Russell M. Nelson: Father, Surgeon, Apostle

by Spencer J. Condie

"'My son, I have been traveling together with Apostle Erastus Snow ever since I died; that is, since three days after I died; then I received my commission to preach the Gospel. You can not imagine, my son, how many spirits there are in the Spirit world that have not yet received the Gospel; but many are receiving it, and a great work is being accomplished. Many are anxiously looking forth to their friends, who are still living, to administer for them in the Temples. I have been very busy in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.'

They taught their children that all family members are "happiest while serving."

Turning this near tragedy into a profound teaching moment, Elder Nelson said, "I nearly lost my life learning a lesson that I now give to you. As we go through life, even through very rough waters, a father's instinctive impulse to cling tightly to his wife or to his children may not be the best way to accomplish his objective. Instead, if he will lovingly cling to the Savior and the iron rod of the gospel, his family will want to cling to him and to the Savior."40

Elder Nelson shared with extended family members the feelings he had while attending a recent testimony meeting with the other members of the Quorum of the Twelve: "To be taught by the Twelve is one thing, but to feel the inspiration that comes to each as he stands to speak is another. The world can never know, nor can we explain, but the faithful Saints will perceive the mutual love and the divine direction that we feel."

"Remember, my dear one, not an age in life passes without temptation, trial, or torment experienced through your physical body. But as you prayerfully develop self-mastery, desires of the flesh may be subdued. And when that has been achieved, you may have the strength to submit to your Heavenly Father, as did Jesus, who said, 'Not my will, but thine, be done '"

the family is the ideal laboratory of love for learning the godly attributes of kindness and compassion, patience and perseverance, faith and forgiveness.

but this much I know: ties between nations will become more secure working side by side in the fields of their need than they will ever be if left only to the political leaders. And the gospel will be preached only among the populous nations of the earth as they learn to trust us and to love us. Then, and only then, will our message of salvation and exaltation have appeal for them."19

"The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.

"As a special witness of Jesus Christ, I testify that He lives! I also testify that the veil of death is very thin. I know by experiences too sacred to relate that those who have gone before are not strangers to leaders of this Church. To us and to you, our loved ones may be just as close as the next room—separated only by the doors of death.

"If the Lord's servants do the best they can, then the Lord will open closed doors, but not until they have done all they can."

At the cornerstone laying of the Logan Utah Temple, President George Q. Cannon testified, "Every foundation stone that is laid for a temple, and every temple completed . . . lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of eternal Gods and those who reside in their presence."

The search for headstones of deceased ancestors is of little avail in most cemeteries throughout the British Isles and continental Europe because the incumbents of graves are generally exhumed every twenty years or so. Thus, headstones merely indicate the most recent deceased tenant of the burial plot. This long-standing custom prompted Shakespeare to write his own prescient epitaph preceding his death on April 23, 1616. On a memorial stone laid above Shakespeare's remains in the chancel of the Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon are the words: Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here. Blest be the man that spares these stones And curst be he that moves my bones. 14

To help temple presidents and matrons explain the protective importance of the sacred temple garment, Elder Nelson will place an orange in a bowl filled with water, which represents the world. With the peeling intact, the orange continually floats to the top, impervious to its potentially invasive surroundings. But when Elder Nelson removes the protective peeling, the orange immediately sinks to the bottom. A picture is worth a thousand words, and those who see this demonstration always remember it.7 In a wicked world in which people either sink or swim, God's children constantly need all of the protection available to them.

"Each individual who prayerfully studies the Book of Mormon can also receive a testimony of its divinity. In addition, this book can help with personal problems in a very real way. Do you want to get rid of a bad habit? Do you want to improve relationships in your family? Do you want to increase your spiritual capacity? Read the Book of Mormon!"

"Applying the metaphor of the mitral valve, let us depict a model of spiritual integrity. Imagine that one of those supporting cords is broken—the cord of honesty, for example. If that cord breaks, the law of sequential stress immediately imposes additional strain on the neighboring cords of chastity, virtue, benevolence, and so on. "None of us is immune to temptation, and the adversary knows it. Satan would deceive, connive, or contrive any means to deprive us of potential joy and exaltation. He knows that if one little cord of control can be snapped, others are likely to give later under increased strain. . . .

Please do not be discouraged by the Lord's expression of hope for your perfection. You should have faith to know that He would not require development beyond your capacity.

Surely the best evidence of our adoration of Jesus is our emulation of Him.