The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently announced the passing of the prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. On September 27th, 2025 Church News announced that he “passed away peacefully shortly after 10 p.m. MDT . . .at his home in Salt Lake City.” In the last few years leading up to his passing, President Nelson gradually succumbed to the quiet burdens of old age. In his final General Conference address he stated, “my eyes are getting older,” and he had been seen using a walker or being pushed around in a wheelchair for mobility. His passing was attributed to natural causes as age took its toll and the Lord welcomed him home. Although his physical strength waned over the years, President Nelson always remained anxiously engaged in the work of God and firm in his faith and discipleship for Jesus Christ. His messages, especially of peacemaking and charity have set a tone that will impact the Church for generations.
Earlier this month, President Nelson stated in an opinion editorial for the TIME magazine, “Each of us has inherent worth and dignity. I believe we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father…recognizing the underlying truth beneath this belief that we all deserve dignity is liberating. . . Love your neighbor and treat them with compassion and respect. A century of experience has taught me this with certainty: anger never persuades, hostility never heals, and contention never leads to lasting solutions.”
As our world and nation continue to head toward deeper division, hatred, and dehumanization, his message is one that the nation should remember. His call to charity and compassion resonated across faiths, cultures, and communities, as reflected in his travels to 32 countries and U.S. territories during his time as Prophet. In response to the news of his passing, President Donald Trump shared a message on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday afternoon: “Russell M. Nelson, the President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away last night at the age of 101 — He just had his birthday earlier this week! Russell was sharp and engaged in service up until the end. Our hearts and prayers are with his incredible wife, Wendy, his 10 children, 57 grandchildren, and more than 167 great-grandchildren, as well as Members of the Church all over our Country. Russell had a remarkable life, pioneering life-saving heart surgery techniques and, of course, his ministry of many decades. He was a physician, literally and spiritually, and will be greatly missed!”
As the church enters a new chapter, President Nelson’s teachings remain a powerful influence on the members of the Church and all children of God across the world. As we continue to honor his life through remembrance and action, let us continue to refine our discipleship for the Savior, Jesus Christ, and strive to be peacemakers.
The Cougar Chronicle is an independent student-run newspaper and is not affiliated with Brigham Young University or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Cover Photo Source: https://masfe.org/importante/russell-m-nelson-visitara-sudamerica/
