President Russell M. Nelson began his global ministry tour in London, England, on Thursday, April 12, 2018. Hundreds gathered at the Hyde Park Chapel to see the prophet.
“We’re bringing the love of the Lord to the people, and they will learn to love each other,” President Nelson said. “You read the paper and see how angry people are with one another. The Lord’s way is the way of peace. He said love one another as I have loved you.”
After London, President Nelson will travel to Jerusalem on his worldwide tour to cities in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Hawaiian Islands. President Nelson is joined on the tour by his wife, Wendy, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Patricia.
I remember a similar tour decades ago, when I was a missionary in Italy and Russell M. Nelson was a newly-ordained Apostle. I also remember President Benson’s first public address after he was made President of the Church, where he addressed the Annandale, Virginia Stake and issued his first prophetic invitation for us to particularly read the Book of Mormon.
I appreciate the work the Mormon Newsroom does to make it possible for us to experience some portion of the excitement of events like this around the world.
Godspeed!
I have a theory that Pres Nelson is of a “new generation” of apostles, even though he is older than Pres Monson was.
The gospel is the same. The Lord is the same. But as society changes, people change. And then church policies and leadership styles change in response.
Just look how the missionary system/program has changed with PMG, raise the bar, age change, and mission policies dealing with contacting and finding.
And now the home/visit-teaching program has morphed into “ministering”. Which is what it really was all along for those who caught the vision of it. But now those things are more explicitly talked about.
Anyway, here’s a list of church presidents starting with Joseph Fielding Smith, and the month/year that they were ordained apostles/joined the quorum: (Dates from wikipedia.)
Joseph Fielding Smith – Apr 1910.
Lee – Apr 1941.
Kimball – Oct 1943.
Benson – Oct 1943
Hunter – Oct 1959.
Hinckley – Oct 1961.
Monson – Oct 1963.
Nelson – April 1984.
Presidents Lee, Kimball and Benson were essentially of the same “generation” but also came a generation (31 years) after Pres Smith.
Presidents Hunter, Hinckley and Monson were essentially of the same generation, and came 16 to 22 years after the previous group.
Now, President Nelson has a 20 – 22 gap since Presidents Hinckley and Monson.
These groupings/patterns may be without real meaning, but I think it’s at least an interesting observation. In my opinion, the observable part of whatever “system” that the Lord is using to lead the church allows for both continuity and evolution.
Hyde Park Chapel, not Hyde Street (https://www.lds.org/locations/hyde-park-chapel?lang=eng&_r=1).
Thank you for the catch!
Hi Jenny. How do you know he hasn’t done any of those things? Is traveling the world to encourage Latter-day Saints to follow the Savior and minister to those in need wrong? If I’m not mistaken this trip was planned before the story broke about President Bishop, back in February. I don’t believe he’s doing this to deflect attention.
Hi Anonymous,
I shifted Jenny’s comment to “pending” as I did not find it consistent with M* comment policy. Should Jenny wish to submit a comment that does comply with the M* comment policy, it will be posted.
Guess I should have just read the next comment instead of scrolling up and down three or four times looking for Jenny’s comment. 🙂