Russell M. Nelson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Russell M. Nelson
Nelson in 2012
17th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
January 14, 2018 (2018-01-14)
Predecessor	Thomas S. Monson
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
July 3, 2015 (2015-07-03) – January 14, 2018 (2018-01-14)
Predecessor	Boyd K. Packer
Successor	Dallin H. Oaks
End reason	Became President of the Church
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 7, 1984 (1984-04-07) – January 14, 2018 (2018-01-14)
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
End reason	Became President of the Church
LDS Church Apostle
April 12, 1984 (1984-04-12) — present
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
Reason	Death of LeGrand Richards
Military career
1951–1953
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	Army Medical Corps
Battles/wars	Korean War
Personal details
Born	Russell Marion Nelson (1924-09-09) September 9, 1924 (age 100) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Education	University of Utah (BA, MD) University of Minnesota (PhD)
Occupation	Cardiothoracic surgeon
Spouse(s)	Dantzel White ​ ​ (m. 1945; died 2005)​ Wendy L. Watson ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	10 (2 deceased)
Signature

Russell Marion Nelson Sr. (born September 9, 1924) is an American religious leader and a retired surgeon. He is the 17th and current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church recognizes him as a prophet, seer, and revelator.

Before becoming president, Nelson was a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for almost 34 years. He served as the president of that quorum from 2015 to 2018.

Nelson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He studied at the University of Utah for his college and medical degrees. He earned his first degree in 1945 and his medical degree in 1947, at age 22. He then completed his medical training and earned a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. There, he helped develop the heart-lung machine. This machine was used in 1951 for the first human open-heart surgery.

After serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War, Nelson became a professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He worked as a heart surgeon for 29 years. He became a well-known surgeon and led important medical groups.

Nelson also served in many church leadership roles during his medical career. In 1984, he was chosen to be an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve.

Early Life and Education

Russell M. Nelson was born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents were Floss Edna and Marion Clavar Nelson. He had two sisters and one brother. His father worked for the Deseret News newspaper.

Even though his parents were not very active in their faith when he was young, they sent him to Sunday School. He was baptized a member of the church when he was 16 years old.

Nelson started college at the University of Utah at age 16. He graduated in 1945 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended the University of Utah School of Medicine. He finished his medical degree in just three years, graduating in 1947 as the top student in his class.

After medical school, Nelson went to the University of Minnesota for more training. He joined a research team that was creating the heart-lung machine. This machine helped doctors perform the first open-heart surgery using a special bypass in 1951. Nelson earned his Ph.D. from Minnesota in 1954 for his research.

Medical Career and Achievements

Nelson served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for two years during the Korean War. He was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He worked with a research group to improve care for wounded soldiers. He visited MASH units in Korea to help with these improvements. He left the army as a captain.

In 1955, Nelson returned to Salt Lake City. He became a professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine. There, he built his own heart-lung bypass machine. He used it to perform the first open-heart surgery west of the Mississippi River. This surgery took place at the Salt Lake General Hospital. Nelson was one of the first surgeons in the United States to successfully perform an open-heart operation.

He also performed the first successful heart surgery on a child in Salt Lake City in 1956. He was a leader in treating coronary artery disease and improving heart valve surgeries. In 1960, he performed one of the first repairs of a specific heart valve problem. He performed nearly 7,000 operations during his career.

Nelson was elected president of the Utah State Medical Association. He also led the Division of Thoracic Surgery at LDS Hospital. In 1975, he was elected president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, a national organization. He traveled to many countries, including Latin America, Africa, India, and China, to share his medical knowledge.

In 2015, the University of Utah created a special professorship in his and his first wife's honor. It is called the Russell M. Nelson MD, PhD Visiting Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Church Service

Besides his medical work, Russell M. Nelson held many leadership roles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in local congregations in Minnesota, Washington D.C., and Massachusetts.

After returning to Salt Lake City, he worked with young men in his ward. He later served as a counselor in his local bishopric for over five years. From 1964 to 1971, he served as a stake president in Salt Lake City. For ten years, from 1955 to 1965, he also gave tours to visitors at Temple Square every Thursday.

Nelson served for eight years as the church's Sunday School General President. During this time, the Sunday School created a new eight-year plan for studying the church's scriptures. They also changed how teachers were trained.

He then served for four and a half years as a regional representative. In this role, he helped oversee church activities in different areas.

Becoming an Apostle

Church president Spencer W. Kimball called Nelson to be an apostle. Nelson had been President Kimball's personal doctor for many years. He was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984. He was ordained an apostle on April 12, 1984. At the same conference, Dallin H. Oaks also became an apostle.

As an apostle, Nelson helped oversee the church's Young Women program. He supported the development of the Young Women values and the Personal Progress program.

Nelson also had special assignments in different parts of the world. He oversaw the church's work in Africa. In 2009, he and his wife were involved in an incident in Mozambique, but they were safe. He visited Africa many times, including Kenya in 2011.

From 2007 to 2015, Nelson was part of the governing body for the Church Educational System. After the death of Boyd K. Packer in 2015, Nelson became the most senior member and president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Work in Eastern Europe

Nelson was assigned to oversee the church's work in Eastern Europe. He helped the church meet with government leaders in countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and the Soviet Union. He also worked to help the church grow in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland.

In 2010, Nelson attended the dedication of the Kyiv Ukraine Temple. He also visited several European countries and gave special blessings to Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.

In 2011, Nelson returned to Russia to organize the first church stake there, located in Moscow. His only son, Russell M. Nelson Jr., had served as a missionary in Russia.

Work in China

When Nelson was the Sunday School General President, he was encouraged to learn Chinese. He learned some Mandarin and built connections with doctors in China. He made several trips there to train surgeons. In 1985, he became an honorary professor at Shandong Medical College. In 1995, he visited Beijing by official invitation from China's Vice Premier.

President of the Church

After the death of President Thomas S. Monson on January 2, 2018, Russell M. Nelson became the next president of the church. He was ordained and set apart as church president on January 14, 2018. Two days later, he was introduced to church members and the media. He chose Dallin H. Oaks as his First Counselor and Henry B. Eyring as his Second Counselor.

On April 14, 2022, Nelson became the oldest president in the history of the church. On August 8, 2022, he became the church's oldest apostle ever. He turned 100 years old on September 9, 2024. The church celebrated his birthday with a worldwide broadcast about his life and service.

Worldwide Ministry

Since becoming church president, Nelson has traveled to many parts of the world to meet church members. By August 2019, he had visited sixteen countries.

In April 2018, he went on a global ministry tour with his wife and Jeffrey R. Holland and his wife. They visited members in London, England; Jerusalem; Nairobi, Kenya; Harare, Zimbabwe; Bengaluru, India; Bangkok, Thailand; Hong Kong; and Laie, Hawaii.

In June 2018, Nelson visited Alberta, Canada, where his second wife was born. In September 2018, he visited the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. He gave a talk entirely in Spanish in the Dominican Republic, which was a first for a church president in a formal setting.

In March 2019, Nelson met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. This was the first time a pope and a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints president had met. This meeting happened the day before the Rome Italy Temple was dedicated.

Changes in the Church

During Nelson's presidency, there have been many important changes in church policies and organization.

In March 2018, the church leaders sent a letter about preventing and responding to abuse. It clearly stated that people should always report abuse to legal authorities. It also gave clearer rules for interviews with women and youth, allowing another adult to be present.

In April 2018, Nelson appointed Gerrit W. Gong and Ulisses Soares to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They were the first Asian-American and Brazilian members of the Quorum.

Nelson also announced major changes to church organization. Groups of high priests at the local level were combined with the elders quorum. Also, the programs of home teaching and visiting teaching were replaced with a new focus on ministering. Young women aged 14–18 can now serve as ministering sisters.

In August 2018, Nelson asked members to use the full name of the church. He said this was a "correction" and a "command of the Lord."

In October 2018, Nelson announced that Sunday church meetings would be shortened from three hours to two hours. In December 2018, the church changed how youth move between classes and priesthood groups. Now, youth move at the beginning of the year they turn 12, 14, or 16.

In April 2019, the church announced an adjustment to a previous policy. This change made it easier for children of same-sex parents to be baptized. Nelson explained that this was "revelation upon revelation" meant to "help affected families."

On April 5, 2020, Nelson issued a new proclamation called "The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World". This happened on the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith's First Vision.

Temples

Nelson's time as church president has focused a lot on temples. As of October 2024, he has announced 185 new temples to be built around the world. He has also dedicated several temples.

In 2018, he announced 19 new temples, including the first ones in India, Nicaragua, Russia, and Cambodia. He dedicated the Concepcion Chile Temple in October 2018.

From March 10 to 12, 2019, Nelson led the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple. All the members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attended this dedication. This was the first time all ordained apostles of the church had gathered in one place outside the United States.

In April 2020, Nelson announced plans for a temple in Shanghai, China.

Family Life

While studying at the University of Utah, Russell Nelson met Dantzel White (1926–2005). They dated for three years and married on August 31, 1945, in the Salt Lake Temple. They had ten children: nine daughters and one son. Dantzel was a talented singer and was a member of the Tabernacle Choir in the 1950s.

Dantzel Nelson passed away unexpectedly on February 12, 2005, at age 78. The next year, Nelson married Wendy L. Watson (born 1950) on April 6, 2006, in the Salt Lake Temple. Wendy was a professor before she retired.

Awards and Honors

Russell M. Nelson has received many awards and honors for his work. Some of these include:

• President of the Thoracic Surgical Directors Association
• President of the Society for Vascular Surgery (1975)
• President of the Utah State Medical Association
• "Citation for International Service" from the American Heart Association
• "Heart of Gold Award" from the American Heart Association
• "Golden Plate Award" from the American Academy of Achievement
• "Distinguished Alumni Award" from the University of Utah
• "Surgical Alumnus of the Year Award" from the University of Minnesota Medical School
• "Governor's Medal of Science: Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Utah Technology Innovation Summit
• "Advocate of the Arts" award from the Inspirational Arts Association
• "2023 Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize" from Morehouse College

In June 2018, the University of Utah created a special position in heart surgery named after Nelson and his first wife, Dantzel.

Honorary Degrees

Images for kids

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  Signature of Russell M. Nelson

See also

In Spanish: Russell M. Nelson para niños

• Council on the Disposition of the Tithes
• Michael T. Ringwood