Documentary to feature life, legacy of President Russell M. Nelson
Oct 3, 2024, 6:30 PM | Updated: 7:12 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently celebrated his 100th birthday. His life and legacy are the focus of a conference special, airing this Sunday.
On Sept. 9, approximately 1,000 family, friends, and colleagues gathered in the Conference Center Little Theatre to mark a milestone for a prophet and to sing for him.
“Happy Birthday, President Nelson.”
Born in 1924, Russell Marion Nelson lived through the 1929 stock market crash, the Great Depression, and World War II and then served in the Korean War. Richard E. Turley, Jr., is the former Assistant Church Historian.
“He has a long vision from the past, because of his long life and because of his study of the past, and that gives him vision of the future, both from his own experience and from his prophetic role.”
Russell Marion Nelson became a world-renowned surgeon, performing Utah’s first open-heart surgery in 1955 after helping to develop an artificial heart and lung machine. In August 2023, he donated his medical journals to the University of Utah. Dr. Craig Selzman has President Nelson’s endowed chair.
“Whenever you start talking about like healthcare, with him, he gets a little twinkle on his eye,” Selzman said.
Russell M. Nelson was sustained as prophet and president of the Church in 2018. His grandson, Russell Irion said his desire to press forward increased when that happened.
“Everything he does is to build the Kingdom of God and he’s not wasting any time, and just totally focused on whatever the Lord wants him to do,” Irion said.
President Nelson’s daughter, Laurie Marsh cherishes memories of both her father and her mother, Dantzel Nelson. “That is my most pressure, precious lesson that I’ve learned from my parents is to love the Lord, put him first and watch miracles happen.”
As prophet, President Nelson has reached out to the NAACP and formed a partnership. The Rev. Theresa Dear is a member of the National Board.
“My life is richer and greater and sweeter as a result of our paths crossing,” Dear said.
There are now 350 Latter-day Saint temples operating, under construction or announced and President Nelson has announced 168 of them. Elder Neil L. Andersen, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who also oversees the Temple Department, has watched as President Nelson has focused on temple building and encouraging Church members to serve and make covenants in them.
“He is determined to do everything he can do to set this in order before his graduation comes, as he likes to call it.” Eldeer Andersen said.
One hundred days before his 100th birthday, President Nelson asked everyone to do as the Savior Jesus Christ does and to find ‘ the one,’ someone in need. Hundreds gathered at the South Jordan Stake Center for service projects in his honor on Sept. 11.
Alexa Ingleby said, ” Honestly, service projects are one of my favorite things to do. They’re just so much fun and you get to see all these nice people, that also want to do that same thing that you do.” Her friend, Maelyn Pendrey, added, ” I just love the feeling of helping others through their challenges, which I think is really fun.”
President Nelson’s closest associates believe he is a man for our time. Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “I know President Nelson as a prophet and seer, he can see the mind and heart of people, and they can see what they can become.”
And Elder David A. Bednar, also an Apostle, said, “There have been occasions when he and I have been walking together and he’ll just take me by the arm, and it’s so endearing it melts your heart because it’s not just the act, it’s the man, it’s the spirit of the man, it’s the essence of the man.”
Join us for ” A Century of Service: President Russell M. Nelson” Sunday, Oct . 6 at noon on KSL TV, and live streaming on the KSL+ app.