Written by Carter. Faye and I attended a 3-day ward Relief Society camp at Camp Tuhikaramea, adjacent to the Hamilton Temple grounds. It is a beautiful, spacious area owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and managed by a volunteer senior missionary couple who have served there for 4 years now. We stayed in cabins and had some very fun activities: a sunrise testimony meeting overlooking the temple; an obstacle course; amazing food prepared by men from the ward; the new Mulan movie; sitting around a firepit to warm up in the cool night air; stopping at Pokeno on the way home for ice cream — the latter apparently a tradition for trips to the temple for many years. The first night, everyone took turns singing karaoke. Grandma Amy would’ve been proud as I sang Mac Davis’s song (with minor editing), It’s Hard to Be Humble! The most impressive activity was a water slide that is built on the side of a hill: water is sprayed on a tarp that lines the bottom and sides of a half-pipe-shaped ditch in the ground and then slicked with liquid detergent. There’s even a curve in the track, with the further edge banked up to help keep sliders on the track. However, many of the sisters were going so fast that they went over the bank and landed in the grass on the other side! Then they got back up laughing — and many did it again and again! These sisters know how to have fun! One of my purposes for being at the camp was in case someone needed medical attention; with some of those landings, I thought my assistance might be necessary…but fortunately, everyone came out without major injury. These ladies are also tough!

Yesterday, we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with the other senior missionaries…and some other people in the area who are from the US. The food was delicious! I also had a wonderful time getting to know several of the other attendees better. We went around the table expressing what we were grateful for. One of the senior missionaries said this: “The social aspect of a senior mission is well-kept secret!” I agree! We have made some dear friends on our missions!

Last week, I met one of the first converts to the Church in the South Pacific island country of Niue (pronounced “new-way”). He’s in his seventies. His daughter-in-law is going to loan me a history of his conversion story. I love stories of the Church’s pioneers in any location and era. They help blaze the way for the rest of us to follow. I’m grateful for their sacrifices in the face of sometimes-overwhelming opposition.

I’m listening to the recordings from a recent webinar sponsored by the Arizona Suicide Prevention Coalition’s “Hope Conference.” One of the speakers entitled his remarks, “Remember the Dash.” On most grave headstones, there is a birth date, then a “dash,” followed by the death date. His point was to focus on the person’s life — and not on the manner of their death. That was a good reminder for me.

Every week, I fall in love with a new general conference talk. This week, it was Elder Rasband’s talk, “Recommended to the Lord.” I am grateful for a living prophet, who encourages us to prepare for and live worthy of a temple recommend. In my experience, doing so has been a great protection and strength. After Ashton’s suicide, the temple was one of the few places I could find peace. I’m also grateful for my parents’ examples of maintaining a current temple recommend. Dad loved to deer hunt, so always made sure he had a current hunting license in his wallet. Only half-joking, he sometimes said, “My temple recommend is so important that I keep it in my wallet — right next to my hunting license!” Those who knew Dad also know how important that temple recommend must have been to him!

I solemnly testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. When He lived on the earth as a mortal Being, He restored and taught the same gospel that had been taught to prophets before Him. He performed many miracles. He called Apostles and gave them priesthood authority to preach the gospel and perform saving ordinances such as baptism. He established His Church. After His crucifixion, His Apostles were rejected and killed. Without Divine Leadership and revelation through a prophet, the people collectively fell (and individually fall today) into spiritual darkness, or apostasy. With the death of Christ’s ancient Apostles, His priesthood authority was taken from the earth for a period. This is known as the “Great Apostasy,” which was foretold by ancient prophets and apostles. (Stay tuned next week for some “good news” in this ongoing story of God and His people!)

With love, I humbly invite all to choose to stay by God’s “Tree of Life.”