Yikes! We were moments away from disaster.

The final step to getting a visa to Argentina is to meet with the Argentine Consulate in Houston Texas for an interview. It has taken months to get an interview with him. Some of our documents were unacceptable while additional ones were required because the rules change regularly. Finally, on July 5, 2016 we received word that all of our documents were accepted and we would soon receive an appointment. Day after day passed with no word of the promised interview. We connected with our advocate, Demetrius, from time to time trying to do our part but without pestering him to death. In the mean time, we went to Salt Lake City for a day's training. (More about that later)

Our appointment came in a strange way from the mission directors rather than from Demetrius. July 28th was the given date, three days past the day we were suppose to arrive in Argentina. Our director, Elder Hynes, did his best to convince Demetrius to move the date up, but the embassy's computers were going to be down the whole week prior so an earlier date was impossible. Okay, so we decided to be happy with the later departure date.

All the while, we prayed every day for assistance in getting visas in a timely manner since it was largely out of our hands.

So, we arrived in Houston the day before our scheduled appointment and stayed in a hotel within walking distance of the embassy. We relaxed and found time to attend the temple in Houston, Wednesday July 27th of 2016.



Our attempt at a selfie

Thursday morning started relatively smooth. We had breakfast and headed to the embassy arriving at 9:30, 30 minutes early. We checked in and began the long wait. A few minutes before our 10 o'clock appointment, Ernesto showed up to assist us. Ernesto works for Demetrius. Ernesto was kind and helpful. He told us a little about what to expect--just answer the Consulate's questions and reflect your love for the country and great desire to retire there.  He said that the consulate may talk sharply, but don't be offended, just chill out. We thought we could do that.

The morning went sour quickly. After waiting an hour and a half more, Ernesto was called in private to talk to the consulate which seemed highly irregular. As we sat waiting and wondering Amy whispered to Gregg, something is terribly wrong--let's pray. We prayed silently for what seemed to be an eternity though it was probably only 5-10 minutes. When Ernest came back, he was pale faced and shaking. He excused himself to make a phone call which we found out later was to his boss, Demetrius. The consulate had confronted Ernesto with sharp accusations. What are the Johnson's doing? Tell me the truth! I have a message here that someone from their church called us and wanted the Johnson's appointment bumped to an earlier time so that the Johnson's can replace another couple. They can't work in Argentina even if it's not for money. What are they doing?

Ernesto told us later that he also prayed for divine intervention at that moment. He is not LDS. He didn't even know what a Latter-day Saint was, (he did know the term Mormon) but he felt the importance of our situation and went to bat. He confirmed to the consulate that we wanted to live in Argentina and that we were not seeking employment in any form.  (We learned that teaching without collecting any monetary reward can be construed as "working" in Argentina).

Ernesto was certain that the Consultate would reject the offer for a Visa. He began to educated us as to what we should say and how we should react in one last ditch effort to make it happen. We were also asked to fill out some new forms as the prior forms were already obsolete. We were not quite finished with the forms when we were invited to talk with the Consulate.

The interviewer got right to the point with questions about our activities in Argentina. We answered them as best as we could reassuring him of our intentions. He seemed to be satisfied with the answers. He then said that we needed, as soon as possible, to give him a reservation for both the plane fight and hotel to Buenos Aires or the Consulate would not finish processing the Visa. This is highly irregular to get plane and hotel reservations prior to getting a visa. He requested that the reservations should be made for two weeks from Friday. We were then finger printed and dismissed.

Wow! in moments it was over and we were moving toward an experience in Argentina.

After the stressful appointment, Ernesto offered to take us back to the hotel because Houston was in the middle of a down pour. On our way, Ernesto told us much of the story we reported above. He also said he sensed that we were really good people.

All is well that ends well.

Setting apart
(For those of you not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, those called to serve a mission for the Church for whatever length of time are set-apart by the Stake President or given a blessing and authority to serve a mission. The blessing identifies various gifts, talents, and skills that can be used to benefit the missionary.

Today, July 31, 2016, we were set apart by President Horsley. What a great man. Trevor and his family were present during the setting apart. President Horsley turned the occasion to be all about Trevor's kids which was awesome. After talking to the kids individually, each of them was asked to tell what they liked about Gregg and me. Meesa too was asked to talk about our strengths.

Trevor was asked to bear his testimony and then I was given a blessing first. In it, I was promised to be able to speak Spanish and be understood. My ability to communicate would be a gift from Father in Heaven and it would come easily. I was also told that I knew Gregg before this life and we made covenants with each other. That was pretty cool. I've never heard that before. I was told that those covenants would help other people come unto Christ and obtain exaltation.

Gregg was set apart last. He was promised good health and was told that Heavenly Father was keenly aware of his life and pleased with his decision to go on a mission. He was also told to put his wife's happiness first. Amy liked that advice. Wish I could remember more. It was full of sweet admonition and blessings.




Gregg, Amy, and President Scot Horsley

Gregg's Farewell Talk July 24, 2016

Some of Gregg's thoughts were taken from the talk by Stephen E. Robinson Entitled “Enduring To The End”

The doctrines of the Restoration make it clear: Those who endure, loyal to their covenants, will receive eternal life.

Enduring to the End Few promises made in scripture have the credentials and guarantees of the promise made to those who endure to the end: “Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.” (3 Ne. 15:9.)

Nearly thirty other passages from the standard works refer to this promise. This joyous affirmation is one of the most consoling features of the gospel’s restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith. God’s promise, given to us in our dispensation in such clarity, is sure: Once we are on the path leading to eternal life, we need only endure in order to enjoy the promised blessings.

Yet exactly what does it mean to endure to the end? Endure what, and how? And when is the end? For some people, the term endure calls up images of tar and feathers or other forms of persecution. But few Saints actually face such suffering today. Are we therefore less tested than the Saints of former times? I think not.

The fact is that enduring affliction is only a small part of what “enduring to the end” means. Most frequently, the scriptures use the term endure to mean “to last,” “to continue,” or “to remain,” rather than “to suffer.” For example, Alma expresses hope that his son Shiblon “will continue in keeping [God’s] commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.” (Alma 38:2; emphasis added.) Nephi explains that we must “be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.” (2 Ne. 33:9; emphasis added.) Thus, to endure is to continue in the path we adopted at baptism by keeping our commitments to Christ, until the end of our mortal life.

Usually the scriptures link “enduring to the end” with keeping one’s covenants with Christ. (See, for example,( D&C 20:29); 2 Ne. 9:24.) The Savior himself reinforced this dimension of endurance when teaching the Nephites, specifically emphasizing repentance and baptism: “And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.” (3 Ne. 27:16; see also 3 Ne. 27:13–22.)

So enduring to the end means, in general, entering into the gospel covenant (through faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost) and then remaining faithful to that covenant.

We often refer to those who continue in their commitments to Christ as being “faithful.” Thus, being faithful means that we can be trusted to keep our commitments. The covenants of baptism and of the temple are solemn promises we make to God about how we will conduct our lives. Enduring to the end is keeping those promises throughout our lives—no matter what. It means we don’t quit because of life’s difficulties or temptations. Conversely, failing to endure means backing away from what we’ve started—first promising loyalty to God and then withholding what we promised. Endurance is not so much a matter of stamina as it is a matter of loyalty and integrity. Can you be trusted to faithfully hold your course? Just as a spouse who can be trusted to keep the marriage covenant is called faithful, so those who can be trusted to keep their gospel covenants are called faithful.

There was a man who had to decide whether to pay his tithing every time his check came, whether to go to his meetings every time they were held, whether to take an alcoholic drink every time he was offered one. Finally a friend asked him: “Why can’t you just decide once and for all which side you’re on? Why do you have to re-examine your loyalty every time a decision is called for? You are spiritually reinventing the wheel over and over again, and you will never make any progress until you can build on what you already know.”

A few weeks later he called his friend and asked for a ride to some stake meetings. The friend was pleased he was going, and when he told him so, the man responded: “You know, I wouldn’t like it if my wife told me she had to decide every morning whether she still loved me or not, or if she told me she only stayed with me because she hadn’t found a reason to leave—yet. I guess the Lord is entitled to more of a commitment than that from me. I’m ready to stop reinventing the wheel and move on.”

Some people are basically saying, “well, today I think the Church is true, but ask me again tomorrow.” There must come some point at which our commitment to the gospel and our conviction of its truth settles questions of faith in advance and predetermines our response to whatever challenges that commitment.

A testimony isn’t like a hypothesis in science, which may be supported by evidence one day and destroyed by it the next. It is a conviction based on the evidence of things not seen that some things are eternally true. (See Heb. 11:1.) The provisionally (short term) converted (committed) are those who just haven’t found a reason to leave—yet. Just as such a relationship would be unsatisfactory in a marriage, so it is unsatisfactory in the spiritual marriage of the gospel. Such individuals need to become converted, to receive the witness of the Spirit and the conviction that accompanies faith. Just as partners in a truly celestial marriage say, “we are sealed, no matter what,” so a truly converted member says: “I am a member of this church. My lot is cast with the Apostles and prophets—no matter what. Above all other issues, loyalties, agendas, and commitments, this is where I stand.”

Without such a prior commitment, some new policy or required sacrifice, some imagined (or real) offense on the part of Church leaders, might challenge our endurance. Of those who fluctuate in their commitment, the Lord said that they have no “depth of earth” in which to sow the word of the gospel, and when trials come, by and by they are offended. (See Matt. 13:18–21; Mark 4:3–20.) We must not fear to send the roots of the gospel deep into our hearts. Elder L Whitney Clayton said “Our souls should be so deeply rooted in Christ that we will be able to endure any challenge, triumph over any affliction, withstand any attack on our faith, and become like oak trees—firm, immovable, and steadfast. That kind of rootedness transcends time and outlasts every enemy, even the most subtle, invisible, and insidious ones.”

Enduring to the end requires a personal awareness of obligations (commitments or covenants) made to the Savior and a personal determination to keep those covenants faithfully. While the term “being active” describes visible behavior, “enduring faithful to the end” describes an inner commitment to the gospel and to the church of Jesus Christ. It’s possible to appear to be an active member of the Church without such a conviction.

Occasionally, those who cannot keep their commitments seek to justify themselves by separating loyalty to Christ from loyalty to his church, but this is impossible. Our covenants in the restored gospel of Christ are covenants which specifically include our relationship with his church and which are administered through his church—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We cannot endure to the end in those covenants without enduring to the end in that church. This is made clear by the Savior himself: “And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.” (D&C 10:69; emphasis added.)

There are no private arrangements. Enduring in one’s covenants means enduring in the Church. God will not excuse those who leave the Church, thinking that they have good reasons or that they can keep covenants made in and through the Church while rejecting the Church. No matter what their intentions, they are deceived. By definition, if they have not lasted, continued or remained, they have failed to endure to the end.

In Matthew 24:9–13, the Savior’s promise to those who endure includes a warning against three specific hazards. These are affliction, deception, and iniquity.

Concerning affliction, Church history, both ancient and modern, provides us with many examples of those who broke their covenants rather than face persecution. They couldn’t bear the malice of the world. When Satan threatened them with pain or loss, they gave up the kingdom.

On the other hand, Church history provides no better examples of enduring afflictions than those of the early pioneers. Consider someone like Hosea Stout, who buried his wife and five of his six children on the journey west. After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, he made only a simple notation in his journal: “My family then consisted of eight members, and now but two.” In the resurrection, how could we face those who lost their lives, who lost their homes and fortunes, who buried their loved ones in shallow graves—all for the gospel’s sake—if we wither in the face of lesser trials?

The Savior warned of a second hazard to our endurance, perhaps even more relevant to today’s Saints than affliction. This is the hazard of deception: “For in those days, there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect (covenant makers), who are the elect according to the covenant.” (JST, Matt. 24:23.)

If Satan can’t intimidate us with physical trials, he’ll sometimes try to fool us with substitute programs. He would like us to invest our time, talent, and energy in causes that are not the cause of Zion, in the hope they may ultimately replace our commitment to the gospel. Often, these other concerns are valid and worthwhile. The deception comes in giving them a higher priority than our covenants. Those who are fooled in this way usually feel the Church is not doing enough in the area of their pet concerns. They may become disenchanted with the program of the Church and begin to follow “alternate voices.”

These members do not lack zeal; indeed, they are often strong enough to endure tremendous trials. But Satan has diverted their zeal to the wrong causes, and they don’t perceive their shifting loyalties as unfaithfulness. Generally, they do not feel that they are rejecting Christ; they just decide to interpret his will differently or to serve him in different ways according to new standards and values. Consequently, their original commitments take a back seat to their new agenda. But the bottom line is still that they couldn’t be trusted to hold their original course and keep their original commitments. They didn’t endure.

Again and again the Lord has warned the Church about following other voices. (See, for example, D&C 43:1–6.) Right now, there are many alternate voices vying for the attention of the Saints—social voices, intellectual voices, political voices, and other voices. In our premortal life, all of us rejected Satan’s persuasions to subscribe to a plan alternate to the Father’s. Now in mortality, we must do it again. If we are to endure, we must avoid alternate religious “special interest” groups.

Don’t we know of someone who is going through a difficult time?  He is politically intense and is particularly worried about what he sees as events leading up to the end of the world. He sees conspiracies in government and society, and he can’t understand why the Church isn’t as intense and as concerned as he is about these perceived threats. He spends a great deal of time trying to warn other members of the Church whom he believes to be asleep, and he privately wonders if some in leadership positions aren’t also asleep. Basically, his thinking runs like this: “My Church and my politics are telling me two different things, and I know that my politics are true … so there must be something wrong with the Church.” He does not consider the other logical possibility, nor does he recognize the reversal of loyalty evident in his thinking.

There may be some truth in some things he says, but that is not the point. The point is that he is listening to other voices and has transferred his highest loyalty to programs other than the Lord’s. Tragically, his politics have become the idol to which all else in his life must bow—even his commitment to the Church.

For all of us, our main defense against Satan’s deceptions must be a strong and abiding testimony that the Church is true. All may not be well in Zion (which is what the prophets said would be the case), but the Church is still true. It’s not anemic; it doesn’t need supplements. It’s not true if, and it’s not true but, and it’s not true except. It’s just true! Moreover, the Church is not off course; it’s not going too slow, and it’s not going too fast. Its leaders are not asleep, and they don’t need any uninvited help from the passengers to steer the boat.

Some protection from the hazard of deception may be found in the principle of “more or less”: “And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;

“And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.” (D&C 93:24–25; see also 3 Ne. 11:39–40; 3 Ne. 18:13–15; D&C 10:67–68; D&C 98:6–7.)

In the context of the gospel, truth is what God has actually said, what he actually directs, what he actually requires—no more and no less. On a strait and narrow path (see D&C 132:22), it doesn’t matter whether we fall off to the right or to the left, we are in trouble either way. It doesn’t matter whether we are “liberals” or “conservatives,” whether we believe “too little” or “too much”—that is, if Satan can’t get us to abandon the principles of the gospel, he is content that we should live them obsessively or as fanatics. One is less than the will of the Lord; the other adds human requirements to his will. Either puts us in the territory of the wicked one. There are those today who are embarrassed that God and his servants have said so much on some things and who go about trying to discredit the Brethren and neutralize the revelations and commandments. We have others who are embarrassed that God and his servants have not said more on other things and who go about preaching principles and programs the Lord has not revealed. One takes words out of God’s mouth; the other puts them in. Each preaches a “new, improved” gospel inspired by that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning, the very first alternate voice.

It requires discipline to embrace as gospel and to teach as gospel exactly what the Lord has revealed, no more and no less, and to avoid revising the gospel to suit ourselves. But those who can do it will know things as they really are (see Jacob 4:13) and will avoid deception.

The third hazard of which Jesus warned is iniquity: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matt. 24:12.) If Satan can’t shake us with affliction or trick us with other plans, sometimes he’ll just try to buy us. In the latter days, many will “take the money and run”—will take the cash, the flesh, or the fame and run from their covenant obligations. One test of our endurance is not to fall in love with this world’s pleasures. The faithful can’t be bought with these things. On Sundays they’re in church. They willingly pay tithes and offerings. They keep their physical appetites and desires within bounds. They are honest in their dealings. Their loyalty is not weakened by the possessions and powers God has placed in their care.

Happily, failing to endure is not a sin one commits once and for all time. While we remain in mortality, we always have the option of repentance. Not long ago, there was a student who had lost his membership as a result of repeated, willful iniquity. He said that he wanted to straighten his life out. He was asked him if he had a testimony, and he said no, he didn’t. Surprised, he was asked him why he wanted to repent and regain his membership if he didn’t have a testimony. Who can forget his answer: “I don’t know right now that the Church is true, but I know that I once knew, and I know God knows I once knew. The Church didn’t change between then and now—I did. And now I want to know again what I knew before, and I am willing to repent to do it.”

In Alma 37:33 we are taught: Teach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

One critical element in our eternal progression is doing all we can do, accepting guidance from our Heavenly Father, and enduring to the end and being lifted up at the last day. Enduring to the end is, for many, difficult.

An elderly sister, meeting with her bishop, explained that she was ready to go. I have completed everything I need to do. Her husband had died years earlier and she had been at his side as he served as a bishop and as a stake president, and she too had served faithfully. I am old and I am tired and I am ready to move on? Why am I still here? She asked the bishop. He was inspired to say, ”there is a need for each of us to overcome weaknesses and also find purpose in life as we endure, continue to grow and progress. But bishop, I have no bad habits, and I’ve done everything I’ve been asked. What do I still need to do? she asked.

The bishop thought that when mortal life ends, the timing of our journey’s end is not a decision we can make. The bishop assigned thru the Relief Society President the aging sister to be a visiting teaching supervisor.

The ward’s visiting teachers received a needed boost, and an aging, faithful sister began the last decade of her life, serving others, sharing wisdom and experience, and enduring to the end. In the following 10 years, this sister called, encouraged, set a demanding pace, and, most of all, set an energetic example.

Attending her funeral when she died at age 89, many younger sisters expressed their love and appreciation for the blessings they received as they became more diligent in their visiting teaching efforts through this sister’s efforts. As we endure, heeding answers to daily prayer and listening to inspired leaders are two important steps in our mortal process.

Even when one’s endurance has failed before the end, repentance can bring about a new beginning.

Three specific hazards to those trying to endure, trials, deception, and iniquity—these are the enemies of endurance. Those who can bear the pain of trials, who can ignore alternate voices, whose loyalty can’t be bought with sin—these are they who will not betray their Master’s trust. They will faithfully maintain the charted course. They will endure.

“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment, and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (D&C 121:7-8).

Follow these principles included in the Doctrine of Christ through the constant utilization of the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost. Accept the blessings that come with enduring to the end. Avoid the three hazards in our fight in enduring to the end. Remember when we fail at times, we can always repent and right ourselves and continue in the path of enduring  is my hope and prayer.

Stephen E. Robinson was department chair in ancient scripture at Brigham Young University. Talk was taken from the October Ensign of 1993.

Farewell Speeches

Argentina Farewell

(Amy Johnson July 24, 2016)

The following was given in an address to the members of our ward as we prepare to leave for Argentina.

Primarily my message is that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. His work and joy surrounds us making good choices. The kind of choices that will lead us back into His presence. Let me begin by comparing God’s work to an artist we met while in Nauvoo.

We purchased this iron rose 

in Bentonport Iowa from an Amish artist. If you know much about the Amish, you know that strict observers of the Amish religion do not use modern technology including electricity in the average way. They use horse and buggy for transportation and propane run generators to provide electricity for a few light bulbs and needed tools. Therefore, as you can imagine, this rose was painstakingly produced--heating the iron with hot fire and using simple tools to pound and carve and shape.

Consider that we are born into this world stubborn, selfish, and basically lacking in most God like qualities comparable to the crude iron used to create this piece of art. We like the iron must be transformed. It takes intense heat and pressure to change. We must be willing to resist the adversary and become compliant to the will of He who loves us. Inevitably then, we must be exposed to the adversary and opposition to Heavenly things in order to be in a position to resist one and select the other. The opposition must be enticing, and the rewards for choosing good must not be obvious or immediate. Otherwise, what have we proven? The degree of difficulty must be great enough to prove something and therefore to produce change.

Sometimes life feels too difficult, too painful, too stressful—don’t you think? I imagine Father in Heaven as our artist. We must be heated sufficiently enough to be softened. Softening can come naturally through the trials we face if we let it. We must be molded. We do not know the reasons behind our bumps and bruises. Nor do we know what beautiful shape we are being prepared for. We must learn to trust that this life has purpose and have faith that our trials can be for our good.

Knowing the purpose behind challenges and trials can help us be more patient and make wiser decisions. I bear testimony that as we listen to and follow the advice of prophets, inspired family members, teachers, and church leaders, and especially as we adhere to the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we can feel God’s love. That love is real, it is motivating, and it is the ultimate joy. I have found God’s love more readily when I make following Christ a quest. Constantly, searching—what can I be doing better? What do I lack? How am I being deceived by the adversary and getting off track? What good things should be replaced with better or even the best things? The more we ask, the more tips we’ll get. The more we choose to follow those tips, the more we’ll feel God’s love and receive more guidance.

In closing, let me give you one personal experience to illustrate my point. One time I had a church calling that I just didn’t seem to be fit for. Well, actually, I have had many callings that fit that description, but this time I had been giving my all for several months but still felt that I wasn’t reaching those I had stewardship over, and I seriously felt that someone else could be more effective. I knelt in prayer with the intent of asking for confirmation that I should go to my leaders and recommend my release. The answer that came is sacred to me and I have not ever shared it publically before but feel that it may be a strength to someone here. The words that came clearly into my mind were, “Amy, will you do it for me?” My heart melted and I wanted like never before to do anything that was asked of me. Why? Because I realized that I was known and loved of God. I felt it through my whole body. He knew my name and was aware of my situation and even approved of it knowing that with His help I could overcome and it would be good for me to persevere. He knew precisely what would motive me and it worked. My response was immediately, “Of course I’ll do it for You. I had no idea you were so close or knew me so well or loved me so much”. I don’t know if I became more effective in my calling, (I hope so)but I did have a different attitude. More importantly this experience changed my life and my approach to my challenges.

Once again I know that I am way out of my league going to Argentina. When we went to Nauvoo, I could at least pretend that I knew what I was talking about until I actually figured it out. Now there is no pretending. How can you pretend to speak Spanish? What does help is the knowledge that there is nothing I cannot do with the Lord behind me.

One of the purposes of this life is to learn to do hard things. Exercise a little faith. Take a few steps into the unknown. Trust the Lord to come through for you and bridge the gap between what you can offer and what is needed to complete the task at hand. 

May I offer you my testimony that I hold sacred and has been verified by the Holy Ghost. I know with every fiber of my being that God lives. He loves each of you and me. He knows us. He knows our name, and is rooting for us all the time to overcome evil in the world. To do that we must learn to love, to serve, and to be obedient to His requests. I know that Christ is our Savior and the only way back to our Heavenly Father. Christ’s atonement is real and powerful enough for any who are humble followers of Christ to overcome the effects of sin—any sin. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ’s church. Christ is literally the cornerstone and it is all true. That doesn’t mean that individual members of the church are anywhere near perfect, but it does mean that the gospel principles are from God and can save us from our sins. I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is indeed a true record of an ancient people here in America. That book can bring us closer to God than any other. We have a living prophet of God and apostles today who help teach us the words of divine wisdom that can bring happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

May we all work to know and love God so that we can sit down in Heaven together.