My Weekly Russell: 4) Post-Mortal Harold Pays a Couple Visits to Russell
Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:54 pm
In last week’s episode of My Weekly Russell we learned that in 1974, Russell was asked to accompany the ailing President Hugh B. Brown during the dedication of the Washington, D.C. Temple, and that after what must have been a grueling event, the Nelsons, the Browns, and the Madsens all flew down to the Virgin Islands for some much needed R & R aboard the Sailboat Sealestial.”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:“These two dreams were just as real as anything can be...”
Last week, we were told:
”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:On the morning of the temple dedication, President Brown greeted me with the news that he had been visited during the night by President Harold B. Lee (President Lee had died the year before). He described it as a glorious visit, one that meant much to him, for President Lee had been aware of some of the difficulties encountered by President Brown in the decisions that led to the construction of the temple in Washington, D.C.
Later that morning, as we took President Brown to breakfast, Sister Harold B. (Freda Joan) Lee approached us. As we exchanged greetings, President Brown said to her, "I had a glorious visit with Harold last night. He is just fine. It was so good to visit with him.”
Now, let's go to Russell's visits from Harold:
From Russell’s autobiography, From Heart to Heart. Quality Press, Inc: Russell M. Nelson. 1979, pp. 159-160
There is A LOT to unpack here, much more than meets the eye.”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:On Friday, December 23, 1973, I took Dr. Anne G. Osborn in to meet President Lee, she having been newly appointed to the general board of the Sunday School. I wanted the two of them to know one another. Graciously, he reached for two copies of his new book, Decisions for Successful Living. He personally inscribed a copy to Sister Osborn, and then he inscribed a copy to me for my family. What a thoughtful and generous thing for him to do. I suppose those were two of the very last books he inscribed and gave away, for his death came suddenly three days later on December 26, 1973.
I learned about his passing while I was home playing games with the children, still full of the festive spirit remaining from Christmas the day before. The announcement came on the television that President Harold B. Lee had suddenly become stricken and had died at the LDS Hospital. Shocked and struck with grief, I had an overpowering urge to leave home and go at once to the LDS Hospital. As I rushed there to the side of President Kimball, I quietly mourned for the loss of this giant in the kingdom, my beloved and esteemed friend, President Harold B. Lee.
Since the passing of President Lee, I have had two very special dreams involving him. The first was in April of 1975. The substance of that message is too sacred to mention here, but it was a very reassuring and humbling experience.
The second occurred on September 16, 1978. In the dream there were two vivid messages: first, that if President Lee had gone on living, a very severe affliction would have developed in his body if allowed to progress, would have given him great pain, suffering, and incapacity. The medical details of this were dreadful and distressing. He said his sudden death in December 1973 was brought about as an act of love and mercy, for the Lord wished to spare him and the Church the misery that otherwise would have ensued. His second message was that the revelations received and the actions subsequently taken by President Kimball were the very same as would have been received and performed by President Lee had he remained as the prophet. President Lee exclaimed that the Lord gives His will to His living prophet regardless of who the prophet is at the time, for the Lord indeed is directing His Church.
These two dreams were just as real as anything can be, and I cherish the privilege of these relationships with President Lee, extending as they do beyond this mortal sphere.
The light bulbs went off while I was perusing Spencer J. Candie’s Russell M. Nelson: Father, Surgeon, Apostle and Sheri Dew’s Insights From A Prophet’s Life and discovered something quite staggering by its very omission from their narratives.
As a teaser--
When Russell was being interviewed by The Brethren as a potential candidate to succeed Ernest L. Wilkinson as President of BYU he was asked a very interesting question, a question which I believe bears some relation to the above account of his Harold dreams.
For the time being, however, I need to study up to see if I can divine the meaning of Pharoah’s dream of the Seven Fat Cows. If successful, I may come back for a future episode of My Weekly Russell.
Watch "Song of the King - 1999 Film | Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/ToMHmDaPumc
Do zobaczenia!