Primary General President Camille N. Johnson spoke during the Sunday morning session of October 2021 general conference. She asked listeners to ponder on the kind of personal narrative they are writing for their life. The following is a summary of what she taught.
Notable quotes from President Johnson
“I testify that the Savior is ‘the author and finisher of our faith.’ Will you invite Him to be the author and finisher of your story?”
“Jesus Christ stands ready to use us as divine instruments, sharpened pencils in His hand, to write a masterpiece.”
“It is through the manifestations of the Spirit that we will feel the Master’s hand, writing our stories with us.”
Summary of President Johnson’s talk
Although it is generally unwise for a trial lawyer to ask a witness a question the lawyer doesn’t know the answer to, the opposite is true for God’s children. The witness who answers questions of God is the Holy Ghost, who testifies of truth.
Perhaps the natural man or woman is resistant to ask a question of God and trust Him entirely, instead choosing to stick with the narrative they have written for themselves — “a comfortable version of our story unedited by the Master Author.”
David defeated Goliath by mustering the courage to let God prevail and write his story. As Esther exercised faith to save her people, she, too, was willing to let God write her story.
In April, President Russell M. Nelson asked all to consider what they would do with more faith in Jesus Christ. “Why do we want the Savior to be the author and finisher of our stories? Because He knows our potential perfectly. He will take us to places we never imagined ourselves. … The things we will achieve as we act with more faith will increase our faith in Jesus Christ.”
“Will you let God be the author and finisher of your story?”
About President Johnson
- President Camille N. Johnson was sustained as Primary general president on April 3, 2021.
- She has worked as a lawyer for more than 30 years at the Snow, Christensen & Martineau law firm, where she recently served as firm president.
- She and her husband, Brother Douglas R. Johnson, presided over the Perú Arequipa Mission from 2016 to 2019.
President Johnson in the news
- President Johnson and Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham met virtually with Latter-day Saints from 11 countries in Asia Sept. 4-12.
- As part of a Church News series on councils, President Johnson shared what it’s like to participate in Church executive councils as a woman.
- During BYU Women’s Conference on April 29, President Johnson spoke about perfection and encouraged women to “keep practicing.”
President Johnson’s recent social posts
- On Sept. 26 President Johnson posted on Facebook about her recent visit with President Bingham to Nauvoo, Illinois, and her ancestors who lived there. “Think of your family’s legacy,” she wrote. “For me, it ties back to Nauvoo, but for you, it may look totally different. Imagine 100 years from now, what will your posterity say of you?”
- In a Sept. 14 Instagram post, President Johnson wrote about participating in the Pocatello Idaho Temple open house and media day. She celebrated the contributions of children and youth who cleared sagebrush before the temple groundbreaking and then planted more than 25,000 plants before the open house.
- President Johnson shared a Facebook post on Aug. 6 about speaking at the Provo MTC. In the decade 2009 to 2019, every member of her immediate family served as a missionary.
