President Russell M. Nelson’s family cherishes their memories with him as he marks 100th birthday

SALT LAKE CITY — President Russell M. Nelson, who leads The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will celebrate his 100th birthday Monday.

Millions of Church members worldwide will mark the milestone. But for his family, it is deeply personal. 

Some of his children and grandchildren recently spoke with KSL TV.

Four of the children sat on a couch, looking at a photo album and recalling the moments.

“I remember we were doing, we would try to get our chores done on Saturday, so, daddy would take us, he would take us ice skating,” one of President Nelson’s children said.  

The “daddy” they are talking about is President Nelson. He and his late wife, Dantzel Nelson, had 10 children. Memories of their early family life are precious to them, like fishing trips.

“We were cleaning fish at the kitchen sink after the trip and, and he wanted to teach me about the anatomy of the eye,” said daughter Gloria Irion. “So, we slit the eyeball and poked out that lens. And I just thought that was the coolest thing.” 

‘Recognition of miracles’

And they remember the recognition of miracles.

“So, my parents came to see us when our fifth child was born, and they both just held that baby and wept and wept. And just what a gift this is from Heavenly Father,” said daughter Laurie Marsh.

They love their father’s never-ending search for knowledge.

“Whether that’s buying him a digital camera, years and years ago, as the first digital camera, to how to text and AirDrop and things like that,” said Russell Nelson Jr. “So, it’s been really neat to see how all the channels of communication have been utilized.” 

President Nelson’s grandchildren feel the same.

“I remember as a teenager having the opportunity to have little firesides with our group of friends with him,” said grandson Nathan McKellar. “We’d just go over to the Nelson home and he would just sit down with our friends and give us little lessons.” 

Nathan McKellar’s wife, Emily, remembers her first family gathering with President Nelson.

“He just welcomed me right into the family. I was part of the family right away,” Emily McKellar said. “There are now 300 members of the Nelson family. As each person would come in, he would greet them with a hug and a kiss and by name. Absolutely amazing how he can remember all of those names.”

When grandson Russell Irion and his wife, Ellen, were living in Las Vegas, they had a baby. And so, President Nelson scheduled a visit.

“He wanted to meet and snuggle our baby,” said Ellen Irion. “And just, it’s just a priority for him, and it’s obvious, and he takes so much joy in it.”

Huge responsibility

And over the last 6 1/2 years, the family has watched as President Nelson has taken on the huge responsibility of serving as prophet.

“He’s ready to be a tool in the hands of God and I think he’s doing it beautifully,” Russell Irion said. His family is thankful to still be able to share memories with him.

“We’re just grateful for every day that we can be led by him or know that he’s downtown, doing the work and it’s just a comfort to us to know he’s still here,” daughter Marsha Workman said. 

Family members will gather to celebrate a man they will forever hold dear as father, grandfather and great-grandfather. 

KSL TV will stream President Nelson’s 100th birthday celebration from the Conference Center Little Theatre on Monday at 4 p.m.