Elder Neil L. Andersen was born on Aug. 9, 1951, in Logan, Utah, and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He met his wife, Sister Kathy Williams Andersen, while attending Brigham Young University, and they have four children. He has been serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since April 4, 2009.
Elder Andersen earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. After the family moved to Tampa, Florida, Elder Andersen served as president of the Tampa Florida Stake. From 1989 to 1992, Elder and Sister Andersen were mission leaders in the France Bordeaux Mission.
Elder Andersen was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1993 and had Church assignments and responsibilities in Brazil, Western Europe, Mexico and Central America. In addition to English, he speaks French, Portuguese and Spanish.
In honor of Elder Andersen’s birthday today, here are nine of his quotes from the past year.
1. Miracles occur in every mission
“I have unmistakably learned that while the number of converts we baptize is greater in some parts of the world than in others, miracles occur in every mission. It is the way the Lord works. Faith in Jesus Christ stirs the power of heaven to intercede and bless the work of missionaries. Faith and miracles are at the center of bringing souls to Christ.”
— Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 20, 2025
2. An important period
“Mortality is an important time for us, and this period of your life as a young adult is important because of all the decisions you are making.”
— Devotional for young adults in Lima, Peru, May 28, 2025
3. ‘We cherish life’
“The diminishing love for unborn children worldwide is a grave concern. God cherishes life. ... As disciples of Jesus Christ, we cherish life.”
— “Cherishing Life,” April 2025 general conference
4. Being led by the Savior
“How wonderful it is to be led by our Savior. He is our hope and our salvation. ... I witness that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He lives. May we desire to be led by Him, that one day we might live with Him.”
— Family Discovery Day keynote at RootsTech, March 8, 2025
5. Covenants become wonderfully satisfying
“We cherish our covenants. It is not just attending the temple, it is letting the covenants and ordinances of the temple come into us. As that happens, these covenants do not become burdensome. They become wonderfully satisfying as we know we are doing our part.”
— Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction, March 5, 2025
6. A witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith
“I am grateful tonight to share my own witness and the many other witnesses the Lord has given us to strengthen our assurance that God called and inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith.”
— Devotional at Utah State University, Feb. 23, 2025
7. ‘His peace will come’
“The peace you seek may not come as quickly as you desire, but I promise you that as you trust in the Lord, His peace will come.”
— “The Triumph of Hope,” October 2024 general conference
8. Speaking the name of Christ
“We rejoice together that our calling gives us the privilege of speaking the name of Christ across all the world, to declare His divinity and to help people know that His restored gospel is again upon the earth. ... It is your charge, and it is my charge.”
— Provo Missionary Training Center devotional, Dec. 10, 2024
9. A vision of the way forward
“While our struggles can in no way imaginable be measured against [the Savior], His incomparable example of aligning His will with the will of the Father brings us a beautiful vision of our way forward.”
— BYU Education Week address, Aug. 20, 2024
