Hello, everyone. Welcome to Follow Him favorites. This is where John and I share a single story to go with each Come Follow Me lesson.

John, we're in the last lesson of the book of Ether, Ether 12 through 15, and I have a story for you. I think you've heard it, but for those who haven't, this is the story of all stories.

President Nelson told this story about when he was a heart surgeon, a very good heart surgeon.

He said he met with a state patriarch down in southern Utah.

The man had a heart problem.

This was 40 years ago, he says,

during the pioneering days of heart surgery, he said, this saintly soul was hurting because of

his failing heart. He pleaded for my help. He said, we did extensive evaluations and found that he had two faulty valves.

I didn't even know my heart had valves, but okay.

He said, one of these we could fix with surgery.

The other couldn't do it.

We could not fix it.

Even with surgery, he said, so I didn't advise him to have surgery, right?

Because I can only

fix half your problem. You're still going to have this problem and now you're going to be

recovering from heart surgery. He received this news. President Nelson says, of course, with great

disappointment because that means he has a shortened life. He kept coming back. Finally,

President Nelson says, in desperation, he spoke to me. Dr. Nelson,

I have prayed for help and have been directed to you. The Lord will not reveal to me how to repair

that second valve, but he can reveal it to you. Your mind is prepared. Then he said something, John, that no friend should ever say

to another friend, if you will operate on me, the Lord will tell you what to do. If someone ever says

that to you, say, I refuse. I can see a missionary companionship going, let's not go to the hospital.

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