An amazing man

Truman G. Madsen was one of my heroes. I was sad when I heard of his passing. I love his voice. I love the words he uses and the way his brilliant mind thinks. I feel very lucky to have known him and to have felt his influence throughout my life. He adored my mother, and because of my parents, he loved me. Truman taught my dad firsthand about Joseph Smith during his mission. He gave my dad a priesthood blessing in our living room near the end of my dad's life. It was an unforgetable spiritual day. He spoke at my dad's funeral a short time later. He and Ann continued to influence me during college and graduate school. I spent a wonderful afternoon in their living room in Provo eating lunch and asking them questions about my dad. Later, after moving to Boston, I picked them up at the airport, and drove them out to visit more friends. On another visit, I met them in Harvard Square and simply spent time with them. Being in Truman's presence (as well as in Ann's) was uplifting and peaceful. I used to run around the track at Tufts wearing headphones and listening to one of my favorite talks Truman gave (on TAPE, imagine that!) about Abrahamic Tests. I ran every morning and listened to that tape over and over and over. His voice is very comforting and he inspired me in so many ways. My heart goes out to Ann and his children for their loss of a truly amazing man.

I'm going to try to scan an old photo of me (age 1) with the Madsens at the Joseph Smith home in Pamyra, NY. It's fun to see us all so young!