Dear Student,

     I’m the man in the back—the one writing these letters from within God’s Heavenly rehab. In my earthly life, I struggled with an opiate addiction. I maintained seven years of sobriety until the day I was introduced to kratom. That experience led me back into the dark world of Opiates—eventually into fentanyl, which took my life through an overdose.

     When I passed back through the veil into the hereafter, broken and sick, Christ greeted me with open arms. He picked me up and carried me into one of His rehabs in the spirit world—“one of the many mansions [in His] Father’s house” (John 14:2). It was there, that I had the choice to accept Him and His recovery process. When I admitted my powerlessness and recognized my need for His help—when I finally reached the point where I could “quit playing God” and surrender control to Him (Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62)—my ancestor angels began to minister to me. Alongside them were other Man-in-the-Back disciples of Christ who taught and led me through the 12-step repentance process. They showed me what it truly meant to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moroni 10:32), thus guiding me out of my weakness and into His strength.

     In God’s Rehab, I witnessed how “the dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,” as dedicated disciples of Christ and recovery coaches—the Men in the Back—labored tirelessly to bring souls to Him (D&C 138:58-59). These disciples—all of whom once struggled with addiction—accepted Christ’s invitation after passing back through the veil. There, they repented and chose to follow Him. Now, as competent Man-in-the-Back recovery coaches, they are called to minister to others and guide them toward healing and recovery in Christ’s name (D&C 138:30-31).

     As I worked on my character defects, Christ helped turn them into strengths. That’s when I stepped into the Man in the Back calling of helping others. These letters were written to teach you how to become a Man in the Back—someone who helps those suffering from addiction and leads them toward positive change. This calling is reserved for individuals with a higher purpose—a special role dedicated to guiding others out of the noise in their minds and into the charity of their hearts, where they can experience presence and hear the still, small voice coaching them toward the next right decision. God reminds us, “My grace is sufficient for all…who humble themselves before me” (Ether 12:27). It’s through this grace that we help each other, Student.

     I want to help you learn how to live in the present moment and truly enjoy life. I want to show you how your free agency has been stolen and how addiction has become the devil’s tool to block people from experiencing true freedom. Student, as you strive to live the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, you’ll discover a unique freedom and fearlessness that comes from actively exercising your free agency— choosing to compete against addiction—and inspiring others to do the same.

     I’m excited to work with you, Student. The hard times I went through gave me this understanding, and I know you’re facing your own challenges now. My hope is that you won’t have to hit rock bottom like I did. Instead, I pray you’ll find the motivation and desire to change your life today. Step into the game of life with Christ—into the present moment protection—and come to experience the highs of a simple life, where “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding”(Philippians 4:7) becomes your constant companion.

     I look forward to working with you, Student. But whatever you do, don’t just read these letters—act on them. Reading without action is pointless, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

Your true friend,

The Man in the Back