President Eyring and I are pleased to be part of this 100th birthday

celebration for President Russell M. Nelson.

After six-and-a-half years of experiencing his inspiration and teaching, we all rejoice in the remarkable progress of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

under his leadership. Consequently, President Eyring and I will not concentrate on the elements of that progress, but try to explain what it means to us to have worked side by side with President Nelson during this exciting period. I am just delighted to be here with you and to talk about the experiences we have had side by side with President Russell M. Nelson, and I'm just grateful that I have this chance to be here with you. And I with you.

And so I think you used the word “his warmth,” and I think I’d like to start with that.

One of the most wonderful things of being at your side and with President Nelson is the feeling of warmth,

and you have the same feeling. Yes, I do, and I just consider it a wonderful thing to be able to learn from him.

He has taught us so many things as we’ve been together. Oh my, yes. And don't we learn from him, especially when we see how he relates to other people?

Oh my, yes, that was my point, is that the way he relates to us, he does it with everyone. In addition, when when people enter the room, he almost always stands for them, but he always stands when there are women in the group.

Always. But my point is, I think it sends a message. He is the Savior’s representative and he’s acting like the Savior, giving you the feeling he cares.

And I think that if I wish the members of the Church could have any sense of how much he really loves them and cares for them, it's really quite remarkable. It certainly is. Another thing that's impressed me when we meet with him is that he does not lead off with his opinion and ask people what they think of it.

He calls on individual people in the group,

hears all the input, including from his counselors,

And then he'll indicate what he thinks we ought to do.

Well, he’s a wonderful teacher,

and he draws out the best in those who report to him. To be in a room or in a meeting or in a conversation with President Nelson

just gives you the opportunity of experiencing what it would be like to be with the Savior. He is the Savior's representative, and he is our role model.

And you also want to be better when you're around him. He communicates love for the people with whom he meets, and for the people who will be affected by any decision made there.

He’s a very loving leader. He’s easy to love.

But actually the temple building is a lot the same. As I say to myself

that he would—I mean a previous prophet,

the Prophet Joseph was worried about the finishing of the temple right at the end.

They've always cared about it, but the degree to which President Nelson has done it, and he's done it on a spiritual basis of saying, we've got to offer the covenants to people that are far away from temples.

It's the ordinances that make the difference.

Let’s not be extravagant, let’s make the buildings lovely, but it’s the ordinances, to make them available. I have been in Church leadership for many years, and I have never heard the phrase “gather Israel on both sides of the veil” until I heard him incorporate that in his teachings. And it astonished me. And I knew instantly that that is providing us a knowledge of the Lord's plan, line upon line, precept upon precept.

He had relationships, the Lord had, over his service, has put him in touch with people of prominence that make it possible for us to take the gospel to the world and the ordinances. One other thing I’d like to say about President Nelson. I have

so admired his facility at making decisions.

He rarely postpones a decision on something brought before him. He will postpone it if he believes we need to gather some more facts or consult somebody else.

But the typical experience when a committee or a council or a task group comes in to meet with the First Presidency,

he hears from everybody and he makes a decision. He just doesn’t postpone it. He’s a decision-maker.

President Eyring, hasn't it been wonderful to be invited to talk about President Russell M. Nelson and to marvel at all God has accomplished through him as a prophet-leader? I think it’s been one of the great opportunities of my life, is to have had some time to reflect on the greatness of this prophet. His example extends throughout the Church.

Imagine having him with us to observe a 100th birthday.

A blessing.

Indeed. Thank you.