Lessons from Russell Osguthorpe's Spiritual Journey

Russell Osguthorpe brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to the conversation about faith and belief. As the former Sunday School General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, author of six books and over 70 articles on religion and education, and a respected professor and administrator at BYU, Osguthorpe has influenced countless individuals through his teachings. His impressive credentials include multiple degrees from BYU, including a PhD in instructional psychology, and he has conducted seminars in more than 25 countries. Currently serving a senior mission in Tahiti with his wife—the same place where he served as a young missionary in the 1960s—Osguthorpe offers unique perspectives on faith that span generations.

In this inspiring conversation, he shares personal stories that reveal how seeing God's hand in daily life has sustained his belief through both challenges and joys, offering listeners practical insights on developing and maintaining their own faith journeys.

Lesson 1: Learning Faith Through Proximity to Greatness  

Russell Osguthorpe's childhood was uniquely shaped by his proximity to greatness, growing up as next-door neighbors to Gordon B. Hinckley, who would later become the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This wasn't just a distant relationship—Hinckley's son was Russell's best friend, and they attended school together throughout their youth. This close association allowed young Russell to see the Hinckley family not as untouchable religious figures but as real, down-to-earth people who lived their faith in practical ways.

The Hinckley home became almost a second home to Russell, with Marjorie Hinckley acting as something of a second mother to him, especially while his own mother was at work. He recalls being fascinated by President Hinckley's study—a converted patio that housed an extensive library reflecting Hinckley's love of reading and education. One day, browsing the shelves, Russell discovered a book authored by Bryant S. Hinckley, Gordon's father, whom Russell also knew personally. This moment sparked in him an appreciation for intellectual and spiritual legacy that would influence his own future as an author and educator.

Perhaps most telling about the Hinckley family's character was the story Russell shared about President Hinckley's interaction with his Secret Service detail later in life. When working in his garden one day, Hinckley noticed the agents simply standing and watching him work. Rather than accepting this as his due, he looked at them and asked if they were just going to stand there or if they would get shovels and help him. This anecdote perfectly encapsulates what Russell learned from proximity to the Hinckleys—that true discipleship is practical, humble, and never places itself above manual labor or serving others.

Lesson 2: Building a Foundation of Faith in Youth  

At the pivotal age of twelve, Russell experienced what would become the foundation for his lifelong faith. While reading the Book of Mormon in his bedroom in East Mill Creek, he received what he describes as a sudden, unexpected witness that the book was true. This wasn't prompted by formal prayer or specific seeking—it simply arrived, unbidden yet unmistakable. Initially, he wondered if he might be too young for such spiritual certainty, but the conviction remained, feeling as real as if he had personally witnessed foundational events of his faith.

This childhood testimony became a cornerstone that Russell has built upon throughout his life. Now, decades later, he and his wife read the Book of Mormon daily in French, comparing it with the English text to extract deeper meaning from the scriptures. Far from being a static experience, Russell describes how these sacred texts continue to lift, inspire, test, and challenge him, making him think, pray, and constantly seek greater understanding. His testimony has not remained static but has grown and evolved through continued engagement with scripture.

His early spiritual experiences also influenced his desire to serve a mission. From the age of twelve, Russell eagerly anticipated missionary service, though his path to this goal wasn't without obstacles. During the Vietnam era, wards were limited to sending only one missionary every six months. This created a potential conflict with his friend Kent, who lived across the street and whose birthday fell within the same six-month window. The situation resolved unexpectedly when Kent announced he had enlisted in the Marines, allowing Russell to pursue his missionary calling. This poignant contrast—one friend serving in Tahiti while the other received a Purple Heart in Vietnam—demonstrates how different paths of service shaped their respective lives.

Lesson 3: The Enduring Impact of Missionary Service  

Russell's first missionary experience in Tahiti from 1966 to 1968 presented both challenges and spiritual growth opportunities. One particularly memorable incident occurred while teaching a young man in Tupoï, the island where the church's first foreign-speaking mission began in 1844. While sharing the Joseph Smith story, Russell suddenly found himself staring down the barrel of a rifle held by the young man's father, who demanded the missionaries leave immediately and never return. Though the experience was frightening, the story took an unexpected turn when the young man appeared at their missionary quarters the very next day, expressing his continued desire to be taught. Despite his father's opposition, the young man was eventually baptized and became a faithful church member.

Now, decades later, Russell has returned to Tahiti as a senior missionary, creating a full-circle moment in his spiritual journey. This return has brought unexpected reunions with people from his first mission. Though he initially assumed everyone he knew would have passed away, he has encountered several individuals who remember him from sixty years ago. These encounters include a woman who sang in a choir he directed, who enthusiastically recalled her teenage admiration for the young missionary, and a newly appointed temple president who remembered singing in Russell's choir as a young boy. These meetings bridge decades of separation and highlight how relationships can transcend time when founded on shared spiritual experiences.

These reunions in Tahiti remind Russell of a profound lesson he learned from President Russell M. Nelson, who once told him, "In this church, we never say goodbye." When Russell expressed regret at not having properly said goodbye to President Nelson after being released as Sunday School President, Nelson countered that goodbyes don't exist in their faith tradition—only temporary separations before eventual reunions, whether in this life or beyond. This perspective has helped Russell understand his Tahiti experiences as part of a continuous spiritual narrative rather than disconnected episodes separated by decades.

Lesson 4: Never Giving Up on Those Who Wander  

One of the most moving stories Russell shares involves his younger brother's spiritual journey. Though they shared a bedroom growing up and maintained a close relationship, their spiritual paths diverged dramatically. After initially serving a mission in New Zealand and marrying in the temple, Russell's brother gradually distanced himself from the church, eventually making what Russell describes as "a clean break" that would last for 33 years. During this extensive period, Russell's brother reached a point where he questioned the existence of God entirely.

The turning point in this long spiritual absence came unexpectedly through Russell's book "Filled with His Love." Though his brother initially declined a copy, stating he wasn't a reader, he ultimately accepted it because Russell had written it. About two weeks later, he had read most of the book and began asking questions about its core message—that developing a relationship with God is the foundation for all other meaningful relationships. This insight spoke directly to relationship challenges he was experiencing. When he acknowledged his lack of relationship with God and asked what to do, Russell suggested prayer. The next day, his brother reported praying for the first time in 30 years, joking that God must have been shocked to hear from him, but noting that it felt good to reconnect spiritually.

The transformation that followed was remarkable by any standard. After gradually returning to church attendance, Russell's brother was embraced by ward members who showed extraordinary love and acceptance. His bishop wisely eased him back by first reviewing temple recommend questions without pressure, then suggesting he consider returning to the temple. Within three years of his return to activity, Russell's brother had become a temple worker and was called to serve in his elders quorum presidency. Russell describes this as the most dramatic spiritual transformation he has ever witnessed, noting that conversations with his brother now feel like speaking with an entirely different person—one filled with hope, joy, and compassion that had previously been absent.

Key factors in his brother's spiritual transformation included:

• Reading Russell's book that emphasized relationships with God as foundational to all relationships

• Experiencing his first prayer after 30 years of spiritual disconnection

• Receiving extraordinary acceptance from ward members without judgment

• Having a wise bishop who provided gradual steps back to full participation

• Regular temple attendance that became a spiritual anchor

• Service opportunities that deepened his renewed commitment

Lesson 5: Recognizing Divine Presence in Daily Life  

When asked directly why he believes, Russell offers a refreshingly straightforward answer: he sees God's hand in his life every day. This isn't merely a theoretical concept but a practical reality he actively seeks. During his missionary service, Russell taught others to look for divine intervention daily, confident they would find it if they sought it. He cites examples such as chance encounters outside the temple with people he had been hoping to meet, which he views not as coincidences but as "divine rendezvous" orchestrated to meet specific needs.

These everyday manifestations of divine presence have accumulated throughout Russell's life to the point where denial seems impossible to him. He quotes Marjorie Hinckley, who once said she had witnessed God's hand in so many ways that she could never deny it. This perspective transforms Russell's approach to challenges, allowing him to recognize God's sustaining presence even in difficulties. His perspective on faith isn't based on blind acceptance but on consistent personal experiences that have built an unshakable foundation of belief.

Russell's brother's transformation stands as perhaps the most visible evidence of divine intervention in his life. Witnessing someone transition from thirty-three years of disbelief to becoming a fully engaged, spiritually vibrant individual convinced Russell of the transformative power of faith. As he notes, anyone who knew his brother before and after this change would find the difference "unmistakable." This personal observation leads to Russell's concluding thought about why he believes: "I believe in this church because it changes people, because God changes people."

Finding Your Own Daily Evidence  

The stories Russell Osguthorpe shares offer more than interesting anecdotes—they provide a template for developing and recognizing faith in our own lives. His experiences suggest that belief isn't necessarily built on dramatic spiritual manifestations but on daily awareness of divine presence in small moments, personal connections, and gradual transformations. Like Russell, we can choose to look for God's hand in our everyday experiences, recognizing that these seemingly minor interactions and insights accumulate over time into a foundation of faith that sustains us through challenges.

Whether you're currently feeling distant from faith like Russell's brother once did, or seeking to deepen an existing spiritual foundation, his experiences suggest practical steps forward. Begin by consciously looking for evidence of divine influence in your daily life. Engage regularly with spiritual texts that have previously resonated with you. Reach out to others who share your faith tradition, as community often provides both support and unexpected spiritual insights. And perhaps most importantly, be willing to recognize that sometimes the most profound spiritual growth happens not in dramatic moments but in quiet, consistent patterns of living and seeking.

As you navigate your own faith journey, remember Russell's simple yet profound explanation for his belief: "I see His hand in my life every day." The invitation is clear—what might you discover if you began each day with the expectation of finding evidence of divine presence in your own experience? The answer to that question could transform not just your perspective but your entire life, much as it has done for Russell Osguthorpe and his brother. The evidence is there waiting to be recognized—will you choose to see it?