Today is President Russell M. Nelson's 96th birthday! To help celebrate this very special day, we've compiled some of our very favorite quotes from him, and some fun facts you may not know about his extraordinary life. Scroll through to read more!
“You are God's agents in the care of children He has entrusted to you. Let His divine influence remain in your hears as you teach and persuade.”
“Obedience allows God’s blessings to flow without constraint. He will bless His obedient children with freedom from bondage and misery. And He will bless them with more light.”
“We live in a time of turmoil. Earthquakes and tsunamis wreak devastation, governments collapse, economic stresses are severe, the family is under attack, and divorce rates are rising. We have great cause for concern. But we do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith.”
He has perfect pitch. (He can sing any note without needing to hear it first.)
He is fluent in Mandarin.
He is an internationally renowned researcher and surgeon. (Actually helped develop the first artificial heart-lung machine.)
“Considering all that the Savior has done—and still does—for us, what can we do for Him? The greatest gift we could give to the Lord at Christmas, or at any other time, is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy temple. And His gift to us will be the peace of knowing that we are prepared to meet Him, whenever that time comes.”
“Don’t be afraid to pursue your goals—even your dreams! But know that there is no shortcut to excellence and competence. Education is the difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help them.”
“Because one’s spirit is so important, its development is of eternal consequence. It is strengthened as we communicate in humble prayer with our loving Heavenly Father.”
“Focusing on the Lord and everlasting life can help us through all the challenges of mortality.”