My Weekly Russell: 4) Post-Mortal Harold Pays a Couple Visits to Russell

[Gabriel]

“These two dreams were just as real as anything can be...”

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.

Last week, we were told:

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

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.

There is A LOT to unpack here, much more than meets the eye.

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!

[Dr Exiled]

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.

I love how he uses the time tested "too sacred to tell" bs to show his humble superiority here. First, he had the "privilege" of being visited by a former president's ghost, a choice experience indeed, and then during the visit, your humble servant saw marvelous, unspeakable things that only the chosen ones can see! I bet it included revealing the secret numbers and symbols in Book of Abraham Fac 2!!! I just know it! All great and superior revelations include this, and scheduling changes of course. He probably learned of the coming 3 hr block change during the heavenly manifestation. Who knows?! It could have been even greater things like what was revealed to Joseph Smith in D&C 77!!!! If only he was allowed tell us what happened!

Then, of course he is humble during the whole thing because he tells us so.

What a load of ______. No wonder my psychiatrist neighbor, who knew the man really well, couldn't stand him. I guess too much humble superiority turns some people off.

[Philo Sofee]

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.

I love how he uses the time tested "too sacred to tell" bs to show his humble superiority here. First, he had the "privilege" of being visited by a former president's ghost, a choice experience indeed, and then during the visit, your humble servant saw marvelous, unspeakable things that only the chosen ones can see! I bet it included revealing the secret numbers and symbols in Book of Abraham Fac 2!!! I just know it! All great and superior revelations include this, and scheduling changes of course. He probably learned of the coming 3 hr block change during the heavenly manifestation. Who knows?! It could have been even greater things like what was revealed to Joseph Smith in D&C 77!!!! If only he was allowed tell us what happened!

Then, of course he is humble during the whole thing because he tells us so.

What a load of ______. No wonder my psychiatrist neighbor, who knew the man really well, couldn't stand him. I guess too much humble superiority turns some people off.

Grist for the testimony mill for the little old gray haired ladies...

[Equality]

I know that pomposity is perhaps the prime characteristic of Mormon General Authorities, but has there ever been (at least over, say, the last 75 years) a GA more pompous than Rusty Donuts Nelson? His writing style is almost unbearably dickish. It just oozes self-importance. But beyond that, this particular cow patty exposes Nelson for the false prophet he is:

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.

Anyone familiar with the manifold physical ailments suffered by Lee's successor, Spencer Kimball, can immediately spot the lie here. God took Lee away so that the Lord's Prophet would not suffer miserable health challenges while saddled with the burden of leading the Lord's one true church. But then God gave Kimball a series of health challenges rivalling the biblical Job's that afflicted him the rest of his days (he literally suffered from extremely painful boils--yes, boils!).

So the Lord killed Lee "as an act of love and mercy" and then gave Kimball a slew of horrible health afflictions. Of course, Nelson didn't know when he wrote that the Lord spared Lee of health troubles as a blessing to the church that the same Lord was going to do the exact opposite to Kimball (because Nelson clearly had, and has, no prophetic vision). Mormon god really is more like Loki than Jesus, it seems. And Nelson is clueless.

And, of course, Kimball's afflictions are used by the Church to promote faith (and give guilt trips to members who might feel like complaining about their own challenges, which are but trifles compared to what the Lord saddled Kimball with):

Elder Hales referred to President Spencer W. Kimball as "being a righteous man like Job," who endured many trials – cancer of the throat, heart surgery, boils, cranial surgery, and numerous other afflictions. He said that President Kimball's experiences served "as an example of how we should meet similar adversity and suffering in our lives."

He said that President Kimball had not sinned or charged God foolishly, but had kept his integrity and his testimony, and had sung the praises of the Lord throughout his many physical trials. "We have never heard him complain about his trials," Elder Hales said. "On the contrary, his challenge has been, `Give me this mountain' to climb." (See Josh. 14:12.)

Elder Hales said that the courage and faith of President Kimball to overcome adversity are an example to all, "to testify that we, too, can meet the challenges of life. Our aches and pains are but little hurts in comparison to his. After his throat operation, President Kimball had no voice. During a testimony meeting in the temple, President David O. McKay asked him to bear his testimony. He could not speak a word. He could only utter inaudible, breathy sounds. He wrote a note to President McKay afterwards and asked, Why would you do that to me?' The president answered, Spencer, you must get your voice back, for you still have a great mission to perform.' (What a moving example of the love of one prophet for another.) President Kimball was obedient. He learned how to control air in his throat and to use the scar tissue that developed in his larynx and his remaining vocal cord. He regained his voice and carried on his great work. The accomplishment of President Kimball's prophetic mission will stand equal to any in this or any other dispensation.' "

https://www.thechurchnews.com/archives/ ... age-126957

[Tom]

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

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.

The bolded text immediately brings the priesthood/temple ban policy change to mind. I find it interesting that Nelson's dream occurred three months after the change was announced (and nearly five years after Lee's death). Were there questions floating around about whether Lee would have made that change?

Nelson mentions Lee's book, Decisions for Successful Living. That book includes a chapter on race titled "Youth of a Noble Birthright" (excerpts are posted here). I have my doubts that Lee would have made the change in 1978 if he had lived that long.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

The book is turning out to be more fictional than I’d have imagined. This dude is the Mormon Forest Gump.

- Doc