Teachings of the Living Prophets Russell Marion Nelson

Born September 9, 1924 in Brigham City, Utah. Married Dantzel White in the Salt Lake Temple in 1945. 9 daughters and 1 son. Dantzel died unexpectedly on 12 February 2005. Married Wendy L. Watson on 6 April 2006. General President of the Sunday School. Sustained to Twelve and ordained an Apostle 1984 by President Spencer W. Kimball (upon the death of LeGrand Richards) Called the same day as Dallin H. Oaks

Organist BA and MD From University of Utah PHD from University of Minnesota (at age 22) Honorary degrees from BYU, USU, Snow College and three professorships from three universities in the People’s Republic of China. Served two years in the Army Performed the first successful open heart surgery in Utah (1955). Personal physician to President Spencer W. Kimball.

He had been recruited for a role in a play, and when he arrived at the theater for the first rehearsal, he heard the soprano voice of a dark-haired young woman on the stage. He stopped suddenly and asked the director, “Who is that beautiful girl singing up there?” “That’s Dantzel White.” “I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and sensed that she was the one I would marry.” Dantzel felt the same way. Three years later they were married in the Salt Lake Temple.

Dantzel’s talent is singing Dantzel’s talent is singing. Previous to their marriage, she had received a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music…but exchanged it for the privilege of marriage. She sung for a number of years with the Mormon Tabernacle choir.

“I get up before anybody else, and that gives me time for personal scripture reading, private prayer, and about a half-hour playing the hymns and Johann Sebastian Bach on the organ. By the time I leave home in the morning, my mind is filled with good things—the scriptures and fine music. This gets my day off to a good start better than any other way I’ve found.”

President Nelson is fluent in Mandarin President Nelson is fluent in Mandarin. During a Regional Representatives Seminar in 1978, President Kimball invited members to extend our own talents in whatever specialty we might have. President Nelson followed that council. He hired a tutor to teach him and his wife Mandarin while in Medical School to he could speak to Chinese people in their own languages; he also speaks French, Russian and Spanish. 

Who knows him? Met him? Associated with him?