The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ president called on members to help end racism, saying Sunday at the faith’s signature conference that God loves people of all races equally and that it pains him to see Black people suffer prejudice.
Russell M. Nelson’s comments followed similar speeches by other top leaders Saturday at the first day of a weekend conference that comes as many members are living through a reckoning over racial injustice, especially in the U.S. Nelson and other leaders speaking on the topic haven't mentioned the church’s past ban on Black men in the lay priesthood that stood until 1978.