Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently sat with his youngest son in his Salt Lake City office for a podcast interview that ended with the two of them embracing.
Elder Andersen and his son, Derek Andersen, spoke candidly for more than an hour about their faith, family, and what Elder Andersen has learned in his more than 17 years as an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Derek Andersen published the conversation between himself and his father as episode 46 of his podcast, Divot, which was released on April 22 and available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Here are some highlights of their conversations as father and son.
Apostolate: “The hardest part” is also the best part
When Derek Andersen asked his father what the most difficult part of his job as a Latter-day Saint apostle was, Elder Andersen answered that it was helping those who were suffering.
“The hardest part is probably also the best part,” he said. “We really work one-on-one with people who are in need.”
Serving others in times of need is both humbling and satisfying, he added, because it allows you to see the strength, courage and faith of those you serve.
Derek Andersen also asked his father about the “commonalities” he has found among people in his time serving people in “over 50 countries” around the world.
“People are generally very nice,” Elder Andersen said. “They value their families, look out for each other, and are proactive about helping their neighbors.”
The “life choice” that every person faces is between “good and evil,” he added. “This is something that every person on earth is facing.”
Everyone carries burdens from time to time. “There are burdens that every man and woman carries in this world,” Elder Andersen said. “And carrying that burden and working through it is part of life.”
Elder Andersen later said that the French, Spanish, and Portuguese languages he learned to speak helped him connect more personally with the people he served.
Language brings people together, he said. “Language and culture are what connect people.”
Elder Andersen also testified that he has received the power of God many times in his service around the world.
“I know the Lord will rejuvenate us,” he told his son. “He gives us the strength to do it, and it’s not just our strength, it’s a strength beyond ourselves.
“The Lord will do this for many noble purposes, but in this one in particular we are talking about His Son, Jesus Christ, and our deep faith in Him.”
Faith is a choice — here’s how to rebuild your faith
Derek Andersen expressed admiration for his father’s faith, saying:
“Where does your faith come from?”
Elder Andersen responded to his son that faith is like a “spiritual muscle” that can be developed by choice.
Faith “is born from the deepest desires of our hearts,” he said. “We can be who we want to be… (and) if you want, you can grow in faith if you are willing to take a leap of faith and get down on your knees in prayer.”
Derek Andersen later asked his father what he would say to someone who feels their faith or “spiritually defining memory” is dissolving, or who never felt it in the first place.
“(To them) I say, ‘Let me help you, or let us help you,'” Elder Andersen said. “Let’s try something we’ve never done before.”
He acknowledged that praying, opening the scriptures, and associating with believers is a leap of faith and requires courage.
But “you can rebuild that faith. You can rebuild your trust in God,” he said.
“I believe it. I’ve seen it thousands of times. I’ve seen it tens of thousands of times.”
“I’m a preacher’s son.”
Elder Andersen laughed when his son Derek Andersen declared, “I’m a preacher’s son.”
The apostle then felt humbled by his son’s expression of admiration.
“Some kids don’t like hearing their dad preach,” Derek Andersen said. “But I think so. I love hearing you preach, and I always do.
“And I know what kind of life you’ve lived. … You’re the person people see.”
Elder Andersen humbly acknowledged that he was not perfect and spoke of his constant striving for humility.
“Humility is the essence of spiritual power,” Elder Andersen said.
“I pray that I will be more humble.”
Elder Andersen later shared the advice he once received from one of his mentors: “Praise destroys you.”
He said that in order to continue to grow and receive instruction in his role as an apostle, he must continue to grow in humility.
“I need to be more meek (and) I need to listen more (and) I need to talk less.”
Elder Andersen’s Call to Apostolate—and His Core Responsibilities
Elder Andersen and his son talked for some time about Elder Andersen’s service and its impact on their family.
Elder Andersen’s wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, said, “I would have been happy if I could have lived in the same house and in the same neighborhood for the rest of my life, just like my parents did.”
“It wasn’t her destiny in life,” he added. But, “she upheld these different responsibilities, supported me, supported my family, and served in a wonderful way.”
Derek Andersen then asked his father to explain how the call to the apostolate came to him and how he felt when he received it in 2009.
Elder Andersen said of the moment he was called to serve as an apostle, “I felt a very powerful spiritual feeling . . . radiate through my body.”
“Of course I started getting very emotional,” he added. But President Thomas S. Monson, then president of the Church, called him and comforted him.
The elder Andersen said that “he wrapped his arms around me, hugged me, and we sat down again” and talked about the phone call and what he thought was important. “He spoke of his love for me and how he wanted me to succeed in this mission.”
Elder Andersen then spoke about his core responsibilities over the past 17 years serving as an Apostle of Latter-day Saints.
“Above all (my responsibility) is to speak and testify about the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Savior of the world, that He is our Savior, that He rose from the dead… (and) that because of Him we will all be made alive again,” he said.
Christ’s “teachings are the essence of how we acquire happiness and how to live forever with Him.”
