Follow the Prophets

Pres. Nelson’s youngest kids share 5 sweet stories about their dad

cdn.ldsliving.jpg
Photo courtesy of the Nelson Family

In celebration of President Russell M. Nelson’s 100th birthday on September 9th, All In podcast host Morgan Pearson spoke with President Nelson’s youngest children, his daughter Marjorie Nelson Lowder, and his only son, Russell M. Nelson, Jr.

The personal stories they shared about their dad are just about the sweetest anecdotes we’ve ever heard. Here are a few of our favorites.

He Gave Each of His Daughters Corsages for Mother’s Day

Marjorie Nelson Lowder: “Every Mother’s Day, my father would get my mom a big corsage to wear. He would come home Saturday with the flowers, and he had a big corsage for my mom to wear to church on Mother’s Day, and he had a smaller corsage for each of the girls to wear. We weren’t married—we were little. And I don’t remember how many years he did that, but it felt like a tradition to us.

“So we just felt so great to be [women]. I felt so proud and excited to be a woman and honored by God to be a woman and all that that would represent in my life.”

Housework Was His Exercise

Russell M. Nelson, Jr.: “He found somewhat of a joy—and almost a relaxation—in doing yard work. He liked raking leaves and, as he would put it, beautifying the yard. [And I think it was because] most days, whether it was as a surgeon or as an Apostle, his mind is engaged, and it’s going. So that outside effort, being outside in the sun, being active, using your body, keeping those talents and blessings that Heavenly Father has given us in our miraculous bodies, was something he liked to do.”

Marjorie Nelson Lowder: “Yeah I think he did, too. That was his form of exercise. He never was one for like going on a treadmill or something. It was yard work and shoveling and housework.”

He Loves to Be up to Date on the Latest Technology

Marjorie Nelson Lowder: “I remember where I was when he taught me how to AirDrop. We had gone on a hike one day with several of us and had taken a picture. And he says, ‘Let’s share those! How about we AirDrop it right now!?’ And we were like, ‘What do you mean?’ And he taught us how to AirDrop right there on the mountain.

“And I think that [appreciation for technology] comes with his love of learning. We saw it early in his career when he was led to help pioneer the field of cardiothoracic surgery, creating the heart-lung machine and trailblazing in that.

“Throughout his life, he would see how technology and things would advance because of the Lord’s light and revelation to people. And now, technology is there and we can use it so much more for family history work and interconnection and all these wonderful developments and discoveries or inventions.

“So I feel like he always sees it that way [and appreciates] … the newest methods of technology and efficiency and how we can communicate with each other.”

He Made Mundane Chores Feel Exciting

Russell M. Nelson, Jr: “Both our mom and dad had this amazing way of making the mundane seem enjoyable.

“For example, every one of us has a memory of being excited around New Year’s because we knew that we could get out a big wooden folding table that we had and help our dad with his taxes. I don’t know why that was exciting or why we all looked forward to it, but we did.

“Or, [when I was] a young kid, he’d say, ‘We’re going to do our Saturday job and it’s going to be the highlight! We’re going to drive to the dump!’ And we’d get to the dump and he’d say, ‘This is the best part. We get to just throw things out!’

“So I guess it really just comes down to the enthusiasm with which he did it—the intentionality of his parenting and the way he was able to just transfer his love of life.”

He Loves Puzzles

Russell M. Nelson, Jr: “[Puzzles are] his way of winding down a little bit, I think, because his mind is always going. He’s always thinking. And so I think the puzzle is maybe a way to wind down at the end of the day. And he’s done so many now that he has glued them all together, and each one of us has our own puzzle from him that he signed.”

Marjorie Lowder: “He and Wendy love doing puzzles together. We’ve done puzzles our whole lives. New Year’s Eve was a big day. We would all do puzzles together, and he got us all hooked on them.”

You can listen to the full All In podcast from this week, featuring President Nelson’s youngest children, Marjorie Nelson Lowder and Russell M. Nelson, Jr., in the player below.


Read more stories and insights on President Nelson in the articles below:

‘I don't understand, but I trust you’—how Pres. Nelson’s response to new perspective could help your ward
The one gift President Nelson wants leading up to his 100th birthday
What does the word ‘love’ really mean? Pres. Nelson’s beautiful answer
How to stop feeling exhausted and find spiritual rest, according to President Nelson


Discover more in “Heart of the Matter”

Living through technological innovation from radio to rocket ships, wars and resolutions, cultural shifts and progress, President Russell M. Nelson has seen the workings of the Almighty in all aspects of life. In Heart of the Matter, he reflects back on his 100 years of living and the lessons he’s learned over the past century, including the core truths he has come to know matter most for this life and the next. Available at Deseret Book stores and deseretbook.com.

Share
Stay in the loop!
Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content