SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Russell M. Nelson, the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former world-renowned heart surgeon, died peacefully Saturday at his home in Salt Lake City. He was 101.

Nelson, who became the oldest president in the Church’s history, passed away shortly after 10 p.m. MDT, according to a Church statement. He had served as the faith's leader since Jan. 14, 2018, and his tenure will be remembered for a global ministry, a record number of new temples and profound, frequent changes to the Church’s structure and practices.

Prior to his full-time Church service, Nelson was a gifted surgeon revered worldwide. He performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah in 1955 and completed more than 7,000 operations during his career. He served as presi

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