Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles married BYU professor Wendy L. Watson on Thursday in the Salt Lake Temple.

It is the second marriage for Elder Nelson and the first for Sister Watson. Elder Nelson’s previous marriage was to Dantzel White Nelson, who died in February 2005. Their family includes 10 children, 56 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

A renowned surgeon and medical researcher, Elder Nelson served as the former president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and also as former chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association. He was ordained an Apostle on April 12, 1984.

Wendy L. Watson, originally of Raymond, Alberta, Canada, is the daughter of the late Leonard David and Laura McLean Watson. She is currently a professor of marriage and family therapy in the School of Family Life at BYU but will retire in May.

Elder Nelson spoke in the Saturday afternoon session of general conference on “Nurturing Marriage.”