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A group of armed robbers attacked the LDS Church's Elder Russell M. Nelson, his wife and four others during a dinner in a Mozambique home Friday evening.
Nelson, 84, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was visiting Maputo, Mozambique, for a church assignment when the assault happened, said LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter.
Nelson and his wife, Wendy Watson Nelson, were dining at the home of Mozambique Maputo Mission President Blair Packard, along with William and Shanna Parmley, of the Africa Southeast Area Presidency, Trotter said.
Robbers entered the home and assaulted the group. Trotter said Packard's wife, Cindy, suffered a broken arm during the attack.
Detailed information about others injured was not available Saturday, but Trotter said others "suffered some superficial injuries, mainly cuts and bruises."
He said it's not clear what was taken from the home during the robbery. Maputo police are investigating the incident.
One of Nelson's daughters, Brenda Miles, of Bountiful, said Nelson's family has been notified that he is OK. Miles said Saturday evening she hadn't had a chance to speak with her father about the robbery.
"We've talked to his secretary and he's fine and that's all we know," she said.
Another daughter, Rosalie Ringwood, of Salt Lake City, said her father passed a message through the secretary to his family asking them "not to worry."
Nelson and his wife will "continue their assignment over the weekend as planned," Trotter said. Nelson was in the African nation for the weekend to visit with missionaries and to attend church meetings. He is expected to return to the U.S. on Monday.
Nelson was ordained as an apostle in 1984. He has a bachelor of arts and medical degrees from the University of Utah and also received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He is an accomplished surgeon and medical researcher, according to http://www.lds.org" Target="_BLANK">http://www.lds.org.
His wife was a professor of marriage and family therapy at Brigham Young University before she retired in 2006. She has authored several books, according to http://www.lds.org" Target="_BLANK">http://www.lds.org. The couple married in 2006.
Nelson's first wife, Dantzel White Nelson, died in 2005. At the time of her death, they shared 10 children, 56 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, according to http://www.lds.org" Target="_BLANK">http://www.lds.org.
mrogers@sltrib.com" Target="_BLANK">mrogers@sltrib.com