It was on the set of a television talk show halfway around the world where Kent Derricott's mother proved more insightful than ever.

Her words came years earlier, when Derricott was stuck in a "miserable childhood," finding no success at school, sports or making friends. To make matters worse, his half-inch thick glasses were an invitation for teasing. After one particularly difficult day, Derricott came home and threw his glasses across the room.

While comforting her son, Derricott's mother emphasized three points. The first was that he was a person of value, and the second was that he would always be loved inside their home.

The third was a little more difficult to believe.

"This thing that I was hating so badly and was considering the bane of my existence, she said, 'One day it will become your very best thing,"' Derricott said.

As baffling as the statement was, those glasses helped see Derricott through and became a defining characteristic for the popular television personality and ambassador for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan.

To read more about Kent Derricott on MormonTimes.com, please click here.