Some of the terms that have been used—forever family, permanence, somebody to go to, connectedness, somebody unconditionally committed to you—terms that you've brought out compellingly to us today, are rather meaningful. I feel in some ways, as we're wrapping the study part up, doubly blessed.
I'm going to throw a curve at the committee here today, because the committee members probably aren't aware that I'm adopted as well. But I also have a loving biological family that I lived all my life with. When I say adopted, I mean I have a Heavenly Father who adopted me, and even when I'm away from my earthly parents through my lifetime, in other parts of the world, other parts of the country, I have been able to have that forever family that has kept me in good stead, if you will.
I say this as well—I'll take my few moments here. We have spoken here before of the faith connection. There's a lot of biblical language, if you ever care to look at it some day, with imagery around adoption. I'm a big fan of adoption for that very reason; it is the precise thing that drives me in being in support of adoption. The Heavenly Father has adopted people for thousands of years, long before.... Which came first, the chicken or the egg, the human or the heavenly adoption? I think it was the heavenly. I would say as well that because of that, I think we as a committee should be individuals who are also promoting adoption, because there's so much at the core, in terms of its principles that drive this.
That's my encouragement to you and appreciation for what you have conveyed to us today in terms of a forever family. I thank you for being here, each one.