Russell M. Nelson, 101‑Year‑Old President of LDS Church, Dies

When Russell M. Nelson, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, passed away on September 27, 2025, Utah mourned the loss of a centenarian who’d steered one of the world’s fastest‑growing faiths for seven years, the sadness was palpable across conference rooms and family homes alike.

Nelson died peacefully in his Salt Lake City home shortly after 10 p.m. MDT, surrounded by his wife Wendy Nelson and a flurry of grandchildren and great‑grandchildren. At 101, he was the oldest person ever to hold the top spot in the church’s modern history.

From Operating Rooms to Temple Rooms

Before becoming a spiritual leader, Nelson was a pioneering heart surgeon. In 1955 he performed Utah’s first open‑heart operation, and a few years earlier he’d been part of the University of Minnesota team that built the heart‑lung machine that made the first human bypass surgery possible in 1951.

His medical résumé reads like a Who’s Who of American surgery: president of the Utah State Medical Association, president of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and president of the Society for Vascular Surgery. He also taught at the University of Utah School of Medicine, where he helped develop early artificial‑heart technology.

Nelson earned his MD from the University of Utah in 1947 at age 22, then completed a residency and a PhD at the University of Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War before returning to Utah to build a distinguished clinical career.

Called to Full‑Time Church Service

On April 7, 1984, Nelson was called as an apostle, joining Dallin H. Oaks to fill two vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served there for nearly 34 years, becoming quorum president in 2015. When the previous president, Thomas S. Monson, passed away, Nelson was sustained as the seventeenth church president on January 14, 2018.

In LDS doctrine the president is regarded as prophet, seer, and revelator—a claim that gave Nelson a platform to shape doctrine, policy, and the very branding of the faith.

Reforms That Reshaped Worship

One of his first signature moves was to trim the three‑hour Sunday block down to two hours, giving families more “home‑centered” teaching time. He also urged members worldwide to use the church’s full name, insisting that the nickname “Mormon” obscured the centrality of Jesus Christ.

Patrick Mason, a Mormon‑studies professor at Utah State University, said the push for a uniform name was a calculated effort to present a more unified, global face as membership swelled beyond North America.

Nelson’s social‑policy adjustments were notable, if not sweeping. In 2019 he rescinded the 2015 rule that labeled same‑sex couples as “apostates” and barred their children from baptism. He opened the door for children of LGBTQ + parents to be baptized, though the church’s stance against gay marriage remained unchanged.

Temple‑Building Boom and Global Outreach

During his tenure, the church announced roughly 200 new temples, a number that dwarfs the total built in the previous two decades combined. By the time of his death, 32 countries and U.S. territories had felt his personal presence, a testament to his focus on international growth.

Independent analyst Matt Martinich, who tracks LDS conversion data, noted that four of the top five nations seeing growth are in Africa—countries where the church now runs schools, humanitarian projects, and bustling congregations.

The 2024 baptism figures hit a 25‑year high, signaling a resurgence that many scholars attribute to Nelson’s emphasis on personal spirituality combined with aggressive temple construction.

Reactions From Within and Without

Church leaders quickly released a statement celebrating a “century‑rich life of service.” Many local bishops described him as “a living bridge between the past and a hopeful future.”

Outside the faith, political commentators noted the timing—Nelson’s death comes as the U.S. Supreme Court revisits religious‑rights cases, potentially reshaping the legal landscape for faith‑based institutions.

In Salt Lake City, residents gathered outside the headquarters on Main Street, laying flowers and holding a moment of silence. The city’s mayor, Jenny Wilson, said, “Russell Nelson was a son of Utah who gave his talents to both medicine and the spiritual health of millions.”

Legacy and What Comes Next

Nelson’s death triggers the established succession process. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will meet to select his successor, a decision expected within weeks.

Regardless of who steps into the role, the policies Nelson set—shorter services, temple expansion, and a clarified name—are likely to endure. The church’s 2025 strategic plan, released just months earlier, already builds on his vision for “global ministry, divine outreach, and community service.”

For the countless grandchildren and great‑grandchildren who remember him as a gentle grandfather who loved music as much as medicine, the loss is personal. As one 12‑year‑old great‑grandchild told reporters, “Grandpa always sang when we visited the hospital—he reminded us that healing can be a song.”

Key Facts

• Death: September 27, 2025, ~10 p.m. MDT, Salt Lake City, UT
• Age: 101 years (born September 9, 1924)
• Church service: President (Jan 2018‑Sept 2025)
• Medical milestones: First Utah open‑heart surgery (1955), heart‑lung machine research (1951)
• Temples announced: ~200 new locations worldwide