Russell M. Nelson

Russell M. Nelson
Russell M. Nelson
	Nelson in 2012
17th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
	January 14, 2018
Predecessor	Thomas S. Monson
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
	July 3, 2015 – January 14, 2018
Predecessor	Boyd K. Packer
Successor	Dallin H. Oaks
End reason	Became President of the Church
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
	April 7, 1984 – January 14, 2018
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
End reason	Became President of the Church
LDS Church Apostle
	April 12, 1984 — present
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
Reason	Death of LeGrand Richards
Military career
	1951–1953
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	Army Medical Corps
Battles/wars	Korean War
Personal details
Born	Russell Marion Nelson; September 9, 1924 (age 99); Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Education	University of Utah (BA, MD); University of Minnesota (PhD);
Occupation	Cardiothoracic surgeon
Spouse(s)	; Dantzel White (m. 1945; died 2005) ; Wendy L. Watson (m. 2006)
Children	10 (2 deceased)
Signature
	Biography portal LDS movement portal
	Biography portal LDS movement portal

Russell Marion Nelson Sr. (born September 9, 1924) is an American religious leader and retired surgeon who is the 17th and current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).^[4] Nelson was a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for nearly 34 years, and was the quorum president from 2015 to 2018. As church president, Nelson is recognized by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator.^[5]

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Nelson attended the University of Utah for his undergraduate and medical school education. He earned a bachelor of arts in basic biological sciences with high honors in 1945, and a doctor of medicine degree in 1947, at age 22.^[6] He then did his medical residency and earned a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of the research team developing the heart-lung machine that in 1951 supported the first human open-heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass. After further surgical training and a two-year service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War, Nelson returned to Salt Lake City and accepted a professorship at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He spent the next 29 years working in the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Nelson became a noted heart surgeon and served as president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Utah Medical Association.^[7]

Nelson served in a variety of lay LDS Church leadership positions during his surgical career, beginning locally in Salt Lake City and then as the LDS Church's Sunday School General President from 1971 to 1979.^[8] In 1984, Nelson and the American jurist Dallin H. Oaks were selected to fill two vacancies in the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. LDS apostles serve full-time for life, and so Nelson retired from all of his prior professional positions.

^ With the death of Boyd K. Packer on July 3, 2015, Nelson became the second most senior apostle among the ranks of the church, resulting in him being the de facto President of the Quorum. He was officially set apart in that capacity July 15, 2015.
^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (July 15, 2015). "Russell M. Nelson: New President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.
^ Taylor, Scott (December 22, 2023). "How Apostles are called — and a look back at the calls of the current 15 Apostles". Church News. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
^ "Leader Biography: President Russell M. Nelson". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org (Press release). LDS Church.
^ See, e.g., "The Sustaining of Church Officers", April 2015 General Conference.
^ Mortensen, Matilyn. "LDS Church President Russell M. Nelson donates medical papers to the U". At The U. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
^ Johnson, Alex (January 16, 2018). "Noted heart surgeon unlikely to transform Mormon church as new president". NBC News. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
^ Hemingway, Heather (October 12, 2013). Cohen, Jeff (ed.). "Mormons Worldwide Tune in to Semiannual General Conference". blog.chron.com. Jack Sweeney. Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2014. Russell M. Nelson, an apostle and internationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon ...

[1] With the death of Boyd K. Packer on July 3, 2015, Nelson became the second most senior apostle among the ranks of the church, resulting in him being the de facto President of the Quorum. He was officially set apart in that capacity July 15, 2015.

[2] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (July 15, 2015). "Russell M. Nelson: New President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[3] Taylor, Scott (December 22, 2023). "How Apostles are called — and a look back at the calls of the current 15 Apostles". Church News. Retrieved December 23, 2023.

[bio-4] "Leader Biography: President Russell M. Nelson". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org (Press release). LDS Church.

[example-5] See, e.g., "The Sustaining of Church Officers", April 2015 General Conference.

[6] Mortensen, Matilyn. "LDS Church President Russell M. Nelson donates medical papers to the U". At The U. Retrieved March 13, 2024.

[7] Johnson, Alex (January 16, 2018). "Noted heart surgeon unlikely to transform Mormon church as new president". NBC News. Retrieved January 24, 2018.

[8] Hemingway, Heather (October 12, 2013). Cohen, Jeff (ed.). "Mormons Worldwide Tune in to Semiannual General Conference". blog.chron.com. Jack Sweeney. Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2014. Russell M. Nelson, an apostle and internationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon ...

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