But something that we just did together and had fun doing together. . And so I think we had a lot of stuff going on on Saturdays to prepare for Sunday. In the five years since then, he has embarked on a fast-paced global ministry traveling to 35 nations, extending countless invitations, leading the Church through a global pandemic and overseeing the continuing restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So we would spend time together on a family trip. This broadcast ahead of the press conference was unprecedented and provided the new leaders an opportunity to briefly address the entire church immediately. And I think that was a blessing to have him home. In today's world, marriage and the choice to raise children require increasing faith - but the blessings, mortal and eternal, of families are well worth it. Russell M. Nelson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside was given on 6 February 2005. Haight. Nothing. She has this, this spirit of Elijah with her shes just so aware and, you know, just so focused on the temple and temple work and just such a great example. He went on to have a career as a world renowned heart surgeon, pioneering heart surgery that would actually save so many lives. Sarah Jane Weaver: It is great to have you with us today. [8][9] He had two sisters, Marjory E. (19202016) and Enid (19262019), and a brother, Robert H. (19312014). May we always honor that heritage - in every thought and deed.". Especially being at the younger end, I saw more mature father and parents than my siblings did. She, like my mother, is a very Christ-centered person. And so that was always at the top of the priority list, is to treat, not only my mother, but my sisters, and all women with respect. President Russell M. Nelson, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife Sister Wendy Nelson are interviewed in Salt Lake City on Friday May 29, 2020. https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng Russell M. Nelson delivers a message titled "Children of the Covenant." And see each other as a family be together kind of remotely. President Russell M. Nelson holds a child with his wife, Wendy, by his side in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, April 20, 2018. Church President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, pose for photographs with family members after a press conference at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Professional Life Prior to his service as head of the Church, President Nelson served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from July 15, 2015, until his call as the Church's leader. Baptism. [119] Watson, originally from Raymond, Alberta, was a professor of marriage and family therapy at BYU prior to her retirement in 2006. In the 2021 Friend to Friend event, President Russell M. Nelson gave this message to children around the world. Number two, he would look around to turn off any electrics, that were extra, you know, like the TV or more lights than he felt should be on. Sister Nelson passed away in February 2005. He also purchased one for each of his nine daughters, delivered with a note that read, With love as a potential mother.. Laurie Marsh: But Daddy still will hand-write a birthday card and mail it to every single member of the family and Christmas and wedding anniversaries. He really didnt raise his voice. I want to talk about President Nelson before he was a Church leader. I dont remember him watching TV. The meeting took place the day before the church's Rome Italy Temple was dedicated. [111], In April 2020, Nelson announced plans to build a temple in Shanghai, China. [67] In 1995, Nelson went to Beijing, along with Neal A. Maxwell and other LDS Church leaders, on an official invitation of Li Lanqing, the Vice Premier of China.[68]. And we, every one of us, has such a strong testimony, that hes here for such a time. And we had the privilege of having Wendy Watson as a neighbor before their marriage. Ordained an Apostle on 12 April 1984, Elder Nelson received his B.A. The hymn practice time in Sunday School was also renamed to worship through music. They both played the piano and the organ. He and his wife, the former Dantzel White, have ten children. And when he was teaching me how to water ski, or having very, very spiritual experiences on the mountain, when we were skiing. [114] The following year, Nelson married Wendy L. Watson (b. I just feel like, wow, he did that so well and just exemplified that. ", "Discovering a Surgical First: Russell M. Nelson and Tricuspid Valve Annuloplasty", "At U. Commencement, President Nelson and Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell give advice about adversity", "U of U Health - Celebrating 60 Years of Cardiac Surgery in Utah With Russell M. Nelson, M.D. And he said, No, I, I walked through the door and I closed it behind me. Can you share with us what you observed from that time in his life, where he leaves this career that he had prepared so much for, and turned into full-time church service? Laurie Marsh: I think for me, too, I just have, as weve gone through those times that are more difficult, Ive just held on the example of my parents. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sarah Jane Weaver: Now I heard your father once describe your home growing up. Russell M. Nelson Jr.: Yeah, its been fun to kind of contrast and compare the way his teachings and ministry happens worldwide now, to the way it was done in our home when we were young, when I was young. I once saw Russs birth announcement and it had a picture of nine girls on the front and said, Boy, oh, boy. Almost a fishy-smelling string of pearls. 1 with him, Marsh said. [39], Nelson later served for four and a half years as a regional representative. He focused on the family for sure. He is proud of who we are and who we have become and for our own accomplishments, Russell Nelson Jr. said. He encouraged them to collectively choose a period of seven days in which to abstain from the use of social media. There he built his own heart-lung bypass machine and employed it to support the first open-heart surgery in the United States west of the Mississippi River. But in a way, it was comforting, to me, to see the level of grief that he was experiencing. In April 2006, he married Wendy L. Watson. [33], Nelson was honored nationally by being elected president of the Society for Vascular Surgery for the year 1975. President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife Sister Wendy Nelson, are interviewed in Salt Lake City on Friday May 29, 2020. And she had just finished the laundry, and he was carrying the basket up with her, you know, and they sat down on the sofa to watch the BYU game. Dallin H. Oaks, then a law professor at Chicago and a fellow Latter-day Saint, actively worked to recruit Nelson. [65] While there, Nelson visited government officials, was interviewed by Yuzhnaya Stalitsa television, and dedicated that country for the preaching of the gospel. What was your house like, when you were children? [80][81][82], In August 2019, Nelson visited Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Brazil. And so all those little experiences add up to neat memories of him as a father and a teacher, but also of how Gods hand is in everything. But I know he spent a lot of time with her and with their family and tried to be supportive. Poor guy. Family bonds were also strengthened through holiday traditions and large gatherings. Gloria Irion: I think he took those, you know, those circumstances happen so seldom, that I feel like he really tried to take those opportunities to teach us and to help us focus on the eternal, like you, like you said. And I know that hes there for me, I know, even as busy as he is, right now, I know that hes either a phone call, or a text or an email away from me whenever I need him. In 2009, he, along with his wife and others, were attacked while in Mozambique. In Washington DC, he was a counselor in the bishopric of the ward Ezra Taft Benson, then an apostle, regularly attended while serving as Secretary of Agriculture to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Nelson was set apart as the quorum president on July 15, 2015, by Thomas S. Petersen. Gloria Irion: As a father, hes very loving, and, well, as the prophet to youve seen, just very loving, very, Christlike love for everyone. Its a boy! And, you know, Ive also heard your father joke that, you know, you were probably three before you knew who your mother was, because there was just so much love and affection in that home. The children learned from their father about keeping an eternal perspective when dealing with the loss of their mother Dantzel Nelsondied Feb. 12, 2005 and two sisters. We still have our family newsletter that everybody contributes once a month a little article. [105] His travels have been punctuated by several temple dedications, most notably the Rome Italy Temple in March 2019, which was attended by all current members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Russell M. Nelson Jr.: And so, there was a time I wanted to be a doctor and I think he was kind of proud of that. Neither Nelson nor the Church is. Shes precious, and an angel mother, as he called her. He set a great example of studying and doing well in school, but we never felt that it was tied to their feelings for us.. We just need to be a child of God and we all are. She kind of validates our testimony of his being the prophet called for this time, you know. Nelson and Oaks filled the vacancies in the Quorum created by the deaths of LeGrand Richards and Mark E. He said, I never left them. And, and then you look back. And he would take us to church. They went because they were invited, Marsh said. [38][39] He later served as a stake president in Salt Lake City from 1964 to 1971, with fellow future apostle Joseph B. Wirthlin serving as his second counselor. Hes going to be fine. What we need to do is focus on our little ones and continue to teach them and bring them up. But yeah, he would take us places. He said, Well, its like being a father. [15][16] While at the University of Utah, he was a member of the Beta Epsilon chapter of Sigma Chi and Owl and Key. And shes always a cheerleader for Daddy in front of us, for sure. President Russell M. Nelson sits down with a puzzle in his spare time. Gloria Irion: He modeled so well how we are supposed to treat her, because of the way he treated her. In timing with this milestone, three of President Nelsons 10 children Irion, Marsh and son Russell Nelson Jr. recently discussed with the Church News growing up in the Nelson home and his role as a father. And he just said, Wow, my pre-med studies are pretty rigorous. Russel said theyd each had their roles and cooking wasnt one of his. He honored us as women as well as potential mothers.. [73], The first trip, called a global ministry tour by the church, occurred in April 2018, when Nelson along with his wife, and Jeffrey R. Holland and his wife, met with Latter-day Saints in London, England; Jerusalem; Nairobi, Kenya; Harare, Zimbabwe; Bengaluru, India; Bangkok, Thailand; Hong Kong; and Laie, Hawaii. In 1960, he performed one of the first-ever repairs of tricuspid valve regurgitation. The way he is leading the Church is exactly an example of the way we were raised, a daughter said. [110] This was the first time all ordained apostles of the church had been gathered in one location outside the United States. I don't know how long Wendy has been sick, but because . To not join in meant missing out on something fun. The tender memory of President Russell M. Nelson as a young father is also reflective of how he has led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Laurie Marsh, another daughter. [24], In 2015, the University of Utah, along with the American College of Cardiology, created the Russell M. Nelson MD, PhD Visiting Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery. And I think I have learned from my own, personal experiences, that God calls prophets to lead and guide us while were on this earth. Russell M. Nelson was born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Floss Edna (ne Anderson; 18931983) and Marion Clavar Nelson (18971990). Not because hes a know-it-all, but because he legitimately has a thirst for knowledge and learning.. Can you talk a little bit about those times when the focus of your family had to be eternal? Wendy Nelson Maxfield, daughter of Russell M. Nelson, died Friday afternoon, January 11, 2019 at her home after "a courageous and faith-filled battle with cancer." . President Russell M. Nelson, second from right, skiing with three daughters and a son-in-law, prior to becoming President of the Church. There was a high expectation that we would be an eternal family, and we were going to be working together to see how we could accomplish that goal.. I remember years back, I had the opportunity to be with some of the other members of the Quorum of the Twelve. Laurie Marsh: Thank you. Sarah Jane Weaver: And since were on the topic, Im interested in knowing how your father treated your mother. And a husband and a wife work together in a family. I mean, I can remember having so many fun experiences. I feel like we were so secure because we knew they were secure. He took the lens out of the fishs eye out and said, Look, this is the lens and held it up over a newspaper that was right nearby and showed how it kind of magnified the print on the newspaper. And it was a Saturday night when Mother passed. and M.D. And hes more personable. Gloria Irion: I remember him coming over, we would have him over for a meal or something after mother had passed away. What have you observed from their relationship? Gloria Irion: Yes, I think thats very well said. Twelve Smiley Stickers . And just to reinforce Glorias thought about, what a great example of someone who gets up every day and learns something new every day, and Ive quite often use that, just think, OK, this is an opportunity to learn and to grow, rather than going, Oh, I cant do it again. You know, its just an opportunity to learn more and serve more. But we have a tradition at the Churchs podcast and that is we always end with the same question. President Russell M. Nelson and his wife Wendy Watson Nelson with family. You probably came into a little more chaotic home than, than the average son. Gloria Irion: I think its kind of fun for people to get to see him in the light other than just twice a year at the podium, you know. In Massachusetts, Nelson was the secretary for the adult Aaronic priesthood organization in his Boston-area branch. So for me, its not been anything different. There was no question he was the head of the home. Russell M. Nelson Jr.: He, a lot of times, even as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve has a lot of travel and a lot of comings and goings, and a question he would get asked a lot is, How do you deal with jet lag? And he would just say, I dont have time to deal with it. And Its been interesting, as you know, Ive been a parent now for a little over 25 years, how I look back now, in retrospect, how easy he made everything look. Russell M. Nelson Jr.: I remember the night when our mom passed away. But he would also buy us daughters a corsage with a note with love as a potential mother. And Wendy said, After these world tours, my husband comes home and hits the ground running and I just hit the ground. Ive never seen him with jet lag. And so after they were married, they lived in her home for a little bit. "[94][95][96], In the October 2018 general conference, Nelson adjusted the balance between a home-centered, church-supported form of worship. And so that way we can kind of keep up on what hes doing and he can read what were doing. This was highlighted by shortening the length of Sunday church meetings to 2-hours from the previous 3-hours. "[112][113] The Bureau added that the church's plans were "wishful thinking, not based in reality. You just dont hear him say that. It was our privilege as apostles to sustain what had been revealed to President Monson. And, more importantly, to underscore the Lords hand and Gods creations and how divinely created all of this is and all of our bodies, how they are so intricately designed by our Heavenly Father, that theres no other way we could have come to be had it not been for the divine hand of the Creator. [90] That same weekend Nelson gave a devotional to LDS youth in which he urged them to more fully commit to the church. leading the Church through a global pandemic, President Russell M. Nelsons prophetic ministry: 5 years of historic leadership, revelation and invitations, What 3 of President Russell M. Nelsons children have learned from him as a father, 15 experiences of people who followed President Nelsons invitations, including focusing on the temple, taking charge of testimony, Invitations President Nelson has given since he became Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson offers 3 deep sea fishing lessons to help improve lives in 2023, Sarah Jane Weaver: Why President Nelsons 5-year ministry is not so different from playing Scrabble, President Nelsons family gathered virtually to celebrate his birthday and hear his hopes for them, The 2 things President Nelson wants his family to know this Christmas, President Nelson is now a great-great grandfather, Calling every temple a symbol of Jesus Christ, President Nelson rededicates the Washington D.C. Temple, Episode 67: Sister Nelson on being an eyewitness to President Nelsons four years as Prophet, Episode 12: Sister Wendy Nelson joins Sister Sheri Dew to talk about President Nelsons 3 years as Prophet, Episode 47: In honor of President Nelsons 97th birthday, Sheri Dew and Michael Colemere share insights and lessons learned from the Prophet. [120], In June 2018, the University of Utah endowed a chair in cardiothoracic surgery named after Nelson and his first wife, Dantzel. [70] Nelson chose not to retain Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who had served as Monson's Second Counselor, in the new First Presidency. Gloria Irion: We would go on dates. But no, its been an honor. Watch this video that celebrates his love of children By Lindsey Williams December 22, 2020 04:57 PM MST In September, Church News shared what President Russell M. Nelson taught his 57 grandchildren and 140 great-grandchildren as part of his birthday celebration. It was part of how they met, too, that musical up at the U. But yeah, music was something we love to do together. [30], In 1965, the University of Chicago offered Nelson the position as head of their department of thoracic surgery. Laurie Marsh: You know, nothing that my dad does surprises me, nothing. I feel like there was a high level of love in our home. Elder Nelson's previous marriage was to Dantzel White Nelson, who died 12 February 2005. He knew decades before I did that there was such a thing as airdropping photos, Irion said of her 98-year-old father. He made everything look easy. She was 78 at the time of her sudden death. Faust. Nelson signed 1,150 mission calls as the presiding apostle. While in Rome, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles took the first apostolic group photo in two decades. When we were younger, jumping from bed to bed, we had one bedroom that had five kids sleeping in, and it was right directly under their bedroom. And we just enlarge our circle of love and embrace them. So I didnt have a real close view of it, but I do remember asking him the same thing. Sarah Jane Weaver: And I want to talk about, you know, you had this very tight-knit family that enjoyed being together and cherished the connections you had with each other.
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