Brief Comments | Insights from a Prophet's Life: Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew

Insights from a Prophet’s Life: Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew

To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson is a prophet, one who stands on the mountain top and warns of dangers ahead. While I’ve listened to him speak at the General Conferences of the Church over the years, I knew little about him.

For example, though I knew he had been a cardiovascular surgeon, I didn’t realize he had actually been one of the pioneers of heart transplants. I knew he had 10 children, but I didn’t realize he had had nine daughters before finally having a son. I knew he had learned Chinese, but I didn’t realize he had learned several other languages, as well. I knew he had remarried after his first wife, Danzel, had passed away, but I hadn’t heard how or why. And, to be honest, beyond the basics, I didn’t know much about the man who led the Church. I had a smattering of facts that I knew, and I had felt the power of his testimony and mantle many times, but I did not know much about him.

This book, which is not a full biography, but a smattering of snapshots, is a great way to begin to know him. It covers his entire life, from his youth, as the son of inactive members of the Church, to a brilliant academic career, to his innovations in heart surgery, to his church service, and finally to his calling as a prophet and the changes in organization, temples, and procedures. Sheri Dew knows President Nelson, and she makes the story personal and inspirational, and I was constantly touched and moved. It’s a fast read, and while perhaps only an overview of the highlights of his life, it’s a good place to start for someone looking to learn about Russell M. Nelson’s life.

Insights from a Prophet's Life: Russell M. Nelson Book Cover

Title: Insights from a Prophet's Life: Russell M. Nelson
Author: Sheri Dew
Genre: non-fiction
Publisher: Deseret Book
Release Date: April 8, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 452

More than a biography...

What kind of life preparation does the Lord give the men He will one day call to be prophet? And what are the lessons to be learned from such a life? From being raised in a home without the foundation of the gospel to the early days of his marriage and the stress of medical school to his last open-heart surgery in China, President Russell M. Nelson took advantage of every opportunity to learn and become more. In Insights from a Prophet s Life, Sheri Dew takes us through the life of President Nelson from childhood to the current day. This unique collection of life experiences is told in short episodes for the purpose of helping readers gain their own personal insights. For if we have much to learn from what a prophet says, surely we have much to learn from how a prophet lives.