On Friday, 10 May 1963, a baby girl was born to John Wallace and Frances Mae Harmon Brown. The parents named her Sharon Christine Brown. She would be their third child. At the time of her birth I was only four years of age. 

From the very beginning there appeared to be a very special bond between Sharon and I. As children we spent many hours playing together. And then the time came when I decided to join the military, and in March 1981 I left home having to say good-bye for a time. Even though the miles separated us physically, we still managed to stay in touch with one another. Before the days of the internet we communicated via letters and the occasional telephone calls home. As the years passed by and the internet became popular, we emailed one another on a regular basis. No matter where I was in the world Sharon would always find a way to stay in contact with me. She even had clocks set at home to the time zone that I might have been in.

Throughout the years we have shared many hours of creating special memories as we shared our hopes, our fears, and our dreams. She has always been there for me and I have always been there for her.

On Monday, 12 April 2010, Sharon was hospitalized after suffering major complications from a "routine" procedure that she was having done. Since then she has been in numerous hospitals and is now in a skilled nursing home, unable to communicate with her family, loved ones, and friends. A year has now come and gone. What follows is a letter that I recently wrote expressing my love for her - she who is not only my sister, but a true and dear friend.

Sharon, 

No brother could be more blessed than I. What have I ever done to deserve a sister as loving and as caring as you? God has truly smiled on me by bringing you into my life. From the very beginning there has always been a special bond between us - a bond that neither distance, time, or circumstances in life has ever been able to sever. 

You are the wind beneath my wings. When I am down you lift me up, always the one to turn my frowns into smiles, my tears into laughter, and my sorrows into joy. Whenever I feel that I cannot go on, you are always there encouraging me not to quit, but to push on and go just a little further. In times of distress, you are a welcomed comfort, turning my fears into bright hopes. Whenever I lose confidence in myself, you are always there ensuring me that you believe in me, and helping me to believe in myself. As long as I know that you are there cheering me on, I know that I can make it. 

Through the years we have had our differences, but I thank God that we have never allowed those differences to come between us. By the end of the day we always manage to settle our differences and move on. Neither of us know what it is to hold a grudge, but we do know how to forgive one another for any trespasses that either of us may have committed. 

You are my heart's song. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without you in it. You are truly a special daughter of our Heavenly Father, and you mean the world to me. While there are many brothers and sisters who literally despise one another, I can honestly say that one of the greatest blessing in my life is having you as my sister. 

One year ago, on Monday, 12 April 2010, you were overtaken by an illness that has left you helpless and laying silent. How I miss our telephone conversations and the sound of your voice. How I miss the fun times that we spent together. How I miss your laughter and your smile. I do not know nor fully understand why this has happened to you, but God knows. You have always been there for me, and I pray that somehow you know that I am here for you now in your hour of need. Sometimes I wish that there were more that I could do to help you, but perhaps just being there, loving you, and praying for you is all that is needed. Only the Lord knows the final outcome of all of this. All I can do is watch and pray and take life one day at a time.

I am indeed honored to say that not only are you my sister, but you have always been, and continue to be, a true and dear friend. I love you very much.

Your brother,
Keith

I do not mean to come across as being callous, cruel, or mean-spirited, but the older I get, the more discouraged and dishearten I become as I watch some of our young people - the future of our world, place themselves in a proverbial box called defeatism. Unquestionably, some of us have grown up in unfavorable conditions and in an unkind society that constantly reminds us, and in some cases has thoroughly convinced us, that our father never amounted to much, and our mother has never amounted to much, and so, as the proverbial apple never seems to fall far from the tree, we ourselves can expect to never amount to much either. The tragedy of it all is that society is not alone in painting this picture of hopelessness and despair, but that same picture hangs on the walls in our homes, as well as, in the classrooms of our schools.


I wish to send a very clear, precise, and concise message to our youth of today: the time has come for you to stop wallowing in the mud of hopelessness and slowly drowning yourselves in the sea called despair. Now is the time to break free from that proverbial box that you have found yourselves in, and from the strangling chords of the voices of naysayers who preach negativism and defeatism. Rise above your current station in life. You can if you believe that you can!

Maybe it is true that your father and mother have never done anything to make an honorable name for themselves, or have ever tried to get out of their current situations and better themselves. Maybe it is true that you were born in unfavorable and adverse conditions. Maybe it is true that all of your young life people have done nothing but knock you down and kick you while you were down. However, it does not have to stay that way. Though the night may seem dark and dreary, nighttime only last for a season and then the morning comes. And with the dawning of the morning comes a light of hope that shines bright as the noon day sun.

Now is the time for you to start realizing that you are not your father and you are not your mother. God Almighty has made each of us uniquely YOU. He has meted to you and me a measure of faith, hope, courage, talents, and abilities. It is time for you to put behind you those things that once were, and press forward to obtain those things that can, and (with faith, hope, patience, determination, and endurance) will be. Stop listening to the perpetual lies of those who do not have your best interest at heart, and start believing in yourself. You can do whatever it is you have a mind to do, and you can become whatever it is that you have a desire to become in life, but YOU have to believe that you can do it. If you cannot believe in yourselves, how can you honestly expect anyone else to?

Do not become discouraged if at first you do not succeed at doing something, but try and try again knowing that the road to success is often filled with potholes called failure. Many a success in life has been wrought through heartache and failure, so don't let that stop you. Even along the road of success will be hurdles and discouragement which you will have to get over, but don't let that stop you either. Continue to run your race with your head held high and a song of hope and gladness in your heart. You may not be the first to cross the finishing line, but then the winner of a race is not always necessarily the swiftest runner in the race, but he who runs his race well by remaining focused, staying his course, and enduring to the end.

There will be times along the way when you may become weary. Stop and rest for a little while if you must, but don't give up, give in, or quit. Remain focused on your goals and objectives. The finishing line is just in sight. You can make it. Yes you can! May God give you the hope, courage, faith, and determination to endure to the end. God bless you all!

President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
In Loving Memory Of A Prophet Of The Lord
About Me
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1 Peter 3:13-17

13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
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The Joseph Smith Papers
The Joseph Smith Papers

On February 25th, 2008, the Church announced the establishment of a new imprint for publishing works that relate to the origin and growth of the Church.

The first project by the Church Historian's Press is The Joseph Smith Papers. This comprehensive series of journals, letters, legal documents, and business papers chronicles the life of Joseph Smith. When finished, this project will include more than 30 volumes.

The first three volumes are scheduled for publication later this year and will include Joseph Smith's early journals.

In time, the published volumes are expected to be made available in their entirety through the Web site Joseph Smith Papers.
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