After a recent fall that injured the muscles in his lower back, President Russell M. Nelson, 99, will participate remotely in 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this weekend.
In a message to Latter-day Saints posted on his social media, President Nelson said his “healing is progressing.”
Injured just one day after his 99th birthday earlier this month, President Nelson included a birthday photograph with his social media post. The photograph is of him sitting with President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, his counselors in the First Presidency. President Nelson said the episode has reminded him of “the reality that things sometimes change quickly in our lives.”
Calling general conference “two of my favorite weekends of the year,” he expressed gratitude to participate remotely in conference sessions — the same way most of the Church’s 17 million members will view the conference.
“As my physician says, ‘We don’t have much data on how 99-year-olds recover from an injury like this one, so I am prescribing a slow, careful approach to healing so that you achieve a full recovery,’” wrote President Nelson. “Having prescribed just such a course of action for many of my own patients years ago, I feel duty-bound to follow doctor’s orders.”
Noting that he is still not able to sit in a chair for long periods of time, President Nelson said he is hoping to record his general conference message.
“I pray that each of us, wherever we may be, will approach this sacred weekend with our hearts full of gratitude for the privilege of hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed by His servants,” he wrote. “May this general conference be a time of joy and spiritual rejuvenation for you. I know that it will be for me!”
