Rusell M. Nelson: A witness to the world

It is hard to quantify, but President Nelson is possibly the most heavily traveled president of the Church to date. He has clearly spent more time in the nations of Eastern Euriope and Africa than President Hinckley did. although with how much President Hinckley traveled to Asia during his early time as a general authority and everywhere as President of the Church, President Nelson may not have yet traveled as much.

On the other hand, President Nelson did spent significant time in both Japan and Korea in the early 1950s. He visited every MASH location in Korea, and many other locations as well. As a medical doctor he traveled and made presentations all around the world.

Even back in 1974 President Nelson as general president of the Sunday School traveled to what was then Rhodesia on a Church assignment. His visit to Harare, Zimbabwe yesterday as part of his golbal ministry tour was at least his third visit to that city. He also went there in 2004 when he spoke at a stake conference, where the then stake president Edward Dube lamented that only 75% of his stake members showed up. Most stakes wish that 75% of the members entered a Church building even once a year.

In 1992 President Nelson dedicated Zambia for the preaching of the gospel. Weather he also was in Zimbabwe at all during that trip I do not know. It appears that this is the 3rd or 4th trip on the part of President Nelson to Zimbabwe.

Interestingly enough, no president of the Church has ever traveled to Francophone Africa while President.