This week on social media, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles honored the life of the late President Russell M. Nelson by recounting personal experiences they shared with the Prophet. They invited everyone to continue to follow his teachings and example.
President Dallin H. Oaks, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reflected on the last time he saw President Nelson, expressing the love he felt from the Prophet in that moment as his counselor, in an Oct. 1 reel.
Emphasizing the unprecedented achievements led by the Prophet, President Oaks said, “He caused our Church humanitarian efforts to reach out beyond our membership to include many nations with whom our earlier relationships have been frayed or non-existent.”
President Oaks also wrote in a Sept. 29 post: “Our hearts are heavy with sorrow. Millions of us are mourning the passing of our beloved Prophet and President, Russell M. Nelson. He was a dear friend and a cherished leader.”
He said the timeless teachings of President Nelson are especially significant for guidance and comfort following the tragic event on Sept. 28 in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
As President Nelson’s former counselor, Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared that he observed the Prophet’s love for all God’s children. He said in an Oct. 1 reel his admiration for President Nelson’s ability to remember the names and faces of people he had met, noting that his gift made everyone feel loved.
“When a group of Church officials or staff members came into First Presidency meetings to make a presentation, he called all of them by name,” he said.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of President Nelson’s “faith, humility and love for everything celestial” in an Oct. 1 reel.
“The most important manifestation of President Russell M. Nelson’s character was the preeminence of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his unfailing devotion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” he wrote.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles highlighted lessons he learned during a visit with Latter-day Saints and community members in Michigan who were affected by the shooting.
“They have the capacity — because of the eternal perspective of the gospel of Jesus Christ — to learn lessons in tragedy in mortality that prepare them for eternal life,” he wrote in an Oct. 1 reel.
As Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson reflected on her ministry in four countries in the South Pacific, she acknowledged that while foods and customs varied across cultures, one constant remained.
“What is common to all of the dear Saints in the Pacific is the culture of Christ. That was the universal theme,” she said in a Sept. 26 reel.
Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, referenced her recent keynote address at Brigham Young University’s conference for the 30th anniversary of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”
“‘The Family Proclamation’ is a revelatory document that underscores the foundational importance of marriage and children,” she said in her Sept. 27 reel, “most specifically how marriage and children are fundamental to the plan of salvation — God’s plan of happiness.”
Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, related the principle of “becoming pure vessels in the hands of the Lord” to an observation she made while painting.
“When I paint, there are certain colors that only come with layers of paint and glazes built upon each other,” she wrote in a Sept. 25 post. “You can’t get certain colors straight out of a tube. They come with layers or, in other words, time and experience. Symbolically, some of the most beautiful parts of our lives only come with layers of life experience, challenges, heartache, growth and trusting our whole heart and soul to God.”
