Nelson's Other Brush with Death on the Colorado River

[Gabriel]

From Hope in Our Hearts by Russell M. Nelson, 2009, Chapter 2, Set in Order Thy House (pp 10-11)

Years ago when Sister Nelson and I had several teenage daughters, we took our family on a vacation far away from telephones and boyfriends. We went on a raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. As we started our journey, we had no idea how dangerous this trip could be.

The first day was beautiful. But on the second day, when we approached the Horn Creek Rapids and saw a precipitous drop ahead, I was terrified. Floating on a rubber raft, our precious family was about to plunge over a waterfall! Instinctively I put one arm around my wife and the other around our youngest daughter. To protect them, I tried to hold them close to me. But as we reached the precipice, the bended raft became a giant sling and shot me in the air. I landed into the roiling rapids of the river. I had a hard time coming up. Each time I tried to find air, I hit the underside of the raft. My family couldn't see me, but I could hear them shouting, "Daddy! Where's Daddy?"

I finally found the side of the raft and rose to the surface. The family pulled my nearly drowned body out of the water. We were thankful to be safely reunited.

The next several days were pleasant and delightful. Then came the last day, when we were to go over Lava Falls, known as the most dangerous drop in the journey. When I saw what was ahead, I immediately asked to beach the raft and hold an emergency family council, knowing that if we were to survive this experience, we needed to plan carefully. I reasoned with our family: "No matter what happens, the rubber raft will remain on top of the water. If we cling with all our might to ropes secured to the raft, we can make it. Even if the raft should capsize, we will be all right if we hang tightly to the ropes."

I turned to our little seven-year-old daughter and said, "All of the others will cling to a rope. But you will need to hold on to your daddy. Sit behind me. Put your arms around me, and hold me tightly while I hold the rope."

That we did. We crossed those steep, rough rapids -- hanging on for dear life -- and all of us made it safely.

The Lesson

Brothers and Sisters, 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 and 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.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

the bended raft became a giant sling and shot me in the air. I landed into the roiling rapids of the river. I had a hard time coming up. Each time I tried to find air, I hit the underside of the raft. My family couldn't see me, but I could hear them shouting ...

I finally found the side of the raft and rose to the surface. The family pulled my nearly drowned body out of the water.

That’s uncanny. I had the exact same experience on the Snake river, that I’ve posted online over the years. I wonder if his speech writers troll online forums for material?

- Doc

[Dr Exiled]

Seems like he is exaggerating a bit and I love how he infantalized the story by saying his kids shouted about finding "daddy." People get thrown from rafts all the time on these trips and death and serious injury is extremely rare. Maybe the current leader needed to be a little tougher and less panicky in that situation? Maybe the lesson should be to keep your cool and not panic? Also, I don't know how clinging to Jesus would have prevented Nelson from being thrown overboard.

And why was he near the waters that Satan controls in the first place? And he exposed his family to these dangers! Maybe the lesson is to follow the D&C and not give Satan a chance at one of the future anointed ones? I wonder if Satan was laughing while Nelson was in the water? Satan is known to do that.

[consiglieri]

Apparently portage was not an option.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Seems like he is exaggerating a bit and I love how he infantalized the story by saying his kids shouted about finding "daddy." People get thrown from rafts all the time on these trips and death and serious injury is extremely rare. Maybe the current leader needed to be a little tougher and less panicky in that situation? Maybe the lesson should be to keep your cool and not panic? Also, I don't know how clinging to Jesus would have prevented Nelson from being thrown overboard.

And why was he near the waters that Satan controls in the first place? And he exposed his family to these dangers! Maybe the lesson is to follow the D&C and not give Satan a chance at one of the future anointed ones? I wonder if Satan was laughing while Nelson was in the water? Satan is known to do that.

Dontcha know? Russell M. Nelson is a



- Doc

[Chap]

Some peoples' notions of a fun time with the family seem to me frankly bizarre.

I don't give a damn about Nelson, but what kind of parent takes a seven year old child out on a raft in such condition?

Well, I suppose spending mortality as a Mormon must be a rather dull business. So a little life-threatening fun with the possibility of exaltation if things don't work out probably sounds like an attractive deal.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

[Gadianton]

I had the exact same experience on the Snake river

Anybody involved in the scouting program back in the day has nearly drowned at least once on the Snake River. As Chap said, it's really odd that he'd take a child on that run. As scouts it makes sense as thrill seeking, the whole point of the run is the rapids and there are some good ones.

In reality, if Rusty had a life jacket, he didn't nearly lose his life. It's also my belief that when he initially grabbed hold of his wife and child, he was clinging to the most secure things he could find, in order to save his own skin.

This narrative is really awkward because the trip was for thrills with full knowledge of the risks, and so you can't feign shock and score any sympathy. It's not like being in a plane on a routine flight and nearly going down. If they had to take the raft in the middle of the night to escape anti-Mormon persecution then it's a better story.

I was terrified

Like the woman across the way on his flight that nearly went down? He wasn't secure in his faith?

The family pulled my nearly drowned body out of the water

doubtful. a lot of wet weight over the side of a very unstable object.

[Fence Sitter]

the bended raft became a giant sling and shot me in the air. I landed into the roiling rapids of the river. I had a hard time coming up. Each time I tried to find air, I hit the underside of the raft. My family couldn't see me, but I could hear them shouting ...

I finally found the side of the raft and rose to the surface. The family pulled my nearly drowned body out of the water.

That’s uncanny. I had the exact same experience on the Snake river, that I’ve posted online over the years. I wonder if his speech writers troll online forums for material?

- Doc

I worked a summer on the Snake River as a guide on river raft trips. The description above is common, especially the "bended raft" portion.

[huckelberry]

Anybody involved in the scouting program back in the day has nearly drowned at least once on the Snake River. As Chap said, it's really odd that he'd take a child on that run. As scouts it makes sense as thrill seeking, the whole point of the run is the rapids and there are some good ones.

In reality, if Rusty had a life jacket, he didn't nearly lose his life. It's also my belief that when he initially grabbed hold of his wife and child, he was clinging to the most secure things he could find, in order to save his own skin.

His sudden disappearance makes an amusing story image.

I am puzzled about all these Mormon scouts heading down Hells canyon. I was living in the region but rafting was never considered by scout groups in my area. It seems a bit out of the way for most Mormon groups.(?) I felt a twinge of jealousy about your rafting trips. I did once hike some ten miles through seven devils mountains to gaze down into the canyon from that higher east side.