My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

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Gabriel
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My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by Gabriel »

Gentle Reader,

I had hoped to post Russell’s 1979 Curriculum Vitae this week, but it is turning out to be more involved than I expected. So, for the time being, I will post the following with little comment from Yours Truly.

The following is an anecdote that was passed over by Condie and Dew in their biographies of our hero. It comes from a chapter devoted to President Kimball in Russell’s autobiography, From Heart to Heart (Quality Press, Inc: Russell M. Nelson. 1979), in the section entitled Other Experiences, 1977-78. p.183-185
”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:On September 7, 1977, I was performing open-heart surgery when I was summoned to the telephone by Brother Arthur Haycock. He said, "President Kimball has just sustained a sudden attack, and we need you to come."

"I can't come right now," I said. "I'm in the middle of an operation. I have a man's heart stopped on the table, and I can't leave. Have you called Dr. Wilkinson?"

He said, "Yes, I've called Dr. Wilkinson and he's on his way."

In a moment or two I was summoned to the phone again, this time by Dr. Wilkinson, who was at President Kimball's side. He indicated that President Kimball had become desperately ill while in a meeting with the Church Board of Education. He had become ashen and sweaty, with low blood pressure, severe nausea, and dizziness. Dr. Wilkinson was greatly concerned and was putting him in the hospital. I indicated that I would go right to his room as soon as my operation had been completed.

Later I learned from my counselor, Joe J. Christensen, who was in the Board of Education meeting at that time, that President Kimball had suddenly become so ill that he was unable to leave the meeting on his own. President Christensen, Elder Boyd K. Packer, and others had carried him from the room. Brother Christensen confided in me that he thought he would never see President Kimball alive again. He looked just that ill to him.

After my operation was over, I went immediately to room 702 at the LDS Hospital. I was still in my green operating clothes. President Kimball was barely able to acknowledge my presence. I checked him over and couldn't find any obvious cause for the illness. The laboratory work was just being ordered and no results were available as yet. So in my state of concern and perplexity I indicated to President Kimball that we did not know what the nature of his illness was, and that further time would be needed to define it.

President Kimball opened his eyes, looked up, and said, "Would you give me a blessing?"

Brother Haycock and Sister Kimball were there. My back ground was a medical one, of course. I was entrusted, at least to some degree, with the care of the prophet. I was very anxious for his welfare, and I felt confused and concerned as to why he was so ill. In that setting, as Brother Haycock anointed him and asked me to seal the anointing, I felt the power of the Lord surge through my prompting me to pronounce a blessing on his prophet that now was not the time for his life to be terminated. He was to continue to live! He would recover fully and be able to resume his duties of presiding over the church and kingdom of God upon the earth -- in fact, he would recover even before the diagnosis was made and would not miss a single appointment of significance.

We all were in tears at the culmination of that blessing. I believe I was the most shocked and amazed of all, for I knew that the words which had been pronounced were not products of my own thinking.

The following day, September 8, President Kimball began to get well, and in the afternoon Dr. Wilkinson and I met together to go over all the findings. The diagnosis was as yet incomplete, but President Kimball's recovery was complete. He was released, and on the following day he and President Tanner went to Canada to fulfill their appointment there to set apart a new temple presidency. Not one appointment of significance was missed, and he was healed before we were able to make a diagnosis. Truly I saw and felt the power of the Lord bless his prophet.

On the eve of general conference, March 29, 1978, a program honoring President Tanner was held in the Hotel Utah. My mother and father were there.

President Kimball greeted mother with a kiss and told my father and mother how grateful he, President Kimball, was for the news that they had gone through the temple. Of course, he had indicated that before, but he reiterated it on this occasion. He also indicated how grateful and pleased he was with my father's excellent service in preparing the commemorative booklet that was distributed to the guests at President Tanner's banquet.

The following day I delivered copies of a couple of my speeches to President Kimball as he had requested. While there, President Kimball asked me to take a look at a little lesion he had on his nose, which I found to be an inclusion cyst. I drained it right there in his office. I had a little blood on my fingers at the termination of that procedure, and I didn't know whether to wash it off or shellac it on. During the course of our visit he said, "I thank God every day for Dr. Nelson.” That made me feel so humble.
In 1974, Russell was unsuccessfully sued for malpractice; however, other than the following quotes, he doesn’t elaborate on the circumstances of what occurred.

From his Highlights of 1974, p. 303
”Russell M. Nelson” wrote: November 13 -- Was given a summons to be a defendant in my first lawsuit, Z.B. vs. Russell M. Nelson, for $150,000. (This suit went to court in 1977 and I won, eight votes to zero from the eight-member jury.)
From his Highlights of 1977, p. 378
”Russell M. Nelson” wrote: January 17-20 -- My first malpractice trial was held. After four days in court, the jury awarded me a unanimous decision, finding no cause for action. What a bitter experience! My hair started to turn gray during this ordeal.
Until next week,

Do zobaczenia później! Gentle Reader!

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Marcus
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by Marcus »

Thanks for doing this, Gabriel, these are fascinating. The humble-brag is strong with Nelson, isn't it?
drumdude
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by drumdude »

I'm saddened that President Kimball didn't have the faith not to be healed.

He just had regular old faith to be healed. Or is faith not to be healed just what us plebs get?
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by malkie »

The diagnosis was as yet incomplete, but President Kimball's recovery was complete.
With Pres Nelson as your physician, you can recover completely before they even fully know what is wrong with you.

If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is!!
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IHAQ
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by IHAQ »

”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:The following day I delivered copies of a couple of my speeches to President Kimball as he had requested. While there, President Kimball asked me to take a look at a little lesion he had on his nose, which I found to be an inclusion cyst. I drained it right there in his office. I had a little blood on my fingers at the termination of that procedure, and I didn't know whether to wash it off or shellac it on. During the course of our visit he said, "I thank God every day for Dr. Nelson.” That made me feel so humble.
Nelson is many things. Humble is not one of them.
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by Moksha »

”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:While there, President Kimball asked me to take a look at a little lesion he had on his nose, which I found to be an inclusion cyst. I drained it right there in his office. I had a little blood on my fingers at the termination of that procedure, and I didn't know whether to wash it off or shellac it on.
It makes perfect sense to want to preserve The Blood of the Prophets, (although polyurethane would have preserved the holy cyst blood coloration better than shellac for more precise worship).
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malkie
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by malkie »

IHAQ wrote:
Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:32 pm
”Russell M. Nelson” wrote:The following day I delivered copies of a couple of my speeches to President Kimball as he had requested. While there, President Kimball asked me to take a look at a little lesion he had on his nose, which I found to be an inclusion cyst. I drained it right there in his office. I had a little blood on my fingers at the termination of that procedure, and I didn't know whether to wash it off or shellac it on. During the course of our visit he said, "I thank God every day for Dr. Nelson.” That made me feel so humble.
Nelson is many things. Humble is not one of them.
... I didn't know whether to wash it off or shellac it on
We definitely don't think our prophets are more than men, right?

I suppose he could have shellacked it on, then cut off the finger to be preserved as a holy relic. Imagine: now it would be a twofur!
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Tom
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Re: My Weekly Russell: 13) Russell is Never Too Busy to Answer Important Phone Calls

Post by Tom »

I understand that surgeons receive calls while in operating rooms. Is it advisable to take a call while a patient's heart is stopped on the table?
“But if you are told by your leader to do a thing, do it. None of your business whether it is right or wrong.” Heber C. Kimball, 8 Nov. 1857
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