For as many years as I can remember the question has been, "How is your father?" My response to the question most often is to detail the latest news with his health and then add, "He still works harder than anyone I know." In this often-repeated exchange I am continually reminded of three major facts about him.

First, he is a widely known and loved man. Wherever I go people tell me about encounters with him. ~ His remembering a name after years without contact, pulling on overalls to help his host milk the cows, writing individual letters to the parents of missionaries met during mission tours, giving his overcoat to someone who needed it more, and on and on ~ and they sense about him a dedication to the work of the Lord and a concern about them personally, which warms their feelings toward him and their memories of him.

Second, though he is no hypochondriac and suffers socially through it all, he has had during his amazing active life enough illnesses to make one wince simply at the listening. It is no wonder then that when someone asks about my father, it is typically to inquire about his health. However, considering his health history and his age ~ 77 ~ he is in amazingly good condition, having over a period of months since April, 1972, largely regained his strength after heart surgery so drastic as to have significant mortality rates in men his age.Third, his capacity for work is phenomenal. He works hard and effectively and with rare dedication. Since his acceptance of the call as a General Authority, he has not stinted is his labors.