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This weekend President Russell M. Nelson will participate in and speak at his 82nd consecutive general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At a time when few people are alive, let alone leading a global organization, President Nelson will share a message as part of the global broadcast.
President Nelson is the first president of the church to hit the century mark, and his centennial birthday prompted global attention.
On his birthday , The New York Times noted that when President Nelson was born on Sept. 9, 1924, Utah had been a state for less than 30 years. The reporter also pointed out that “he has been alive for more than half of the life span of the church itself.”
Let’s add that the Salt Lake Temple had been dedicated just 31 years before.
“In a presidential election cycle that has prompted soul-searching about aging and leadership, Mr. Nelson’s milestone suggests that, at least in his church, a triple-digit birthday does not merit much hand-wringing. He remains a popular figure among church members, who view their president not just as an executive but as a ‘prophet, seer and revelator,’” the Times added.