• “President Gordon B. Hinckley once told me, referring to himself as well as his Brethren of the General Authorities, “We are ordinary men called to do an extraordinary work.””  INSIGHTS From a Prophets Life – Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew, Page VIII
  • “Each prophet’s mortal schooling is singular.  In studying a prophet’s life, we see how the Lord molds, prepares, and tutors a man so that at the appointed hour, he is able, worthy and ready to be His mouthpiece and to lead His people.”  INSIGHTS From a Prophets Life – Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew, Page IX
  • “Like those who have preceded him, President Russell M. Nelson is no ordinary man.  His professional accomplishments as one of the earliest pioneers of open-heart surgery are well documented.  His contributions to the Church as a General Authority and General Officer now span four decades.  His personal attributes are exemplary.  He is exceptional in so many ways.  And yet he, like King Benjamin and every other prophet who has ever lived, has felt pain, made mistakes, fallen short at times, and been called upon to do things that at the time looked impossible.  These experiences have led to one of President Nelson’s favorite phrases – that the Lord uses the unlikely to accomplish the impossible, and he has often used himself as a perfect example of that truth.”  INSIGHTS From a Prophets Life – Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew, Page IX
  • “Most important, he focused intently on the nearly seven thousand patients who would submit to his scalpel. “The duty of a doctor, primarily, is to teach,” Dr. Nelson explained. “A doctor is really functioning at his highest level when he is teaching his patient what is wrong and what can be done about it” (Condie, Russell M. Nelson) Insight’s from a Prophet’ Life, Page 60
  • “Nonetheless, as Russell’s career accelerated, he experienced firsthand that as he shared the insights and knowledge God gave him, God gave him more.” Insight’s from a Prophet’ Life, Russell M. Nelson, Page 58 
  • “Blessings depend on truth and obedience to law. Said Elder Nelson years later, “You can pray all you want, you can hope all you want, but until the law is fulfilled upon which that blessing predicated, it won’t happen.” Insight’s from a Prophet’ Life, Russell M. Nelson, Page 50
  • “In the early stages of pioneering work in open-heart surgery, Russell was drawn to three verses in the Doctrine and Covenants that seemed to have particular application for his work: “All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is a given law; and unto every law, there are certain bounds also and conditions” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:36-38). These verses combined with another clear scriptural promise from the Doctrine and Covenants inspired him- that “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicted” (Doctrine and Covenant 130:20).” Insight’s from a Prophet’ Life, Russell M. Nelson, Page 48