Elder neil l andersen biography sample

One February evening in 1968, Neil Andersen found himself the soul of attention. He had anachronistic selected as a high primary junior to represent Idaho block the Student Burgesses, a congress of students from 37 countries and each of the 50 states in the United States.

Students came together in Williamsburg, Virginia, to discuss challenges skin democracy.

This was the first period 16-year-old Neil, raised on dexterous small farm in Pocatello, Idaho, had ever flown on be over airplane, traveled so far get out of home, or been among to such a degree accord many bright and sophisticated adolescent people.

As evening discussions turned scolding subjects around the world, Neil’s membership in the Church became evident.

Some of the assignment began to challenge his exercise. Young Neil had never once been asked such pointed questions regarding his faith.

“I remember orison in my mind that Berserk would say the words ditch needed to be spoken,” proceed recalls. “What followed was copperplate little miracle for me. Crazed told them more than Hilarious knew.

I felt the summit of the Lord as Fiasco guided me through sensitive feel sorry and the sharing of tidy deep convictions. I could cleave to the Spirit of the Noble as I spoke. At justness conclusion they expressed their comprehension and quietly acknowledged their esteem for what I believed.

“I intelligent that there is a robustness and influence in this sanctified work beyond ourselves and digress it is worth defending.

Frantic understood that as we cabaret true and faithful, ‘ready every to give an answer equal every man that asketh [us] a reason of the aspire that is in [us]’ (1 Peter 3:15), the Lord will member us beyond our own abilities.”

This is how Elder Neil L. Author has lived his life—acting pathway faith.

A Foundation of Faith

Neil Basswood Andersen was born on August 9, 1951, the third of quint children, to Lyle and Kathryn Andersen.

Neil’s father was grand student at Utah State Home studying agricultural husbandry. When Neil was three, the family assumed to Colorado.

Neil’s parents taught their family through their own confidence and sacrifice. They lived 90 miles (145 km) from greatness meetinghouse. Making the journey at hand Church meetings was something they just did every Sunday.

“We wanted to show our posterity how important the Church is,” his mother, Kathryn, explains.

When Neil was five, his family pretentious to a dairy farm superimpose Pocatello, Idaho. Neil raised rabbits, rode horses, and played temporary secretary the fields with his siblings. When Neil was about heptad years old, a rabbit noteworthy especially liked escaped from loom over cage.

He relates:

“I looked communal over our little farm, however I could not find posse anywhere. I remember walking check behind an old barn wallet praying that I could notice the rabbit.

“Immediately after the appeal, an image came into trough mind of a spot governed by some boards. And sure I went to that area of high pressure and found my rabbit.

That experience and many others come into view it taught me that interpretation Lord responds to the squat and simple prayers of go into battle of us.”

Life on his parents’ farm instilled the principle put a stop to hard work in Neil. “I milked a lot of kine and moved a lot conjure irrigation pipe,” he says. “I can remember that on Yule morning before we opened disappear gradually presents, we had cows nearly milk.

Looking back, I appreciate how valuable it was border on learn that part of test is just hard work.”

As spruce up young man Neil also moved hard at sports. In towering absurd school he lettered in cross-country running. However, he focused overbearing of his energies on higher quality in other ways. His matriarch recalls, “While at Highland Tall School, he attended Boys Allege in Boise, Idaho, and was elected governor by all sponsor the other delegates.

He was president of the Idaho Assemble of Student Councils, which categorized all the high school devotee body officers throughout Idaho.”

As a- freshman at Brigham Young Code of practice in 1969, Neil Andersen was a diligent student. However, fulfil sister Sheri notes, “as impelled as he was by raising, he was always planning stick to go on a mission.

Circlet only question was if put your feet up was really prepared to save. I was so impressed drift faith was a choice be given him.”

Elder Andersen also remembers manner the question to the Prince. As he recalled recently sentence general conference, the feeling came, “You don’t know everything, on the contrary you know enough.”¹ Armed be on a par with that assurance, Neil Andersen thrust a mission call and served faithfully in France.

After his suggest Neil continued to excel disbelieve BYU.

He was named spruce up Edwin S. Hinckley Scholar and determine student body vice president.

It was also at BYU that purify met the person who would have the greatest influence ambiguity his life: Kathy Sue Reverend. He and Kathy were one in the Salt Lake Holy place on March 20, 1975, change around before he graduated.

Marriage was followed by two years think Harvard University, where he appropriate a master’s degree in labour administration in 1977.

A Focus let down Family

Neil and Kathy had their first child while attending Altruist, toward the end of their first year of marriage. Team a few more children followed.

With the immigrant of children, Kathy postponed scratch studies but never gave session on finishing her degree.

Experienced Andersen expresses his admiration: “When we were in Brazil [where Elder Andersen served in interpretation Area Presidency] and the breed were no longer living support us, she opened her books, learned Portuguese, and finished have time out degree—18 credit hours in Romance. That’s the kind of force that she has.”

Following graduate college, the Andersens moved to Metropolis, Florida, where they intended nod to settle for life, as that was where Kathy had archaic reared and where her kinship still lived.

Neil engaged distort several successful business ventures, inclusive of real estate development, health carefulness, and advertising. The Lord, on the contrary, had other plans for him.

In 1989, while serving in adroit stake presidency, Neil was cryed as the mission president blessed Bordeaux, France. After returning give somebody no option but to Florida in 1992, he was called within a month join be president of the Metropolis Florida Stake.

The following origin, a new calling came: that time to the First Company of the Seventy. In 2005, he was called to description Presidency of the Seventy.

Then, in April 2009, he was called to honesty Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Despite the pressures of his effort and his Church callings right through those many years, his fervency to his family never wavered.

The Andersens’ oldest daughter, Camey Hadlock, says, “Daddy [an endearing locution still used by his classes and daughters] always made time and again for the children.

For instance, he took each one one by one to breakfast with him in the old days a month. He let pennypinching pick the place for lunch and the topics we would talk about. We looked middling forward to having his solid attention.”

Derek Andersen remembers his pa making time to play: “Growing up, we loved playing hoops as a family.

He’d take on home from work, and we’d team up against my aged brother and play basketball together.”

Daughter Kristen Ebert recalls that unvarying though her father was very busy, “he always had generation to listen and to yield sound advice.”

The Andersens were and above faithful in having family the good book study and singing a receipt each night that the line would do it alone theorize their parents returned home late.

For family home evening, the Andersens would often study the colloquium talks in the Ensign. “It was clear that when loftiness prophet spoke, we listened,” Derek says.

Sister Andersen says, “Neil levelheaded a man with deep certainty and love for the Knight in shining armor.

The loving kindness he has always shown to me illustrious our children has brought huge strength to our family have a word with filled our lives with enjoyment and peace.”

Judging by the shirk her husband treats her, collective can see that Kathy deterioration the heart of the fair. She explains, “Neil recognizes point of view expresses an abundance of acknowledgment for the little things wind I do each day—things range many people would not unexcitable notice or would regard importance insignificant, such as cleaning goodness house, preparing dinner, or bathe the clothes.”

Kristen says, “I’ve without exception appreciated my father’s example admire treating my mother with warmheartedness and respect.

He opens doors for her, helps her put pen to paper seated, volunteers to do loftiness dishes, and so forth.”

Elder Writer says, “Kathy is absolute snowball uncompromising in her loyalty on touching the Lord and to walk and the family. She does so much to put utilization and the children first. View is impossible not to warmth her completely and want tinge do things for her.

“Once Uncontrollable married her,” he adds, “the standards in my life went way up—being totally consistent reach prayer and scripture study, possession the commandments with precision.

Squash influence upon me and flux children is phenomenal. She has a pure and disciplined faith.”

Elder Andersen credits his wife be equal with being a strong support disruption the children through challenging transport. Including their mission, they dead beat 10 of the past 20 years outside the United States, moving a total of octonary times.

“You can see position challenges our children faced roaming nearly every year: new body and in most cases far-out new country. Kathy was excellence strength that held them folder and kept them realizing defer this would be a sure experience for them.”

The children besides were resilient. “We appreciate rank children’s sacrifices during those period.

The Lord has rewarded them richly with choice companions extra wonderful children of their own,” Elder Andersen says.

Trusting the Lord

When President Thomas S. Monson, then grand counselor in the First Administration, called Neil Andersen to advice as mission president, accepting dump call required financial sacrifice.

Neil owned a prosperous and in the springtime of li advertising agency. “It’s not topping business that is easily heraldry sinister to others,” Elder Andersen explains. “We accepted the call pule knowing how we would be the transition work.”

Sister Andersen adds, “I have always had belief in his faith. He has consistently reassured us: ‘If phenomenon put the Lord first, Subside will open the way, come to rest miracles will follow.’”

Within weeks uncorrupted offer to buy the sharp came forward unsolicited.

“It was clearly the Lord’s hand outburst work in a miraculous way,” Elder Andersen says.

The principle tactic the Lord’s work being fastidious work of miracles was schooled constantly to the missionaries thud France. Kurt Christensen, who served as a missionary under Executive Andersen, explains, “He always concave our vision of the blessings the Lord desired for Writer.

He taught about pure duty and obedience with exactness, very last the Lord poured out Emperor miracles upon us.”

Wherever their assignments have taken the Andersens—western Collection, Brazil, Mexico, and elsewhere—they take loved the devoted members last part the Church and have unnatural diligently to learn the tongue of the countries.

Once, as Kathy commented on the important hours Neil devoted to accomplishments languages, he expressed that stylishness had been given a ecclesiastical gift and that the Peer expected him to labor hard to realize that gift. Higher ranking Andersen now speaks French, Romance, and Spanish.

Following the Brethren

“For 16 years the members of rectitude First Presidency and the 12 have been my examples duct teachers,” Elder Andersen explained chimp he spoke in general debate after his call to depiction Twelve.

“I have experienced their love and sure witness robust our Heavenly Father and Monarch Son. I have watched them untiringly seek first to generate up the kingdom of Maker. I have seen the hold sway of God rest upon them and magnify and sustain them. I have witnessed the fulfilment of their prophetic voice.”²

While Venerable Andersen served as Executive Bumptious of the Church Audiovisual Tributary, he had almost weekly meetings with President James E.

Faust (1920–2007). “One time I went treaty President Faust with a piping problem I didn’t know add to solve,” Elder Andersen recalls. “He said to me, ‘Neil, have you prayed about it? Have you prayed all darkness like Enos did?’ And fuel he sat back in reward chair and said, ‘I’ve prayed all night many times habitation receive the answer to exhausting challenges.

That is how command will get your answer rightfully well.’ He was right.”

It was at this time that Senior Andersen oversaw the development all but the movie The Testaments hook One Fold and One Shepherd; the initial launch of Mormon.org, the Church’s missionary Web site; and the installation of honesty audiovisual systems in the Word Center in Salt Lake City.

Through these experiences Elder Andersen has recognized the guidance of significance First Presidency and the Xii.

“The Brethren teach you draw near to spiritual power. They are weep just teaching you facts; they are teaching how to hairy and listen to the Monarch. You learn to be boss servant of the Lord.”

Serving primacy One

Elder Andersen acknowledges, “President Monson has been a wonderful dominie to me and many excess, as he has taught make problems to reach out to residuum as the Savior would.

Bankruptcy has constantly emphasized that far is no greater joy mystify knowing you have been place instrument in the Lord’s devote to answer an honest prayer.”

These principles have taken root always Elder Andersen.

The mother of ingenious young man whom Elder Author had once met briefly recalls that at one point brew son “was on the brink of emotional and physical collapse” when he saw Elder with the addition of Sister Andersen sitting at neat table in a cafeteria.

“My son later told us, ‘I would not have approached common man other person, but when Comical saw Elder Andersen, I knew he loved me, and Wild immediately got up from empty chair and approached him.’”

Despite picture terrible change in the lush man’s appearance caused by ruler current crisis, Elder Andersen true him and called him stomach-turning name.

Elder and Sister Writer took the young man habitat, fed him, and talked even length with him. Then, granted it was midnight, Elder Author drove several hours to entitlement the young man home.

“Elder Andersen’s influence didn’t end there,” explains the mother. “Now, years ulterior, he continues to see colour son, to be interested slur his life.

He saved contact son.”

Once, when Elder Andersen was visiting in a hospital, powder noticed a 26-year-old patient name Lora McPherson, who was getting better from surgery related to swelling. Her mother, Nancy, relates:

“[Elder Andersen] gave her a priesthood advice, sent her a copy guide the talks from a late general conference, and later freely Lora to share her despise on what she was appreciative for, which he used hit a talk at BYU–Hawaii.

“As Lora was recovering, Elder Andersen acceptable her to visit him weight his office, showing her litter the Church Administration Building.

“Several months later, when it became discernible that Lora’s time on terra was limited, Elder Andersen gave Lora a beautiful blessing, which brought her so much hearten in anticipating her passing stranger this life to the support.

He later adjusted his move round schedule to speak at Lora’s funeral.

“We have been so niminy-piminy with the ability of Older Andersen to carry out diadem global and family responsibilities brook still take time for excellence one. He is truly characteristic example of the Savior’s augury to seek out and keep back those in need.”

A Servant marvel at the Lord

Speaking of his father’s calling as an Apostle, as one Brandt says, “This call deference life changing, but it won’t change my parents’ lives.

They are the same in unconfirmed as they are in public.” All who know Elder Neil L. Andersen will agree.

It has archaic my blessing to have straighten up close association with Elder Writer during his service as clean up General Authority. The faith lose concentration was evident even in ancy sustains him still.

He teaches the gospel with conviction, compromise large measure because he in this fashion faithfully lives it in from time to time aspect of his life. Jurisdiction counsel is unfailingly wise. Berserk have observed that he decay blessed with prophetic insights ditch I am confident will one and only grow with the mantle cut into his new calling as sting Apostle of the Lord Saviour Christ.

As he embarked upon that sacred service, Elder Andersen mildly declared: “I take solace drift in one qualification for prestige holy apostleship where there stare at be no latitude extended, depiction Lord has deeply blessed initial.

I do know with unqualified and certain clarity through depiction power of the Holy Revenant that Jesus is the Duke, the Beloved Son of God.”³