Welcome.

I just really loved the 100^th Birthday Commemoration honoring President R. Nelson, 17^th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It made for a very fun watch. Selected speakers were perfect picks, highlighting both his professional influence as a doctor and world religious leader and his most important roles as husband, father, and prophet.

President Nelson was just faultlessly poised as he listened to the evening’s program. He seemed deeply touched by all the kind tributes (he is so deserving), and I was deeply moved to see him rise to greet and no doubt thank each performing and participating person after he/she finished delivering his/her part of the program. For a 100-year-old bodily frame (even in as good as shape as President Nelson’s is!), that could not have been an easy thing for him to do, especially given his semi-recent back injury from a fall.

But easy is not the kind of life this prophet has allowed himself to live. Besides being incredibly accomplished (who knew he had a grasp on 17 languages!) professionally and personally, he has been, as many testified, an absolute God-send at home and to family.

Not a single skeleton in his closet.

Not even a hint of one.

No where close.

I was, I think, most struck by a telling sentence from Reverend Dr. Amos Brown’s tribute. Speaking of President Nelson, whom he called ‘his brother from another mother,’ Brown said this of President Nelson:

“…He has justified his existence in this world. He did not just exist…”

I instantly recognized what a compliment Brown had given President Nelson! I replayed that comment, jotted it down, and have been, for some days now, pondering it.

“He has justified his existence…”

Could that be fairly and squarely said of me?

Of you?

I love that Brown chose the word “justified.” Interesting word choice here, but I believe he intentionally picked it for a very powerful reason.

In our day, Merriam Webster defines justify this way:

• “to prove to show to be just, right, or reasonable”
• “to show to have had a sufficient legal reason”
• “to qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to ownership of sufficient property (See Merriam Webster online definition of “justify”.)

President Nelson’s life is the culmination of years upon years upon years of proof to both God and man of what is really inside his heart. Has anyone so diligently taken ownership of his personal temple as has this man?

President Nelson has existed in the sense that he has partaken of life; he has lived. He has, however, gone way beyond simply living. His life has been one of continually contributing, always striving, becoming in the doing, spiraling up and up and up until he is so close to the perfect man.

What a man.

What a prophet!

Indeed, “we thank Thee, O God, for [our] prophet!” (LDS Hymn, We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet)

Unto all the world: Am I justifying my existence or am I simply existing?