On Sept. 9, 2024, President Russell M. Nelson, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, turns 100 years old. On that day, members and friends of the Church are invited to view a special birthday commemoration.
The 75-minute broadcast will be on Monday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m. MDT.
President Nelson invited everyone on June 1 to spend the next 100 days before his birthday finding ways to reach out to “the one.”
“One of the places where the Savior used the number 100 in the scriptures was the parable of the lost sheep,” President Nelson said wrote on social media. “Though 99 of his flock were safely by his side, the shepherd went in search of the one who was lost.”
The birthday broadcast will be an opportunity not only to celebrate President Nelson’s life and teachings but also to share stories from people who were “the one” and recap what has been done all over the world to answer President Nelson’s invitation, explained a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, wrote in an Aug. 9 letter announcing the broadcast: “How thankful we are for a prophet of God, his inspired teachings and his invitations to follow the Savior’s example of love and righteousness in all that we do.”
The livestream can be watched on broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the Church’s YouTube channel.
Live interpretation will be available in Arabic, Cantonese, Cebuano, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Samoan, Spanish, Tagalog, Tongan and Ukrainian.
President Nelson’s 100th year
President Nelson is the oldest President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as the longest-living Apostle in this dispensation.
The day after President Nelson’s 99th birthday, the Church News published an excerpt from his new book, “Heart of the Matter: What 100 Years of Living Have Taught Me.”
President Nelson wrote about all the innovations, advances, breakthroughs and growth that have occurred in his lifetime.
As he reflected about his centennial journey, he said, “I am grateful to have witnessed a century of unprecedented innovation, and I am optimistic about what the future holds for humanity.”
On the first day of 2024, President Nelson wrote about how it was an opportunity to “marvel and rejoice.”
“On this — my 100th New Year’s Day — I both marvel and rejoice at the miracle of the birth of Jesus Christ, His life, His ministry, His mission and more,” he said, going on to list the marvels of the restored gospel, the faith of Latter-day Saints, Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness and more.
Speaking to Relief Society sisters for the worldwide devotional on March 17, President Nelson said women have a divine endowment that allows them to literally change lives.
During April 2024 general conference, President Nelson invited all to ponder the “incredible personal spiritual privileges” available through the gift of priesthood keys.
On April 21, President Nelson rededicated the Manti Utah Temple in an unannounced appearance.
And in his remarks during the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, President Nelson testified that “the truths of the Book of Mormon are filled with power.”
President Nelson’s 100th birthday invitation
When President Nelson extended the invitation for his birthday, he explained that he had no need of physical gifts, but a spiritual offering that would brighten his life would be for everyone to reach out to the one in their lives who may be feeling lost or alone.
“Who do you know who may be discouraged?” he asked. “Who might you need to reconcile with or ask for forgiveness? Has one name been on your mind lately, though you haven’t quite known why? As you bring these questions to the Lord, He will inspire you to know how you can reach out and lift one who needs help.”
Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other general Church leaders and officers have reiterated President Nelson’s invitation on their social media channels using the hashtag #99plus1, sharing insights about serving closely with him and examples of when they or others have been cared for as “the one.”
