Nick Johnson
Episode 180

Narrator: Welcome, friends, to another episode of The Story & Experience Podcast. Join your host, Japhet De Oliveira, with his guest today and discover the moments that shape us, our families, and communities.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, welcome friends to another episode of the Story & Experience Podcast. I'm here at Adventist Health Castle in Hawaii. Sitting across the table from me is a long-time friend that we have been trying to get on this podcast for a long time, so this is very, very good that it's actually happened at long last. If you're brand new to the podcast, we have 100 questions. They progressively become more vulnerable closer to 100, and they're about stories and experiences that shape this person into the leader that they are today. I'm going to begin with the first 10, and then I'm going to hand it over to them and they get to pick a number. The first one would be, could you tell us your name? Does anybody ever mispronounce it?

Nick Johnson: All right. Nicolas Johnson. I go by Nick. I get a lot of misspelling, not necessarily mispronounce. Yeah, Nick is Nick, but it's N-I-C, or with Nicolas, it's no H. N-I-C-O-L-A-S versus N-I-C-O-H-L. I don't even know how to spell it with an H. Everyone else does.

Japhet De Oliveira: Do you ever correct them or you just let it go?

Nick Johnson: No, just let it go.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, let it go.

Nick Johnson: Does not matter.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. Nick, what do you do for work?

Nick Johnson: I am the CFO of Castle here.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay. All right. You take care of money.

Nick Johnson: I do take care-

Japhet De Oliveira: What does that mean then, you're CFO for Castle? Unpack that for us. Your daily routine, your life?

Nick Johnson: Daily routine, basically the steward of our resources is the way I would put that. It sounds a lot more glamorous than it is. It is a lot of sleuthing through data, spreadsheets. But really, coming here, it's really about the partnership side and bringing a skillset to complement the operators that are already here. It's been such a fulfilling role to come out... Yes, it's very finance-focused, but it's really helping, how do I get everyone's financial acumen up so that they feel empowered to run their service line, their department? That's where I think my role... As much as, yes, it's finance, and data, and spreadsheets, and labor management, and everything that everyone thinks of when they think of the finance department, it's really how do I bring a skillset that I have to complement a skillset that they already have?

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. Now, have you been in finance all your career?

Nick Johnson: I have been in finance my whole career.

Japhet De Oliveira: Really? Okay.

Nick Johnson: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Where did you do work before?

Nick Johnson: I started my career in 2010 in the internal audit department, so very, very finance-focused.

Japhet De Oliveira: Forensic work.

Nick Johnson: Forensic work through and through. They do not teach you that stuff in school.

Japhet De Oliveira: You just have to learn it?

Nick Johnson: Well, you think you know a bank reconciliation until you have to do one in an audit, then, all of a sudden, it's like, "I didn't learn anything. I need to go back and re-educate myself."

Japhet De Oliveira: I need to get my finances…

Nick Johnson: So after that, spent some great years there in the corporate office, and then got a chance to go to Central Valley Network at the time, Hanford. Went there for director of accounting. Spent three great years there. I grew up in Bakersfield, so it's an hour and a half from family.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good, that's good.

Nick Johnson: So move out there. And then, we started the shared service journey.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's right.

Nick Johnson: We're consolidating, moving those roles to Roseville. So had a decision to make, "Do I want to stay? Do I want to go?"

Originally I chose to stay, so I moved jobs to business development, so slightly outside of finance, but still very much finance. Spent all of six months and then-

Japhet De Oliveira: Went back to-

Nick Johnson:... John Beaman finally convinced me to come up, help me go back into finance in shared services. Spent five years there before making my way back to a market and a market that I got to work at and audit. That was the-

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great.

Nick Johnson: The secret sauce of audit was we got to work with every market. We got to work with the teams. And so you develop those relationships 15 years at Adventist Health now.

Japhet De Oliveira: Wow. That's great.

Nick Johnson: I did not make a wrong decision to come out here.

Japhet De Oliveira: No, that's great. Were you born in Bakersfield?

Nick Johnson: I was born in Bakersfield.

Japhet De Oliveira: So did you grow up there as well?

Nick Johnson: Yep.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. So when you were a child, what did you imagine you would grow up... Was finance on the radar as a child, or didn't even cross your mind?

Nick Johnson: No, finance was always on the radar. Growing up as a little kid, it was, "I'm going to be a Dodger."

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really?

Nick Johnson: "I want to play baseball." Sports was everything.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, sure.

Nick Johnson: And then it was just leaning into where my strengths were or where people assume my strengths were. So you just get guided that way. I'm really big into working with my hands, construction, so I really thought that was a path at one point. I was fortunate, I worked for an electrical contractor through high school, and I think being surrounded by guys that really took an interest in saying, "Hey, you don't want to be 40 doing this. This is a young man's game. I know you're making good money now. This is the boom of-"

Japhet De Oliveira: Housing.

Nick Johnson: Dirt lots were going up 5, $10,000 a week at that point. Bakersfield was very hot at that... And I graduated high school in 2006 and everybody convinced me, "Give it a year. Go try college. You can always come back."

This is 2006, housing blows up. I'm in the right spot at the right time. And that's really the story I would say for me is just, I never had this mapped out. To this day, I don't know what I want to do. But just leaning into passion. Hey, I'm not too bad at this. I wouldn't say I'm the best CFO out there, but I really enjoy this. And so just always leaning into that. It's worked out for me ever since.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's fantastic, man. Hey, that's really good. That's really good. Now, if people were to describe your personality, Nick, would they say you are an introvert or an extrovert and would you agree?

Nick Johnson: I think it depends on how you know me. So if you know me outside of work, I'm more of an introvert, homebody. I need to be alone to recharge. And that's the way I've always looked at introvert versus extrovert. Where am I going to get my energy?

Japhet De Oliveira: Right.

Nick Johnson: But if I'm at work and you know me from work, you think I'm an extrovert and that is not intentional.

Japhet De Oliveira: Just what you do.

Nick Johnson: It is something that has surprised me over the years. And at no point did I think faith-based, nonprofit healthcare would give me the rush that it does or be so fulfilling, especially on the support side. It's not patient care. I grew up with a mom who's a nurse, so I got to see a lot of that. It was not for me. I don't do needles. Blood's fine. The needles-

Japhet De Oliveira: Too much.

Nick Johnson: Yeah, it's just too much. But I am definitely discovering that I am much more an extrovert when it comes to helping. And I think that's the difference is when I'm at work, I feel like I get to be people's partner. I get to be productive. I really like that. But if it's weekend, it is my time. It is a small group that is inside of that bubble, because I think that's where my energy comes from. I need that.

Japhet De Oliveira: Although I have heard from some of the people who work here at Adventist Health Castle that they just love how you roll up your sleeves and you get involved in things where it's not finance just like, "Let's move all this. Let's be part of this, and let's do this program." And you appear everywhere.

Nick Johnson: I have been known to get out of my swim lane.

Japhet De Oliveira: And they love it.

Nick Johnson: And I appreciate that. I think that's what has really felt like this is a place for me because not everyone's looking at me of, "Stay in your lane. You're the finance guy. Just count the beans."

I think there is a, "Hey, help me be a thought partner. How do we get through?" It's a tough industry. And I think anyone's kidding themselves if they're going to do it alone. So how do we kind of move past that? How do we work together? It's a team sport.

Japhet De Oliveira: It is. It is. That's really good. Now are you an early riser or late night owl?

Nick Johnson: Early riser. Love mornings.

Japhet De Oliveira: What's early for you?

Nick Johnson: It used to be 5:00 A.M. I like to get... I think that part of... I need some downtime with just myself, maybe the dogs, coffee. And then now, it's starting to do a quick workout session in the morning. But yeah, I don't do well after a certain point in time at night.

Japhet De Oliveira: You're going to crash.

Nick Johnson: Yeah, I'm going to crash. And it's always been that way. College, I never pulled all-nighters. If I was tired, I was done studying, I'm going to bed. I'll get up early and start studying. And the beauty is no one's in the library in the mornings.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's true. That's true. It's all yours.

Nick Johnson: It's all yours.

Japhet De Oliveira: The gyms are that way as well.

Nick Johnson: Yes.

Japhet De Oliveira: Now early this morning when you got up, first thought that went through your mind today, what was that?

Nick Johnson: This podcast.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really?

Nick Johnson: Oh, yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good.

Nick Johnson: I know you've been trying to get me on it.

Japhet De Oliveira: I have.

Nick Johnson: And I-

Japhet De Oliveira: Had lost.

Nick Johnson: ... have somewhat been dreading it only in the sense that I don't think I have that impressive of a story. I've heard a few folks and it's just like, "All right, man, my life is boring. What could possibly..."

Japhet De Oliveira: Well, it is going well so far, so let's just continue your life story through this moment, this idea. Here's a leadership question for you. Are you a backseat driver?

Nick Johnson: I would say, no. I think it sounds like everyone thinks I'm more sit in the passenger seat with them. "Where are we going? How are we going to get there?" I'm thinking of that question correctly as, no, I want to help lead and share my opinions and help remove barriers for folks. And I just don't think you can do that in the backseat.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. Hey, good stuff. Okay, so floor is yours. Where would you like to go? One number.

Nick Johnson: 40.

Japhet De Oliveira: 40. All right, here we go. Tell us about a time that you failed.

Nick Johnson: Time I failed. All right. I think a time I failed and really had to think through probably some of my first month end closes where you're trying to articulate the story. And when you're finance, you're just 1 plus 1 is 2.

Japhet De Oliveira: Sure.

Nick Johnson: So, you're just reporting news. And we talk about that all the time. And I think it hit me that what I was reporting out wasn't driving anything actionable. And I felt like I was a real young director of accounting. And I'd say this was in Hanford. "How am I helping the organization? How am I helping really teammates and folks that I felt like were partners and becoming friends. What is the story? Where do we need to go? What do we need to do?" And so locked up into, "Well, here's the math, here's what happened." And really trying to figure out... It was a reflection, "Maybe I don't understand this." And it's such a weird failure to talk about, but it was the first time where it was, "Maybe, I don't know this industry. Maybe I don't know what I'm doing. Maybe I'm not able to articulate."

I can be a good accountant, but there's a difference in being a finance leader. And I'm in a new town, it's only an hour and a half from where I grew up, but still it was new. And it was that realization that" Wow, I really don't know if this is for me." And these are four years in, so trying to figure out, "Who do I want to be? I've invested some time in this and is this something I want to continue to pursue?" And it was the first time to really reflect on, "I don't know if this is right for me." And it was deep for me.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. That's good. So if you're going to give advice, this is question 40A, to somebody brand new in finance, they just graduated, they're beginning, what tip would you give them?

Nick Johnson: Develop relationships early on.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay.

Nick Johnson: And that's where I think I would've never guessed in the academic side and the educational side as you're going through... It's a lot of accounting, tax. It's a lot of technical work. And that was intentional. That's where in my mind going to college was, "Okay, I need a foundation."

What has really changed the dynamic, and I think what has kept me in this role or wanting to continue to advance in this role is those relationships. I never would've guessed growing up who I was when I was younger would be someone that got so much joy, energy, and passion from being partners with a multitude of personalities and trying to help people who were equally as passionate in their respective areas move the needle.

And so I bring a skill set. I don't think it's that unique of a skill set, but it is something that I do feel I have to offer. And what I've enjoyed about finance, which I never would've guessed at the time, but I've come to really appreciate and would encourage anyone in finance, is you have a lot of scope. So it sounds very narrow when you're thinking, "Oh, it's month-end close, it's payroll, it's labor."

You're part of a lot of decisions. And one thing I try to balance is not making everything a finance decision. But most decisions are an economic decision. And that I think is... It's a responsibility that you're not the typical CFO. You're trying to figure out a path forward in an industry that makes that extremely difficult.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, that's true.

Nick Johnson: And that just is something that I think finance people need to be aware of themselves. "Are you more of, 'I want to just immerse myself in spreadsheets, close the door and work on numbers?'"

That's a different path than, "I want to help educate people on numbers, tell stories and be a partner."

I think those are two things that people need to figure out quickly. I think a lot of people, especially younger, and I remember being in that boat, "If only I could be in those meetings. I could sit there and I'll take notes and bring my coffee and I'll be part of the big kids table."

Japhet De Oliveira: Sure.

Nick Johnson: And as you grow into those roles, it's like, "Oh, I got to go to that meeting again? I got to sit at that table? I got to..."

No, I want to go sit bedside with nurses and figure out what are those challenges they're facing? How do I work through the layers-

Japhet De Oliveira: That's really good.

Nick Johnson: ... to see who's got a really good pulse of where we're at today? What are the challenges? How do we get past... That's the stuff that I just thoroughly enjoy. And it sounds like I have a decent reputation for rolling up my sleeves and jumping in.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, you do. So staying connected to them helps you actually understand what to do with the finances?

Nick Johnson: Absolutely.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's good. Good words. All right, that was 40 and 40A. So, where next?

Nick Johnson: 61.

Japhet De Oliveira: 61. Brilliant. All right, tell us about a time in your life that you required incredible courage?

Nick Johnson: There was a time, probably in a class trip, where you're burdened with certain knowledge or information, and you have to make a choice. Do you keep that and there may be repercussions to the broader group? Or do you do something that feels a little, I'll use snitchy, because I don't know what other word to use, but with the right intention?

Japhet De Oliveira: Sure.

Nick Johnson: And I think that was... So, there was a point where I was burdened with information and it really felt like it was dividing a group of people that I had spent most of my life growing up with. And everybody has their path as they're growing up and figuring out who they are. And I felt obligated at the time, and I think to this day I would still do what I did, but it was kind of shedding light on the situation.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, sure.

Nick Johnson: And that was hard, because people knew it was me and you're wrestling with, "Okay, I got one group..." And I know the entire group for what K through whatever.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's a long time.

Nick Johnson: And it kind of put a divide and it wasn't the same. And that was a hard piece to wrestle with. But I knew if we didn't, it was going to get worse. The divide was only going to get bigger versus nipping it in the bud. And it was just something that, to this day, it was a hard decision and it impacted well outside of that situation as we finished high school and some of that stuff. But it was an awkward space to be, and not really sure how I wanted to address it, and not wanting to blow too much up. But yeah, I'd say that was-

Japhet De Oliveira: So today with all the wisdom you have now looking back at yourself then, would you have done the exact the same thing?

Nick Johnson: Absolutely.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right.

Nick Johnson: And I say that because it was the right thing to do. And hindsight's 20/20.

Japhet De Oliveira: Sure.

Nick Johnson: Everybody's good for it. It didn't ruin lives. It wasn't that kind of situation where now people are ruined for the rest of their lives type of... But it was something that was really a defining moment where, "Okay, I've identified there's an issue here. I'm now burdened with this information, and in the interest of the broader group, I need to share it."

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes.

Nick Johnson: And it was a reflecting point. In my mind, I would be someone very hands off, do what you want to do. But you start to see what some of those ramifications are, and everybody gets through it. These aren't life and death decisions type of thing. So, no regrets.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. That's good.

Nick Johnson: But yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good, good. All right. That was 61. So where next, sir?

Nick Johnson: 73.

Japhet De Oliveira: 73, all right. Oh, share about something that you've had to unlearn in your life.

Nick Johnson: Ooh, unlearn.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah.

Nick Johnson: What in the world? That is quite the question. Something I've had to unlearn is... And I don't know if it's come from as you develop further in your career and you think title and tenure is paramount to the conversation. I think one thing I've had to unlearn is how do you bring people along? So how do you engage with folks at their level? So instead of assuming that we're all on the same page... You've been doing this longer than me, Japhet, so let me assume you know what's best for this podcast. And instead of just going along with, "Oh, you're the subject matter expert," but really trying to be a partner and sharing ideas.

So I think a lot of... And I figured this out and it took me a bit, but here at Castle, kind of stepping into the role, I felt like this executive leadership team just knew everything and I am the weak link here. And I am faking it until I make it as I'm sitting at a table with folks that just seem to know the ins and outs of not only Castle industry, and I am very much the fraud. It's only a matter of time before they figure this out. And something I've had to unlearn is that's not always the case. A lot of times everyone is sitting at that table at some point feeling that same way and really not declaring, "No, I know what's best, here's what we're going to do."

But really sharing the opinions, not being afraid to voice either confirmation or dissension. Like, "Nope, I don't agree," pushing back heavily.

I had to unlearn that because I'm used to... Before I started at Castle, I was in Roseville and everyone at Roseville, they had all the right answers. We knew what we were developing. And so, you help navigate. But coming here, it's a different island, it's a different state. I've always lived in California, so I'm treading lightly. I want to be very sensitive to the cultural dynamics and everything unique here. But I really had to unlearn that not everybody is that subject matter expert. We are all at some point in time playing that fraud, playing the weak link and hoping no one notices. And I've had to unlearn that.

Japhet De Oliveira: It's actually true. That's good wisdom for anybody who's young in the industry thinking about it the first time that even those who are seasoned are still learning. Yeah, we're always learning, right?

Nick Johnson: And I'll give credit to the team here, it was, "Hey, push. If you think something's out, I want to hear that."

And you hear people say that all the time and it's like, "Yeah, you don't mean that though. Yeah, yeah, okay."

But then, I think what's really been helpful, and I would say this about my entire career, and probably why I'm here to this day and why I want to continue to see my career here, is surrounding people who really mean it, who really mean, "Push back."

I don't have all the ideas. We all have different paths to how we got to the role we're currently in. Some of have different experiences to life in general. And so I think that vulnerability is healthy, and I think it's what keeps... When we talk about a culture that's unique here, there's a humbleness to Adventist Health that I don't see in other organizations. Granted, I've never worked at other organizations in a professional capacity-

Japhet De Oliveira: But you've talked to other people.

Nick Johnson: ... but I've talked to other people. I hear their stories. We do orientation every other week here. And I love the instances where people left and they realized grass isn't greener. There really is something unique about the people and the culture here.

Because, it's one thing to say it, and it's one thing to say it as the leadership team to new people. What else are you going to say, "It's terrible here, we're going to treat you poorly?"

No, you want to paint that positively, but it's so much more rewarding to hear it coming back of someone who maybe they left for pay or a closer commute, but it was just, "It's different there in a more negative way. I want to come back, I'm willing to add time to my commute, take less money," whatever the reason may be. But there is something unique here and I think, for the most part, you run into a lot of people who are vulnerable and curious and open to ideas. And that is just something unique and special about this place.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good, man. That's good. We actually only have time for two more numbers.

Nick Johnson: All right.

Japhet De Oliveira: Isn't it crazy? All right. So where do you want to go?

Nick Johnson: 82.

Japhet De Oliveira: 82. All right, let's go there. If you could keep only three possessions, what would they be and why?

Nick Johnson: The first two are the two dogs, so that's easy.

Japhet De Oliveira: The two dogs, they could be one.

Nick Johnson: They could be one?

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. Yeah.

Nick Johnson: I've got to keep the dogs. That's non-negotiable.

Japhet De Oliveira: I'm glad you thought of your wife, that's good. I'm teasing. Possessions.

Nick Johnson: Yeah, possessions. Come on.

Japhet De Oliveira: She's there with you.

Nick Johnson: Yeah, I don't know if there's three. I have a book I was given by my dad.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really?

Nick Johnson: Oh, the Places You'll Go, a Dr. Seuss book. And what I learned as I've grown up is that my dad is more emotional and sentimental than I ever knew as a kid. He's a construction guy through and through.

Japhet De Oliveira: But a soft heart?

Nick Johnson: Soft heart, very artistic, loves to play the guitar now, later in life. He has just got all these hobbies. But I remember him giving me that book, and it was kind of the first time of really having an adult conversation. And I think every kid goes through those developments where they're not just parents anymore, they're mentors and you can confide in them. And I feel blessed. I grew up with two parents that I could be extremely open with and share and what I refer to as, I burden them all the time with my stuff. But there is that book and that was something... Because, I really didn't know what I wanted to do in life.

Japhet De Oliveira: Interesting. Yeah.

Nick Johnson: I don't have that same passion for hobbies that I see with other folks and it's always been something jealous. And the words that he wrote down in the cover, I think really helped me accept that that was totally okay. And that is just not something-

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good, yeah.

Nick Johnson: ... when you're thinking of, "I'm graduating high school, I'm going to college..." People have this all mapped out and I am flying by the seat of my pants. "I graduate in a few months and I guess I'll go to this college, because I didn't really think I'd go at all." So, sure, first day ever going to the campus was like the Sunday before classes started. So everything's just been last minute, haphazard.

But it's been okay, and it's always just been something that... How do I just continue to have an open mind, be vulnerable that I don't know what I want to do and just follow where do passion and skillset mesh where, and it is completely selfish, I thoroughly love what I do? And as long as that is still the case, I am right where I need to be.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, that's fantastic, man. That's beautiful. Does your dad know this about the book?

Nick Johnson: Yes, I have had... And again, I think those are those things where you share. They ask, and maybe... I am not a parent myself, but I'm sure parents go through, "Did we make the right decisions? Did we raise you right?"

And a lot of it is... My sister has three kids now, and so it's a lot of reflecting back of, "Oh, man, he reminds me of you," my nephew, my oldest nephew.

And then there's those questions back and it's, "Absolutely." And you're thinking, "Why are you even questioning that?"

So you start to have that next level of conversation of, "Okay, not only do I feel this way, I'm going to tell you how I feel, and how much I've appreciated... And I'm going to continue to lean into that relationship and that conversation." And it is not anything I would've ever expected growing up that here I am 37 years later pouring a heart and soul conversation into parents.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's amazing. It's good. What a blessing, right? Yeah. That's superb. All right, so, last one. Which number?

Nick Johnson: 95.

Japhet De Oliveira: 95. All right. 95, it is. Tell us about how you see your faith and life intersecting.

Nick Johnson: That's a great one. One thing I've learned as I've gotten older is, it was hard growing up Adventist and not in the rules and regs and all the things you typically think have. I think you have a propensity to take things for granted. You know the stories inside and out. You know that God is there, and here's what the afterlife looks like. You just take it for granted. And so, in my mind, it's been hard to always have the passion that you see from those that didn't grow up with it.

Japhet De Oliveira: Sure.

Nick Johnson: And I'd always look at that typical born again who is just-

Japhet De Oliveira: On fire, yeah.

Nick Johnson: There is no doubt in their mind, they are on fire. They know what it's like to not have that. And that's always been something that I've personally struggled with is, it is so easy to take for granted, because it has always been there. There's not been a question. You're surrounded by it, friends, family. And where that intersects with life is, how do you continue to realize that it is not something to take for granted?

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes.

Nick Johnson: And faith, spirituality, what is that grounding, foundational aspect that keeps you moving forward when you're done? Like, I have just had it, but there is so much more that needs to be done from that faith and life intersect. And I think everyone has it, whether that's a religious faith or something else. Everyone is trying to fill that purposeful part of their hearts and souls. And it has always been something to remind myself it's not something to take for granted, because it is not easy. It doesn't just come to you at any time where you're always feeling fulfilled.

There are lows and there are lows. And I think that's something that I've always wrestled with, and it has only been in my later years that I'll call them, of that realization that this isn't something that needs to be taken for granted. It's something I can continue to work on and start to grow and develop. And you start to feel that second wind coming of-

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes, faith enters.

Nick Johnson: ... "Oh, okay, this is what those stories really meant. Here's the deeper meaning, and how do I carry that with me in my life?" That's been a huge awakening moment for me over the course of the last several years, just as I've gotten older and appreciated I had a really good-

Japhet De Oliveira: Good upbringing.

Nick Johnson: ... good upbringing. And I don't want to take it for granted anymore.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. Oh, Nick, it has been a privilege and pleasure.

Nick Johnson: Thank you.

Japhet De Oliveira: And I'm glad we are able to do this at long last.

Nick Johnson: Appreciate it.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. I want to encourage people to do the same thing, sit down with a friend, ask them good questions.

Nick Johnson: Absolutely.

Japhet De Oliveira: We learn about each other and actually, we are transformed by it. We are changed for it. We're changed for the better. So it's a good thing. So, God bless you and everybody else who is listening as well. Until we connect again.

Nick Johnson: Thank you.

Japhet De Oliveira: Absolutely.

Narrator: Thank you for joining us for the Story & Experience Podcast. We invite you to read, watch, and submit your story and experience at AdventisHealth.org/story. The Story & Experience Podcast was brought to you by Adventist Health through the Office of Culture.