydrologist from New Orleans around the region looking at our river gages and flood prone areas, so she could get a better idea of our issues. I've known her for years. I remember when her twins were born and they are seven now. Seven years old, not seven of them.

As I was getting ready, I had the distinct impression to pray that I would have the opportunity to talk about the gospel with her. As we drove, she began to talk about her life and unfolded to me that her parents had died when she was a child and she and her siblings were raised by the evil aunt who mentally abused them. She had been raised Catholic by her parents, and Baptist by her extended family, so had an open mind about religion. When she went to college at age 19, though, she was so depressed and was wondering if there were even a God. She sat in the student center and prayed, "Jesus, if you are real, you better show me now, or I am going to wash my hands of you forever as of this moment." Just then, a stranger, a young woman, walked up to her and said, "I don't know who you are. Are you OK? I was walking by and noticed you and something told me that you need this." She handed her a New Testament. And the girl walked off. She never saw her again.

My friend said she took the Bible and started to cry. It was a miracle, she knew it, and this feeling welled up inside her that she KNEW was God speaking to her silently in the tumult of the student center.

She explained that when she goes to church, the preacher always gives her something to think about. She loves that. She loves to sit in the sanctuary and think about her past week and her upcoming week. She thinks about what she's done wrong and how she can be better next week, and repents and promises God to do better. She likes the quiet. She said, "Then the band comes out and plays for the teenagers, the drums, the guitars, and it's so loud and I can't think and I just don't like it and that quiet feeling goes away. It's like God is not there, any more."

I was crying. Driving and crying. I felt the Spirit tell me, "This is it. This is what you prayed for this morning." I turned to her and said, "What you felt that day in the student center, was the Holy Ghost. That is how he speaks to us, in a still small voice. He whispers, he does not shout above the world or the band. He does not jump around on stage and yell and wave his arms around. You have to be quiet to hear him."

"Yes!"

"And what you feel in church when you ponder and pray is him telling you things, too, very quietly, just for you, and only you can hear him in your heart."

"Yes!" (by now she's staring at me through her sunglasses and she is staring wide eyed and nodding and I can see her lips are quivering and her eyes are moist.)

"And you are feeling that same feeling that you felt in the student center right this moment."

"YES!"

"That is the Holy Ghost telling you that what I'm telling you is true. This is how he's going to speak to you very soon. He's going to talk to you again, just like this, when you least expect it. He's going to tell you that something that comes into your life is true and His will, and is going to change your and your family's lives forever. You will remember this conversation with me and what I'm telling you now and you will recognize that what I say now is true. I'm not going to tell you what will happen, even though I know. When it happens, you will tell me and I'll verify that it's true."

And she nodded that she understood.

It was one of the most powerful spiritual manifestations I've ever had, and I've had many.

When we got back to the office, I met her husband and family. I could see them in Young Men and Young Women. They are going to make great Latter Day Saints.

I love God.