Encounter with One of the Three Nephites?

Tuesday, something very interesting happened. My daughter was at clogging practice and so I took the other two kids over to a burger place to get some ice cream. This burger place looks like an old fashioned 50's diner inside.

The workers were so nice to us and were just calmly standing there waitng for us to order. There were just a couple of people there eating - it was pretty empty. We ordered our ice cream, sat down and the kids began to eat away!

Just then a man came through the door, he appeared to be alone. I looked up and saw him just standing there,smiling at me. He never looked away. I couldn't help but notice how there was something about him that made it difficult for me to look away or brush him off as just a customer. The first thing that came to my mind was that he might be one of the Three Nephites or John the Revelator. Then of course I laughed inside of my head and thought, "where did that come from?"

He seemed to laugh as well as though he knew my thoughts. So, I hurried and looked back at my kids. As I looked at them and watched them eat their ice cream, I couldn't help but notice out of the corner of my eye that he was still standing in the doorway. Was he going to sit down? Was he going to order? How strange it was. Then the thought came that he was here on business and would only be here for a short moment, so I should get a better look at him before he disappears.

I looked over at him again, there he was standing there and smiling at me. He looked so happy. I felt like if I starred at him back, he might communicate some message to me telepathically. I noticed his brown eyes and how old his face appeared. He seemed very ancient like a prophet from centuries ago. I've never seen anything like it. He had a grayish white beard, was of average size and was wearing grayish/blue coveralls and had a cane. I thought to myself, "he looks like a happy version of the white wizard on Lord of the Rings" when I thought that he seemed to laugh at me, and again I couldn't help but wonder if he knew my thoughts - so I looked away.

These images below look almost exactly like what I saw. He had the same face, eyes and beard of Saruman the White.

As I looked back at my kids I began to wonder if he was going to sit down. I also couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to talk to me, so I should quit looking away. At that moment I saw him sit down. He rested his cane on his lap and continued starring at me and smiling in such a happy and loving manner.

Then I looked up at the counter and an Asian woman who was with a blind and disabled woman with long dark hair sat down a couple tables over from us. The Asian woman began to do the same thing but with my kids! She starred at them and smiled as though she loved them like her own grand children. In fact, she completely forgot about her food and just starred and smiled at them until we left. It was so weird!! But in a good way.

Then I look back over at the man and he's sitting perfectly still, just starring and smiling at me, right into my eyes. I could feel his happy energy and it was contagious - I couldn't stop smiling. I wondered if he might have been there for me? Maybe observing so he could give a report? Or maybe he was trying to send me positive thoughts and make my day? Or was it that he was there on assignment for someone else but took a minute to observe me, learn my situation and see if I might need any help - like missionaries do - always looking for ways to serve through the Spirit.

For as old as he looked he seemed very "with it" and intelligent. I thought how interesting his clothing was and how he stood out so much. He reverenced the room as though he might have been Lehi or Noah or some great prophet from the past. His face was so aged yet he was so happy, energetic, and so full of love.  He appeared to be very clean for wearing coveralls - and where he had a cane, I wondered what type of work could a person do as old as he is and with a cane? He couldn't be a mechanic, electrician - there was no way! There he sat smiling and laughing as though he knew my thoughts - again I looked away.

If he knew that I knew who he might really be, it must have been very funny to him. Maybe at that point he realized he couldn't say anything to me because I knew his identity and I would ask. I wanted him to. I tried to think of something I could say, any kind of excuse to walk over and talk with him. He looked at me as though he knew I wanted to come over, and his eyes seemed to beckon me to do so.

Then a young Latino woman came through the door with a little toddler. She was beaming with joy and looked right at me with a big smile. I thought to myself, "does this burger place attract happy people or what?" She ordered her food sat down and waited for it while she smiled and starred at me. It began to feel like I was in the twilight zone, as if all of these people starring at me and smiling were somehow connected and they knew something that I didn't and they were so happy for me.

It had been about eight minutes and I began to feel like this man would leave soon and I better get another look. I looked over and he was still smiling and starring and I felt so happy I can't describe it. Then another man cam through the door just as happy and smiley, with brown pants and a long sleeved shirt. His clothes seemed old and he also had a grayish white beard and the exact same cane. 

At this point I swore they must know each other, and were here together...but then I realized they never even acknowledged each other. Nothing would break that man's stare and the other man was up at the counter ordering food. A few minutes later, the man starring at me got up and walked out the front door. I knew I had to keep my eyes on him to see where he would go. He walked behind an SUV parked in front of the door and from there I don't know. I noticed a truck parked behind the SUV and thought, maybe he's in the truck. Then the man at the counter grabbed his bag of food and went out the door and walked over to the truck and got in the driver's side. The truck pulled out and drove away and I didn't get to see if the other man was in it as well.

As we left, the Latino woman continued to stare and smile again as if she knew something wonderful about me and wanted to tell me. So I said, "Hi" and she said "Hi" back.

The rest of the day I wondered about it. I thought, "If it was who I think it could have been, are they allowed to drive trucks and order food at restaurants?" then I thought, "Why not?" Curious, I went online and began to search for other people who may have had similar experiences. I found this page that blew me away. http://www.ogdenkraut.com/The%20Three%20Nephites.htm  As I read these descriptions, I got chills up and down my arms. Especially this description:

The stranger was of medium size, dressed in a grayish blue suit, and wore a grayish beard, some three or four inches long. He looked very intelligent and clean cut. His voice was soft and mild and his eyes penetrating but beautiful to behold. There was something about his personality that caused us to look at him with intent and earnestness.

Then I found this experience in the comments section, where the person describes that man as dressed as an electrician driving a pick up truck. That made me laugh. 

http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/10/04/are-the-three-nephites-funny/

I guess I really will never know who this peculiar man was or why he was starring at me. All I know is that he made me happy and I wish I could go back to that moment.

The night before I had prayed about something very earnestly, and I even spent a half hour writing in my journal about it. I pleaded and pleaded for an answer or guidance of some sort, I wonder now if this man was there to encourage me some how - to let me know everything would be okay. Then last night some very strange things happened along with a very strange dream and I feel it might have to do with my prayer from the night before. If the time is ever right I will share.

I know that when you knock the Lord answers and when you ask, you receive. I've really been asking, and some very interesting things have been happening, it feels like they are of a divine nature. It makes me so happy to know the Lord is aware of our needs and hears us. He is so willing to send help and answers as soon as we ask. This I testify in the name of Jesus Christ amen.