- President Russell M. Nelson shared advice in a Time magazine op-ed Friday ahead of his 101st birthday.
- He emphasizes two truths: everyone's divine worth and treating others with respect.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is encouraging members to share messages from him online ahead of his birthday.
SALT LAKE CITY — Although he is the one who will turn 101 on Tuesday, President Russell M. Nelson shared a "birthday wish for all of us" in an op-ed published in Time magazine on Friday.
This wish included two truths he said bring happiness and peace — the knowledge that everyone has divine worth and dignity, and that people should love others and treat them with kindness and respect.
"Living to 101 is a privilege I never anticipated. I was pleased to be able to share a few thoughts in a global publication about what I have learned and observed during this time," President Nelson said in a social media post linking to the article.
In the op-ed, the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints talked about what he has witnessed in his life, including four decades as a heart surgeon and four decades as an apostle, and said although the world has changed over those years, some truths have not.
"I believe we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. But no matter your religion or spirituality, recognizing the underlying truth beneath this belief that we all deserve dignity is liberating — it brings emotional, mental and spiritual equilibrium — and the more you embrace it, the more your anxiety and fear about the future will decrease," President Nelson told Time readers.
He said a heart that knows it is loved has confidence no matter what it encounters.
President Nelson said too much of public discourse "fosters enmity instead of empathy," and encouraged others to be peacemakers seeking understanding instead of "walls of prejudice."
"Even small acts — like reaching out across lines of faith, culture or politics — can open doors to healing. There is power in affording others the human dignity that all of God's children deserve," he said.
He said this begins with strong families, and encouraged people to first extend recognition of divine worth to those in their families.
"My faith teaches me that over two millennia ago, Jesus Christ preached these same laws of happiness: to love God and to love our neighbor. After 101 years, I can say that these are not abstract theological ideas — they are practical wisdom. They are what have sustained me through loss and triumph, uncertainty, peace, war and healing. If we embrace these eternal truths — honoring our own worth, treating others with dignity, and nurturing our families — our lives, and our world, will be steadier and more joyful," President Nelson said in the op-ed.
"That is my birthday wish for all of us."
On Sept. 1, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began posting messages from President Nelson on its social media channels and encouraged members to join in conversations sharing his words during the week before his birthday.
Multiple other church leaders have also published messages with his teachings this week, using the hashtag #PresidentNelson101.
