President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency, in an April 1990 general conference address, told of a missionary, Thomas Michael Wilson of Lafayette, Ala., who was stricken with bone cancer. Nevertheless he continued his service
in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission. Finally, the end grew near, and Elder Wilson's family traveled to Salt Lake City to help him home to Alabama. Before returning, the Wilsons were sealed together as a family in the Jordan River Temple.President Monson related: "Pres. Kevin K. Meadows, Elder Wilson's branch president, presided at the funeral services. The words of his subsequent letter to me I share with you today: `On the day of the funeral, I took the family aside and expressed to them, President Monson, the sentiments you sent to me. I reminded them of what Elder Wilson had told you that day in the temple, that it did not matter whether he taught the gospel on this or the other side of the veil, so long as he could teach the gospel. I gave to them the inspiration you provided from the writings of President Joseph F. Smith - that Elder Wilson had completed his earthly mission and that he, as all "faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead." [D&C 138:57.T The spirit bore record that this was the case. Elder Thomas Michael Wilson was buried with his missionary name tag in place.' "
