My Weekly Russell: 1) Spencer Casts his Prophetic Mantle upon Russell

[Gabriel]

Perhaps it even happened at a farmer's field near Delta.

From the Foreword to Russell's autobiography, From Heart to Heart, Quality Press, Inc., 1979, pp. vii-viii

This book, the engaging record of the life and experiences of Russell Marion Nelson, is a fulfillment of a great dream. In these pages he has set forth a chronicle of his noble parentage and crystallized the many experiences of himself and his adorable family. This work will bring joy and peace and happiness to its readers.
The first time I saw the Nelson family was at a stake conference meeting in 1964. Eight daughters were singing a song, accompanied by their mother, Dantzel. I was amazed and pleased, and I thought, "What a perfect family! What beautiful parents! And what delightful children to grow up in one household.” I have known them from that time forward, and now there are nine daughters and one son. Brother Nelson has always been a family man first, and now all his family unite to bring him honor.
I owe much to him as a doctor. It was in 1971 in England that I first spoke to him of my heart problems. When we returned to the United States, investigation showed that I had problems with a deteriorating valve in my heart and an obstruction in an artery. I felt my life slipping away, and I wondered if perhaps the time had come for a younger man to enter the Quorum of the Twelve and do the work I could no longer do. But at the inspired insistence of President Harold B. Lee, I was prompted to press on. Therefore, my life was placed in the hands of this young doctor, in whom we noted a sweet spirituality. Because of his skill as a surgeon--one who trusts in the power of the priesthood and relies on the Spirit of the Lord--my life was spared, even though the risks were very great for a man of my seventy-seven years.
We became close as I recovered from the open-heart surgery that he performed perfectly. Whenever I became discouraged, there was always his sweet, understanding spirit to buoy me up.
Then President Lee died in December 1973. We never thought it could happen, for he was younger than I and seemingly in good health; therefore, we were all taken by surprise. Brother Nelson, of his own accord, came to my side immediately in case he should be needed. I appreciated his thoughtfulness very much. Shortly thereafter, knowing that I would be faced with questions about my health, he wrote me a letter which read in part: "Your surgeon wants you to know that your body is strong, your heart is better than it has been for years, and that by all of our finite ability to predict, you may consider this new assignment without undue anxiety about health.”
How I appreciated that reassurance during such a difficult and trying time! And how I appreciate his continuing friendship and his faithfulness to the work of the Lord. For as in numerous other fields of endeavor, he has sought to perform faithfully the work requested of him as a member of the Church.
He has achieved excellence in his professional work, which has brought distinction to his name, both in this country and abroad. He has brought honor to the name of his parents and ancestors.
I myself knew none of my grandparents or great-grandparents and found myself wishing for more information about them. Now, here is a young man of great ability who has given his posterity just that, including a record of his lineage running back into Scandinavia and Britain through many years. Those noble ancestors endowed this special man with the strength and power of generation after generation, and the rich blood of pioneer stock.
It pleases me very much to note that he has done a superb work in assembling the information to bring this book into existence. Seldom are so many pages put together to create a life history so rich and full of experiences as this record of the life of Russell Marion Nelson. It seems to me that it has been done beautifully and without flaw. Long will his children and their posterity honor this great man, and long will they remember that he followed the precepts of his Lord through his prophets, that the total and beautiful and complete life story could be put on paper for their benefit.

Salt Lake City, Utah
March 1979

[IHAQ]

Seldom are so many pages put together to create a life history so rich and full of experiences as this record of the life of Russell Marion Nelson. It seems to me that it has been done beautifully and without flaw.

Kimball was supposed to be a Prophet, right?

[Physics Guy]

I always figured it would be hard for Mormon leaders to keep a sane self-image with all the adulation they get from underlings. I didn't realize there could be such fawning from superiors as well.

If Russell Marion Nelson thinks he's a special banana, it may not be all his own fault. The system seems rigged to make anyone come out like that.

Yikes.

[Equality]

Then President Lee died in December 1973. We never thought it could happen, for he was younger than I and seemingly in good health; therefore, we were all taken by surprise.

So much for the prophets and seers being able to see things the rest of us cannot, by virtue of them being watchmen in the watchtower and seeing the future and all that stuff. Something as consequential as Jesus' lone authorized spokesperson on earth dying of a heart attack was as much of a surprise to all the prophets and seers as it was to ordinary folk. Fancy that!

[kairos]

Wonder if Russell M. Nelson shared the aerial dive of death miracle story with SWK? If he did then Russell M. Nelson was lying to PSR
Which perhaps gives him a special place in the eternities.
Note in the text how Nelson exploited his wife and 8 daughters to get close to Kimball as he did later with the letter from Nelson that Kimball had the heart of a lion.
Reading /speculating between the lines is kinda fun!

[Equality]

I wondered if perhaps the time had come for a younger man to enter the Quorum of the Twelve and do the work I could no longer do.

This was 1971. In 1963, just 8 years earlier, Thomas Monson was brought into the Quorum of the Twelve. he was 36 years old. Why couldn't Tommy "Choo Choo Train" Monson help with the work Spencer was struggling with?

[Michael J. Lindell]

I wondered if perhaps the time had come for a younger man to enter the Quorum of the Twelve and do the work I could no longer do.

This was 1971. In 1963, just 8 years earlier, Thomas Monson was brought into the Quorum of the Twelve. he was 36 years old. Why couldn't Tommy "Choo Choo Train" Monson help with the work Spencer was struggling with?

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