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President Russell M. Nelson, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marked his 101st birthday on September 9, 2025. Since becoming president in 2018 at age 93, Nelson has traveled extensively to meet with church members worldwide and share messages focused on Jesus Christ.
In his first two years as president, Nelson visited 35 countries and traveled more than 115,000 miles. One of his initial visits was to Jerusalem. “As the new president to the Church, I felt that there were two messages that I would like to convey to our people,” President Nelson said in Jerusalem in 2018. “One is that Jesus is the Christ and He has a message for all of God’s children. And the second is that His is a global invitation. We invite all of God’s children to come unto their Savior.”
President Jeffrey R. Holland accompanied Nelson on several trips and described traveling with him as a “spine-tingling thrill.” Holland added, “I’m in the company of President Russell M. Nelson, a modern prophet in every sense that there were ancient prophets [in Jerusalem in biblical times], with the same authority and the same priesthood and teaching the same gospel.” Holland also emphasized that President Nelson’s role extends beyond leading Latter-day Saints: “He’s the prophet to the world, and he has that view. He has that prophetic seership,” he said while in London.
During these travels, Nelson met with members across continents including Israel, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, Thailand, China, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile (2018), Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia (2019). In each location he shared similar themes about faith in Jesus Christ and family.
In Kenya he stated: “Our message to the world is that Jesus is the Christ and that His way of life is the way of joy and happiness not only in this life but in the life ahead.” To church members in Thailand he said: “[My desires for you are] the same as my desires for people of Taiwan or any other city [or] country. We invite all of God’s children … to come unto the Savior and enjoy the blessings and benefits of their temple and have everlasting life [and] joy.”
Nelson highlighted temple worship during his visit to India: “The temple is our ultimate destination here on planet earth. All the blessings that God has in store for His faithful people come in the temple.” In Hong Kong he focused on family relationships: “Everything we do in the Church is to make life better for other people... By building strong families. Those families are made stronger because of covenants made in the holy temples.”
He addressed similar topics elsewhere. In Vietnam he taught about eternal families: “We recognize the importance of families,” President Nelson said. “We rejoice in the revealed knowledge that families can be perpetuated and be here forever.” In Tonga he spoke with national leaders about family strength contributing to national well-being.
During a visit to Australia where church membership had tripled since 1984 when he became an apostle—growth which mirrors trends seen globally—he attributed this expansion to belief in foundational texts such as The Book of Mormon.
“Often I am asked, ‘What’s the reason for this growth?’” he said. “[I] answer ‘Because The Book of Mormon is true.’ Think of its two purpose statements — one for convincing Jew and Gentile that Jesus is Christ; two—that God will remember His covenant made with Israel... Without The Book of Mormon there would be no gathering of Israel.”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong praised Nelson’s efforts during South Pacific ministry visits: “What he’s done is something quite magnificent — to come and be with people in a way that brings Lord’s love,” Gong said.
Nelson often delivered sermons using local languages during international ministry tours—including Spanish-language addresses during his October 2018 visit through Latin America—which Elder Gary E. Stevenson described as moving for local audiences.
Stevenson recounted: “It just touches your heart... There’s a reverence... everyone’s wiping their eyes... It’s an indication Latter‑day Saints love their prophet; prophet loves Latter‑day Saints.”
Nelson's outreach extended beyond church members as well; after terrorist attacks on mosques killed 51 people in Christchurch (New Zealand) in 2019 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47578798, he donated funds from The Church toward rebuilding efforts saying: “We’re brothers... It’s incomprehensible anybody could do that to another human being.”
Recent years saw shifts from travel due both to COVID-19 restrictions https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/covid-19-pandemic-temporary-adjustments and health challenges including a back injury suffered by President Nelson https://www.deseret.com/faith/2023/9/15/23874677/president-nelson-injury-fall-church-of-jesus-christ-latter-day-saints. However his messages continue via digital platforms such as social media and semiannual general conferences.
At last year’s general conference (October 2024), President Nelson expressed hope based on faith teachings: “The best is yet to come my dear brothers and sisters because Savior is coming again!”
