In tribute to President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on his 100th birthday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared Monday as President Russell M. Nelson Day in Utah.
In the declaration honoring President Nelson’s dedication to “kindness, love and welcoming spirit,” Cox called out President Nelson’s “tireless efforts to build bridges of understanding and preserve freedoms.”
Born Sept. 9, 1924, to Marion C. and Edna Anderson Nelson in Salt Lake City, President Nelson is the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was sustained and set apart on Jan. 14, 2018.
During his time as leader of the church, President Nelson has traveled to 35 nations, adjusted church organization, used technology to share the gospel, led the church through a pandemic and issued historic invitations. President Nelson has also addressed hundreds of thousands of Latter-day Saints — often in their own language — and called upon kings, presidents and prime ministers. He has comforted victims of crime and others who grieve, called children to him and linked arms with top leaders of the NAACP.