Mormon Church Names Russell M. Nelson As New Leader

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon church, has named 93-year-old Russell M. Nelson as its new president.

"I express my deep love for you — love that has grown over decades of meeting you, worshipping with you and serving you," Nelson, a former surgeon and longtime church leader, said in a live video announcement Tuesday morning from the Salt Lake Temple in Utah.

Former Church President Thomas S. Monson died earlier this month after nearly a decade leading the faith of some 16 million members.

Since 1984, Nelson has been a member of the Mormon church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a group of men that oversees the "orderly progress and development of the global Church." He has been that group's president since July 15, 2015.

"Two days ago, my brethren of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles laid hands upon my head, ordained me, set me apart as president of the church. It was a sacred and humbling experience," Nelson said at a news conference. "We live in the most vibrant era in the history of the world."

Nelson is expected to continue in the leadership tradition of the church's previous president.

"What they prize in their transition is continuity of the tradition. And they choose a man who is most experienced ... the most mature in terms of experience in the system," Kathleen Flake, a religious studies professor at the University of Virginia who focuses on the Mormon church, told Morning Edition.

The power structure is designed to create that continuity. Flake added that she thinks the person "who sits at the top of the Mormon church operates less as a sole actor than people realize. He is always acting within a consular model that demands unanimity among 15 people."

The previous president, Monson, reaffirmed the church's opposition to same-sex marriage. When asked about his position on the issue, Nelson said: "God loves his children and he wants them to have joy." He did not explicitly denounce same-sex marriage but stressed that there is a need to find balance between the "love of the Lord and the law of the Lord."

The Mormon church is led by white men from the U.S., and Nelson stated that "we'll live to see the day when there are other flavors in the mix." He added that the current leadership is a product of who was called by the Lord. "Not one of us asked to be here." He added that the church depends on women's voices and participation.

During his career as a heart surgeon, Nelson "performed the first open heart surgery in the state of Utah and pioneered advancements for coronary artery disease," KUER's Lee Hale reported.

Nelson has visited some 133 countries, according to the church. As Hale reported, "one of his first assignments involved overseeing the church's presence in the former Soviet Union and he's had similar assignments in Africa and Central Asia."

Hale added that Nelson recently "defended the controversial church policy that forbids the children of gay parents to be baptized without special approval. Speaking to students at the church-owned Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Nelson said the policy was a result of revelation and reflected the will of the Lord."

Nelson named two other church leaders — 85-year-old Dallin H. Oaks and 84-year-old Henry B. Eyring — to serve as his counselors in the church's highest governing body.

Nelson is believed to be in good health. His family looked on and waved at the camera during the announcement, including some of his 116 great-grandchildren.</s>SALT LAKE CITY — Thirty-four years ago, President Russell M. Nelson set aside his career as a world-renowned heart surgeon for what, to him, was the higher calling of apostolic ministry.

On Tuesday, he was announced as the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to church officials.

President Dallin H. Oaks was called as the first counselor in the First Presidency and President Henry B. Eyring was called as the second counselor.

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles convened for a press conference with local and international media following the broadcasted announcement.

President Nelson fielded the first question from a local reporter eager to know the First Presidency’s stance on LGBTQ issues going forward. The church has always been an advocate of traditional marriage and believes sexual relations should be reserved for a married man and woman.

The new prophet expressed his love for all God’s children and acknowledged the challenges for some to keep the commandments of God.

“There’s a place for everyone who wishes to do so, regardless of these challenges, to be with us in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” President Nelson said.

Media representatives from Mexico and Brazil asked the new leaders what message the church had for international members who are experiencing economic and social difficulties, and President Nelson reaffirmed the church’s initiative to provide humanitarian help to those in need.

The best way the church can help is by instilling in its members a love of service and the motivation to help their neighbor, he said. The church currently has more international members than those in the U.S.

The First Presidency also addressed the issue of gender and racial equity within the church after one reporter pointed out that the leadership of the church is still white, American men. President Nelson reminded viewers that most of the church’s leadership is made up of local members from all over the world.

Presidents Nelson, Oaks and Eyring also spoke of the importance of women’s influence in the church, something that President Nelson has focused on recently in past addresses to church members.

“The most important thing about us is that we are all children of God,” President Oaks said. “If we keep that in mind, we are better suited to relate to one another and to avoid a kind of quota system, as if God applied his blessings and extended his goodness and his love on the basis of quotas, that I think he does not recognize. So we shouldn’t.”

The youth of the church were also a focal point for the First Presidency during the conference. Recent studies show that fewer millennials identify with a certain religion than any generation before them, one reporter said. In response, President Nelson said he hopes to address this issue by reminding the youth of the wonder of life and the goodness of God.

“A lot of youth are discouraged and overwhelmed,” President Eyring said. “(President Nelson’s) optimism alone sets an example for them that will get them through all sorts of difficulties.”

One reporter asked about what some claim is a lack of transparency in early church history. Those who have left the church often cite this lack of transparency as their reason to leave, the reporter said.

Within the last few decades, the church has made early records of the church available to all, President Nelson remarked. President Oaks mentioned the Joseph Smith Papers project — an effort by the church to publish all the writings of the first prophet of the LDS Church.

“Give your leaders a little leeway to make mistakes as you hope your leaders will give you,” President Nelson added.

President Nelson, 93, will succeed former LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson, who died Jan. 2 after serving for nearly a decade as the leader of the LDS Church.

The man, now known to LDS faithful as their prophet, often blended the spiritual with his career in medicine, recounting experiences of miraculous healing he witnessed during his time in the church and as a medical professional.

Elder Nelson was a heart surgeon before being called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

During a visit to Mexico with a group of fellow physicians in 1978, one of President Nelson’s colleagues became seriously ill, suffering severe internal bleeding in his stomach. Though all in the group were trained doctors, none had the equipment necessary to help the man; all watched, helpless as he suffered, according to a biography of President Nelson published on the church’s website, LDS.org.

“All the combined knowledge and concern there could not be converted to action to help our friend as we saw his life ebbing before our eyes. We were powerless to stop his bleeding,” President Nelson said.

Eventually, the man asked for a blessing of healing, which Latter-day Saints believe is possible through faith and power from God. President Nelson administered a blessing to the ailing man and later said “the Spirit dictated that the bleeding would stop, and that the man would continue to live and return to his home and profession.”

The man soon found himself fully recovered and back with his family. President Nelson was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church six years later.

The heart surgeon was 60 when he accepted a lifelong calling as an apostle — one of the men in church leadership who LDS faithful believe serve as special witnesses of Jesus Christ. President Nelson was called as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after the passing of President Boyd K. Packer in 2015.

Born in Salt Lake City in 1924, President Nelson received a Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Utah before serving for two years in the U.S. Army on medical duty during the Korean War, according to his biography.

When he returned from the military, he completed his surgery residency rotations at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and the University of Minnesota, where he received his Ph.D.

During his schooling, President Nelson met and married Dantzel White, and the couple had 10 children together. President Nelson’s wife and children said he made it a priority to be with them, though he was often busy.

“Once President Harold B. Lee asked Sister (Dantzel) Nelson how it felt to be the wife of such a busy man,” according to one biography. “Her reply, which President Lee quoted many times afterward, was ‘When he’s home, he’s home.'”

And as a family man and busy doctor, President Nelson also made it a priority to focus on emulating Jesus Christ and his healing power.

He helped develop the first heart-lung machine, making open-heart surgery possible by maintaining blood circulation. Early in his career, he and his wife Dantzel discovered a way to better oxygenate a patient’s blood during surgery.

In 1972, he operated on then-Elder Spencer W. Kimball, an LDS apostle who would later become president of the LDS Church.

Through his career, he was fascinated by what he saw as God’s laws “that govern the function of the body,” he told young adult members of the church in a 2017 address. As he researched, he discovered how these laws worked in connection with the heart’s function.

But despite his own medical accomplishments, President Nelson maintains that true healing power comes from Jesus Christ.

“I marvel at his matchless power to heal. I testify of Jesus Christ as the master healer. It is but one of many attributes that characterize his incomparable life,” President Nelson said during a 2005 address to the church.

Prior to and during his calling as an apostle, President Nelson served on several councils, which provided him with varied experiences that have served him well throughout his ministry.

Under LDS Church President Ezra Taft Benson, he also worked to open doors to missionaries in the Eastern European nations, visiting 31 countries in Europe in 27 trips made over 5 years.

In his most recent address to members of the LDS Church, President Nelson spoke of the Book of Mormon — a book of scripture members of the faith believe to be an account of Christ’s ministry in the Americas. He challenged members to think about their lives without the Book of Mormon, what they would not know or have.

In response to a challenge from President Monson, he said he studied the book, and typifying his meticulous nature, made lists of what the book is, affirms, fulfills, clarifies, refutes and reveals.

“When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console and cheer our souls,” he said in his address.

After the death of his first wife in 2005, President Nelson married Wendy L. Watson in 2006. Watson previously worked as a marriage and family therapy professor at BYU and is often seen accompanying her husband on church assignments.

President Nelson is expected to serve as president of the church until his death.</s>SALT LAKE CITY – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is announcing its new leadership Tuesday morning.

The church said President Russell M. Nelson will address members and the public at 9 a.m.

Throughout church history, the most senior apostle has become the next president, which would be President Nelson.

Click here to watch live starting at 9 a.m.</s>(SALT LAKE CITY) — The Mormon church appointed a 93-year-old former heart surgeon Tuesday as its new president, following a longstanding succession plan that aims to keep the faith on course with a minimum of upheaval.

The selection of Russell M. Nelson was announced during an address broadcast from Salt Lake City to Mormons around the world. Nelson called on Mormons to stay true to their faith and “keep the covenant path.”

“If you have stepped off the path, may I advise you with all the hope in my heart to please come back,” Nelson said. “Whatever your concerns, whatever your challenges, there’s a place for you in this, the Lord’s church.”

The announcement came after Nelson was chosen as the religion’s 17th president during a private meeting of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles leadership body in a temple, per church tradition that makes the longest-tenured member of the Quorum the new president. Nelson is now considered a “prophet, seer and revelator” by Mormons. Nelson succeeds Thomas S. Monson, who died Jan. 2 at age 90.

Nelson announced that his two counselors will be Dallin H. Oaks, 85, and Henry B. Eyring, 84, both members of the Quorum. Eyring was also a counselor for Monson, while this marks the first time Oaks will serve as a counselor to a church president. Oaks is the next-longest tenured member of the Quorum, making him next-in-line to become the next president.

Nelson is the second-oldest man to assume leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is based in Utah and counts nearly 16 million members worldwide. He will oversee the religious and business interests of the faith in collaboration with two top counselors and members of the Quorum, one of the faith’s top governing bodies.

Nelson’s record during his three decades in church leadership suggests he will make few changes as he upholds church teaching and seeks to draw new members.

Among the challenges he faces is adapting to the increasingly global nature of the church, which was founded in 1830 in the United States and now has nearly six in 10 members living in other countries.

Still, the rate of growth overall in membership has slowed in the past few decades, despite efforts to spread the faith including the lowering of the minimum age for those serving as missionaries.

Nelson takes the top position amid increased scrutiny of church teaching in the internet age, which has made more information on doctrine available. Under Monson, leaders released a series of essays explaining some controversial areas of Mormon history, including early polygamous practices and a past ban on black men in the lay clergy.

The church also faces some pressure to allow greater leadership roles for women, including those who want to be admitted to the priesthood.

Nelson also will have to navigate the issues raised by the LGBT rights movement. The church, at times, has expressed empathy and told members to be welcoming to LGBT people while also strictly defending opposition to same-sex marriage and all homosexual relationships.

Last year, Mormon leaders partially cut ties with the Boy Scouts of America, which in 2015 ended its blanket ban on participation by openly gay adults. The LDS church, which has been the biggest sponsor of troops, said the move wasn’t about that decision.

Nelson fits the common profile of his generation of church leaders as someone who was successful in the private sector before leaving behind his career to help guide the faith.

Born in Salt Lake City in 1924, Nelson converted to Mormonism at the age of 16. He was a doctor by 22. He served a two-year Army medical tour of duty during the Korean War before resuming a medical career that included being director of thoracic surgery residency at the University of Utah.

Nelson learned Mandarin after church president Spencer W. Kimball challenged church leaders in 1979 to learn the language. The next year, Nelson spent a month in Jinan, China, working with doctors there as a visiting professor of surgery.

In the spring of 1984, he joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The final surgery Nelson performed was the next year in China, when he operated on Chinese opera star Fang Rongxiang at the request of a doctor who knew and trusted Nelson, according to a church biography.

Nelson was scheduled to answer questions from reporters later Tuesday morning.

His past speeches offer some clue to how he will lead.

In October 2015, during a period of intense discussion about the role of women, Nelson spoke of women’s unique contributions.

“My dear sisters, whatever your calling, whatever your circumstances, we need your impressions, your insights, and your inspiration,” Nelson said. “Married or single, you sisters possess distinctive capabilities and special intuition you have received as gifts from God. We brethren cannot duplicate your unique influence.”

That year, when the U.S. legalized same-sex marriage, Mormon leaders declared people in same-sex relationships “apostates,” meaning they could be excommunicated, and banned baptism for children living with gay parents until the children reached age 18. The policy caused an uproar among gay rights activists within and outside the church. Nelson told a group of young adults in 2016 that the rules came from a revelation received by Monson and other leaders that gave “spiritual confirmation” for their stance.

Last October, in an address to the church general conference, Nelson implored members to closely read and understand the faith’s keystone scripture, the Book of Mormon.

“When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power,” Nelson said. “The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls.”</s>President Russell M. Nelson has been called as the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The worldwide announcement came Tuesday morning, Jan. 16, during a live Church broadcast.

Dallin H. Oaks will serve as First Counselor in the First Presidency and Henry B. Eyring will serve as Second Counselor in the First Presidency.

The new president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be President M. Russell Ballard.

President Russell M. Nelson was first called to serve as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 7, 1984. President Nelson was set apart by President Thomas S. Monson as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on July 15, 2015.

Born Sept. 9, 1924, to parents Marion C. and Edna Anderson Nelson, President Russell M. Nelson begins his term as the second oldest Church president at the time of taking office at 93 years old. Joseph Fielding Smith was two months older when he became president of the Church in 1970.

During his most recent BYU-Idaho devotional address in January 2015, President Nelson told students the Lord can accomplish anything, even with unlikely means.

“He has sent you here to be successful and to have joy in your journey in mortality,” President Nelson said during the BYU-Idaho devotional. “He wants each of you to know that ‘with God, nothing shall be impossible.’”

Respected as a world-renowned heart surgeon and medical researcher, President Nelson performed Utah’s first open-heart surgery and went on to perform open-heart surgeries on countless individuals, including former president of the Church, Spencer W. Kimball.

President Nelson graduated from the University of Utah, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1945 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1947.

President Nelson’s career as a medical professional includes serving as a professor of surgical research and as director of the thoracic surgery residency at the University of Utah. He also served as chairman of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at LDS Hospital located in Salt Lake City.

President Nelson and his wife, the former Dantzel White, have 10 children, 57 grandchildren and more than 100 great-grandchildren, according to the Church’s official website. Dantzel passed away in February 2005. In April 2006, President Nelson married Wendy L. Watson.</s>Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The Mormon Church appointed 93-year-old former surgeon Russell M. Nelson as its new president Tuesday.

Nelson, a member of the Mormon Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke during a live stream as it was announced he will replace former President Thomas S. Monson, who died earlier this month.

"Two days ago, my brethren of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles laid hands upon my hands, ordained me, set me apart as president of the church. It was a sacred and humbling experience," Nelson said. "We live in the most vibrant era in the history of the world."

Nelson is the second-oldest apostle in Mormon history to be named president and the first physician to lead the church.

He is expected to continue in the leadership tradition of Monson, including abiding by a 2015 policy that forbids the children of same-sex couples from participating in religious rites until they are 18.

A number of members left the church in response to the policy, along with many millennials and other young people.

Nelson also addressed the lack of inclusivity and diversity in the church's leadership stating "we are white and we are American," while adding he believes other races and ethnicities may serve in leadership roles in the future.

"The Twelve and the Seventy are not a representative assembly of any kind [but they are called by the Lord,]" he said. "I think we will live to see the day when there will be other flavors in the mix ... but we respond because we've been called by the Lord. Not one of us asked to be here."

He also discussed the role of women in the church and the all-male priesthood that prohibits women from holding governing offices.

"We have women in our councils, women administering ordinances in the temples," he said. "We depend on their voices."

Nelson named two other church leaders, 85-year-old Dallin H. Oaks and 84-year-old Henry B. Eyring, to serve as his counselors.

"We will work hand in hand to perceive the will of the Lord and move his sacred work forward," said Nelson.</s>President Russell M. Nelson was announced as the 17th president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. The announcement was made by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during a live broadcast from the annex of the iconic Salt Lake Temple. He was sustained and set apart in the Salt Lake Temple on Sunday, January 14, 2018.

 President Nelson, 93, succeeds President Thomas S. Monson, who passed away January 2, 2018.

 The new leader of a global faith of more than 16 million members has named President Dallin H. Oaks, 85, and President Henry B. Eyring, 84, to serve with him as his first and second counselors in the First Presidency, the Church’s highest governing body.

 President Nelson also announced that M. Russell Ballard, 89, is the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

President Russell M. Nelson

 Prior to his service as head of the Church, President Nelson served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since April 7, 1984. He was president of that quorum from July 15, 2015, until his call as the Church’s leader.

 An internationally renowned surgeon and medical researcher, President Nelson’s professional work included the positions of research professor of surgery and director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency at the University of Utah and chairman of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City.

President Dallin H. Oaks

 President Dallin H. Oaks has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since May 1984. He was president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship.

President Henry B. Eyring

 President Henry B. Eyring served as a counselor to President Thomas S. Monson from 2008 to 2018 and to President Gordon B. Hinckley from 2007 to 2008. He was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 1, 1995. Prior to full-time Church service, President Eyring was president of Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, from 1971 to 1977. He was on the faculty at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University from 1962 to 1971.

Acting President M. Russell Ballard

 Acting President M. Russell Ballard has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve since October 6, 1985. In 1976 he was called as a General Authority Seventy. Prior to his call as a full-time Church leader, President Ballard had interests in automotive, real estate and investment businesses. Read more about M. Russell Ballard.</s>SALT LAKE CITY — The Mormon church appointed a 93-year-old former heart surgeon Tuesday as its new president, following a longstanding succession plan that aims to keep the faith on course with a minimum of upheaval.

The selection of Russell M. Nelson was announced during an address broadcast from Salt Lake City to Mormons around the world. Nelson called on Mormons to stay true to their faith and "keep the covenant path."

"If you have stepped off the path, may I advise you with all the hope in my heart to please come back," Nelson said. "Whatever your concerns, whatever your challenges, there's a place for you in this, the Lord's church."

The announcement came after Nelson was chosen as the religion's 17th president during a private meeting of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles leadership body in a temple, per church tradition that makes the longest-tenured member of the Quorum the new president. Nelson is now considered a "prophet, seer and revelator" by Mormons.

Nelson is the second-oldest man to assume leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is based in Utah and counts nearly 16 million members worldwide. He will oversee the religious and business interests of the faith in collaboration with two top counselors and members of the Quorum, one of the faith's top governing bodies.

Nelson's record during his three decades in church leadership suggests he will make few changes as he upholds church teaching and seeks to draw new members.

Among the challenges he faces is adapting to the increasingly global nature of the church, which was founded in 1830 in the United States and now has nearly six in 10 members living in other countries.

Still, the rate of growth overall in membership has slowed in the past few decades, despite efforts to spread the faith including the lowering of the minimum age for those serving as missionaries.

Nelson takes the top position amid increased scrutiny of church teaching in the internet age, which has made more information on doctrine available. Under Monson, leaders released a series of essays explaining some controversial areas of Mormon history, including early polygamous practices and a past ban on black men in the lay clergy.

The church also faces some pressure to allow greater leadership roles for women, including those who want to be admitted to the priesthood.

Nelson also will have to navigate the issues raised by the LGBT rights movement. The church, at times, has expressed empathy and told members to be welcoming to LGBT people while also strictly defending opposition to same-sex marriage and all homosexual relationships.

Last year, Mormon leaders partially cut ties with the Boy Scouts of America, which in 2015 ended its blanket ban on participation by openly gay adults. The LDS church, which has been the biggest sponsor of troops, said the move wasn't about that decision.

Nelson fits the common profile of his generation of church leaders as someone who was successful in the private sector before leaving behind his career to help guide the faith.

Born in Salt Lake City in 1924, Nelson converted to Mormonism at the age of 16. He was a doctor by 22. He served a two-year Army medical tour of duty during the Korean War before resuming a medical career that included being director of thoracic surgery residency at the University of Utah.

His past speeches offer some clue to how he will lead.

In October 2015, during a period of intense discussion about the role of women, Nelson spoke of women's unique contributions.

"My dear sisters, whatever your calling, whatever your circumstances, we need your impressions, your insights, and your inspiration," Nelson said. "Married or single, you sisters possess distinctive capabilities and special intuition you have received as gifts from God. We brethren cannot duplicate your unique influence."

That year, when the U.S. legalized same-sex marriage, Mormon leaders declared people in same-sex relationships "apostates," meaning they could be excommunicated, and banned baptism for children living with gay parents until the children reached age 18. The policy caused an uproar among gay rights activists within and outside the church.

Nelson told a group of young adults in 2016 that the rules came from a revelation received by Monson and other leaders that gave "spiritual confirmation" for their stance.</s>A 93-year-old former heart surgeon with three decades of experience with the Mormon church's top leadership panel has been officially named the faith's president.

 

High-ranking Mormon D. Todd Christofferson announced the selection of Russell M. Nelson as president Tuesday in an address from Salt Lake City that broadcast to Mormons around the world.

 

Nelson's selection follows a longstanding succession plan that makes the longest-tenured member of the faith's Quorum the next church's president.

 

Nelson becomes the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Utah-based faith counts nearly 16 million members worldwide.

 

He succeeds Thomas S. Monson, who died Jan. 2.

 

The faith's presidents are considered prophets who lead the church through revelations from God in collaboration with two top counselors and members of the Quorum.</s>President Russell M. Nelson became the 17th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday morning, as announced during a live broadcast from the Salt Lake City Temple on Tuesday morning.

He succeeds President Thomas S. Monson, who died on Jan. 2. Monson served almost 10 years as president of the church, and 54 years as a general authority, according to LDS.org.

Nelson said the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met in the upper room of the Salt Lake Temple on Sunday morning and made a unanimous decision. He was set apart by the next ranking apostle in seniority, Dallin H. Oaks, along with the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve.

“I needed to discern whom the Lord had prepared to be my counselors,” Nelson said.

Nelson, 93, selected President Dallin H. Oaks, 85, as first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Henry B. Eyring, 84, as second counselor in the First Presidency.

Nelson said words were inadequate to describe the process on Sunday morning, a process he said that was put in place by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Oaks replaces Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf in the First Presidency. Uchtdorf served as second counselor in the First Presidency since Feb. 3, 2008.

Elder M. Russell Ballard, next in seniority to Oaks, will serve as acting President of the First Quorum of the Twelve.

Steve Pruden, director of the LDS church’s Tooele Institute of Religion, said he is thrilled to have Nelson as the church’s new president and prophet.

“I have met with President Nelson on a few occasions and feel he is groomed and educated for this calling,” Pruden said. “Sometimes, we get bogged down on the age issue, but President Nelson’s son-in-law said he has the body of a 60 year old. President Nelson still snow skis and that is pretty good for a 93 year old. He doesn’t water ski anymore, though. He is known for his compassion and kindness, and I think he’s developed that working as a heart surgeon in life-and-death situations.”

Charlie Roberts, a former LDS bishop in the Tooele 6th Ward, indicated that Nelson’s drive is impressive.

“One of the things that stands out to me is that he has all this energy for 93 years old,” Roberts said. “I think the work will go forth. It is my understanding that Elder Uchtdorf is prepared to help with a lot of the growth in West Africa. President Oaks will also add a lot because of his background in law, and his experience on the Utah Supreme Court.”

Nelson was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984. He was set apart as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by President Thomas S. Monson on July 15, 2015, according to LDS.org.

An internationally renowned surgeon and medical researcher, Nelson received his BA and MD degrees from the University of Utah (1945, 1947). Honorary scholastic societies include Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. He served his residency in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and at the University of Minnesota, where he was awarded his Ph.D. degree in 1954. He also received honorary degrees of doctor of science from Brigham Young University in 1970, doctor of medical science from Utah State University in 1989, and doctor of humane letters from Snow College in 1994.

Nelson has served as president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association, and president of the Utah State Medical Association.

He is listed in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in Religion, according to LDS.org

He served in numerous positions of responsibility in the church. He served as stake president of the Bonneville Stake in Salt Lake City from 1964 to 1971, when he was called as general president of the Sunday School.

According to mormonnewsroom.org, Oaks has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since May 1984.

He was president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship.

Eyring served as a counselor to President Monson from 2008 to 2018 and to President Gordon B. Hinckley from 2007 to 2008.

He was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 1, 1995. Prior to full-time church service, Eyring was president of Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho from 1971 to 1977. He was on the faculty at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University from 1962 to 1971.

Ballard, acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve since Oct. 6, 1985. In 1976 he was called as a General Authority Seventy. Prior to his call as a full-time Church leader, Ballard had interests in automotive, real estate and investment businesses.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) names Russell M. Nelson as the 17th President of the Church.