“Meet Our New Prophet,” Friend, March 2018
From the First Presidency
Meet Our New Prophet!
Illustrations by Matt Smith
On January 16, 2018, our leaders gave a special message from the Salt Lake Temple announcing that President Russell M. Nelson is the 17th President of the Church! His counselors are President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring.
President Nelson told the story of a four-year-old boy named Benson, who prayed for him as the new prophet. “Help him to be brave, and not scared,” Benson prayed. “And help us always to be nice.” After sharing the story, President Nelson said, “I thank God for children like this!” Here are some other things President Nelson said.
“Look forward to the future with complete faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, whose Church this is.”
“Keep on the covenant path.”
“If you have stepped off the path, may I invite you with all the hope in my heart to please come back.”
“Our Father in Heaven cherishes His children, and He wants each of us to return home to Him.”
Getting to Know President Russell M. Nelson
President Russell M. Nelson was born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was set apart as the president of the Church 93 years later! Learn more about his life by matching each fact with a picture below.
At age 10, he was an errand boy for his father’s company.
He was baptized when he was 16 years old.
He met his wife Dantzel when they were both in a college play.
He has nine daughters and one son.
He was a doctor in the U.S. Army.
Before being called as an Apostle, he worked as a heart surgeon. Here he is holding a large model of a heart.
He sometimes plays the organ at meetings with the Apostles.
One time the prophet asked people to learn Chinese, so he did!
He loves to ski with his grandchildren.
After Dantzel died, he married his wife Wendy in the Salt Lake Temple.
He read every scripture that mentions Jesus Christ, and he asked us to do it too.