The gift a global religious leader wants for his 100th birthday will not come in wrapping paper, and it is something that would benefit others.
President Russell M. Nelson will reach the milestone on Sept. 9, but the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suggested on his social media accounts Saturday — 100 days before his 100th birthday — that he doesn’t need any physical gifts and that people could commemorate his birthday by following Jesus Christ’s teaching about the shepherd in the parable of the lost sheep.
In the parable, one of the shepherd’s 100 sheep goes astray, and he leaves the 99 to go into the mountains to find it. When he does, he carries it home on his shoulders, rejoicing.
“What a beautiful example the Savior has shown us,” President Nelson said, “that through each of us ministering to just one within our reach, we can spread the love of Jesus Christ throughout the world. #99plus1.″
He said that sort of love and service to others would be the perfect birthday gift.
“One spiritual offering that would brighten my life is for each of us to reach out to ‘the one’ in our lives who may be feeling lost or alone,” President Nelson said in his posts on Facebook, Instagram and X. “Over the coming months I invite you to consider prayerfully: who do you know who may be discouraged? Who might you need to reconcile with or ask for forgiveness? Has one name been on your mind lately, though you haven’t quite known why?
“As you bring these questions to the Lord, he will inspire you to know how you can reach out and lift one who needs help.”