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3 NEPHI 16, 20, 21

INTRODUCTION: On Sunday, March 18, 1958, my father ordained me a Deacon. I received a letter from him that morning, and I kept it for many years. The paper itself has now disappeared, but the memory lingers. Among other things, somehow it was communicated to me that I would be authorized to act in the name of and in the place of God.

The following is an excerpt from A Prophet's Voice: Messages from Thomas S. Monson.

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I often hear that single people want to be married and married people want to be single. Life seems so much easier on the other side of the fence. We often only see the other sides’ finished product or the public appearance, not what really goes on behind the scenes.

3 Nephi 16, 20-21

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When Captain Chris R. Stricklin got up the morning of September 14, 2003, ejecting from his airplane was the furthest thing from his mind. The sky over Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho was royal blue, without even a wisp of a cloud—a perfect day for an airshow. His aircraft, the F-16 Fighting Falcon sat fueled, polished, and ready to fly. He was a member of the elite United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron—the Thunderbirds—and he was about to give the gathering crowd a show they would never forget.

As I listened to the women’s session of the October 2019 general conference, my focus was on a number of things. The talks were inspiring. I was looking forward to the additional information and changes to the Young Women program that had been promised in the previous session. My thoughts drifted from one to the other. Then my mind snapped to attention: Did Sister Aburto just say her father committed suicide? I listened intently to confirm that what I thought I heard was accurate. Indeed, it was true. Quite frankly, it was a bit of a shock. In over 40 years of general conference sessions I’d listened to, I cannot ever recall a brother or sister sharing something so intensely personal from that pulpit. I pondered, what are people going to think? Perhaps there would be some Church members that would think Sister Aburto had overshared, or that general conference might not be the best venue for such a personal experience. My thoughts were, Thank goodness; it’s about time.