Apia, Samoa, 11 October 2025 – The Government of Samoa yesterday met with representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Samoa to convey its heartfelt condolences following the passing of President Russell M. Nelson, who served as the global leader of the Church from 2018 to 2025.
The government delegation was led by Agafili Tomaimano Shem Leo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary, who presented flowers and an official note of condolence in the form of a Diplomatic Note to be forwarded to the Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Receiving the government’s condolences were Elder Faalogo of the Seventy, Fuimaono Tuugalei Lesa (Local Members Support Manager), Fuimaono Teo (Communications Council Member), and Faaofonuʻu Tumanuvao Evile Falefatu (Director of Communications for Samoa).
CEO Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet Agafili Tomaimano Shem Leo, officials and Elder Faalogo of the Seventy, Fuimaono Tuugalei Lesa.
On behalf of the Church, Brother Falefatu expressed deep appreciation to the Government of Samoa for its kind gesture and thoughtful acknowledgment of President Nelson’s lifetime of service to the world and to the people of Samoa.
Elder Faalogo formally accepted the Government’s gift on behalf of the Church.
President Nelson last visited Samoa in May 2019, a year after his ordination as the 17th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Legacy of Global Outreach and Historic Expansion
During his tenure, President Nelson visited 32 countries and U.S. territories, connecting with Latter-day Saints and government and religious figures.
He spoke conversationally in 11 languages, underscoring his emphasis on global unity. A key theme of his leadership was the exponential increase in temple construction, with 200 new temples announced worldwide, a historic number for the Church.
His efforts to build relationships extended beyond his own faith. In March 2019, he held a notable meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, which he described as a “cordial, unforgettable experience.”
President Nelson also established a significant relationship with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), meeting with its leaders multiple times, most recently in June 2021, to promote civility and racial harmony.
In a speech to the NAACP’s annual convention in Detroit in July 2019, President Nelson emphasized unity: “We don’t have to be alike or look alike to have love for each other. We don’t even have to agree with each other to love each other.”
Distinguished Medical Career
Courtesy Photo: Russell M. Nelson in 1982. He was a world-renowned heart surgeon for many years before being called to be an Apostle in 1984.
Before his call to full-time Church service, Dr. Russell M. Nelson was a world-renowned pioneer in cardiothoracic surgery.
9His distinguished medical career includes performing the first open-heart surgery in Utah in 1955. He was also a key figure in developing a compact artificial heart and lung machine, an advancement that saved untold numbers.
His professional leadership included serving as president of the Society of Vascular Surgery, a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association.
“I think a surgeon is in a unique position to understand one of God’s greatest creations — the human body,” President Nelson once said, reflecting on his career, linking his medical expertise to his faith.
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