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Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dies at 101

The church now enters its standard succession process that typically elevates senior apostle Dallin H. Oaks after the funeral.

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FILE - Church President Russell M. Nelson looks on during The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' conference on April 6, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
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Thousands of Latter-day Saints in Bolivia listen as the Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, speaks in Spanish during a Sunday devotional, Oct. 21, 2018, in the Polideportivo Heroes de Octobre in El Alto, Bolivia.

Overview

  • Church officials said Nelson died peacefully at his Salt Lake City home shortly after 10 p.m. on Sept. 27, confirmed by spokesperson Candice Madsen.
  • Per protocol, the First Presidency dissolves and apostles reconvene, with a formal announcement on the new president expected following funeral services.
  • Nelson’s presidency reshaped practice and visibility as he urged use of the church’s full name, accelerated global temple construction, shortened Sunday services, and launched a new worldwide youth program after leaving the Boy Scouts of America.
  • A renowned heart surgeon before full-time church service, Nelson helped pioneer the heart-lung machine, performed Utah’s first open-heart surgery in 1955, and joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984.
  • His tenure included policy shifts affecting LGBTQ+ members, heightened scrutiny of the church’s abuse-reporting hotline that leaders defended, expanded global leadership representation, regional hymn initiatives, and a formal partnership with the NAACP.