Good and Faithful Servant

Today I heard someone tell a story about President Nelson from several decades ago. This brother was living in South America, and President Nelson was coming on some assignment for the Church. The brother was asked to pick him up from the airport and take him to the mission office. As he did so President Nelson asked him about himself, learning his name and the names of his family members. After he dropped him off, that was the end of their interaction on that visit. About a year later President Nelson came again to this country, and when this brother saw him, President Nelson remembered his name and the names of his wife and children! His memory and attention to people were simply incredible. An article in LDS Living highlighted the same thing: “Elder Neil L. Andersen was a newly sustained member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in the spring of 1993 when he traveled with then-Elder Russell M. Nelson to Pocatello, Idaho, where they were assigned to call a new stake president. Approximately 30 brethren were interviewed on Saturday morning. Later that evening, Elder Andersen watched as Elder Nelson remembered the names of each of the men they had interviewed earlier in the day. ‘As we met them and their families,’ he referred to them by name,’ Elder Andersen recalls. ‘I personally could remember only one or two of their names. I asked him later as we returned to Salt Lake City how was it that he could remember the names of those 30 we interviewed and connect them all with their faces. He smiled at my question and answered, “Neil, I remember their names because I want to know them. There is no special technique. When you love them, you remember them.”’” He had an incredible ability to love people and he did so in part with his mind by remembering them.

               This past week as we have remembered and honored President Nelson, we have been reminded of many other ways in which he was an extraordinary individual, from his distinguished medical career, his ability to learn languages, his gift for music, his devotion to a family with ten children, and much more. As Elder Holland put it, “The very pupil of his eye or the behavior he demonstrated when none but God could hear or see him — by these and any other measurement … (President Nelson) gets an unblemished straight A.”  Of course, he also got straight As in every college class he took as well, and Elder Holland highlighted that this level of excellence was seen in all parts of his life. Perhaps we can use Paul’s language to say that he did “[strive] for the mastery” in every good thing, and never at the expense of his personal devotion to God (1 Corinthians 9:25). He was a powerful disciple of Jesus Christ whose work—both professional and spiritual—will continue to bless the world for generations to come.   

               That said, learning the incredible accomplishments of the life of President Nelson might tempt us to feel that we have done very little good in the world in comparison. But I take comfort in the story that Elder Renlund told in the last general conference: “Consider this insight provided by the 18th-century Hasidic scholar Zusya of Anipol. Zusya was a renowned teacher who began to fear as he approached death. His disciples asked, ‘Master, why do you tremble? You’ve lived a good life; surely God will grant you a great reward.’ Zusya said: ‘If God says to me, “Zusya, why were you not another Moses?” I will say, “Because you didn’t give me the greatness of soul that you gave Moses.” And if I stand before God and He says, “Zusya, why were you not another Solomon?” I will say, “Because you didn’t give me the wisdom of Solomon.” But, alas, what will I say if I stand before my Maker and He says, “Zusya, why were you not Zusya? Why were you not the man I gave you the capacity to be?” Ah, that is why I tremble.’” The Lord gratefully does not expect us to each be like Russel M. Nelson—we were not given the same gifts. But he does expect us to be the very best version of ourselves that we can be. We need not fear that the Lord will compare us to others at the judgment day, for He may have given them many more talents than He gave us. But He does expect us to multiply and build on what He has given us, just as President Nelson did so marvelously well. If we do, these words from Him can be to us: “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:23). Surely President Nelson now has done just that.