SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — During a funeral service in Salt Lake City, mourners paid tribute to Russell M. Nelson, who transitioned from a career in surgery to becoming a faith leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as someone who “healed hearts” both spiritually and literally.
Nelson served as president of the church up until his death in late September at the age of 101, making him its oldest-ever leader.
Approximately 600 of Nelson’s family members attended the service at the church’s Conference Center, along with 20,000 others who secured tickets offered online by the church, according to spokesperson Doug Andersen. The event was also streamed globally via the church’s website and other platforms.
Several of Nelson’s 10 children shared stories about their father and lessons he taught them.
“When I think of our dad, I think of joy,” said his daughter, Laurie Marsh. “Daddy always chose to be happy, and that made him so fun to be around.”
Church officials described him as “the man for whom the word ‘gentleman’ was created” and celebrated his work building new temples around the globe.
Mourners focus on hope
Funerals in the faith known widely as the Mormon church are typically “marked by an atmosphere of hopefulness and peace,” Andersen said.
Nelson’s son, Russell M. Nelson Jr., echoed that sentiment, saying the “sting of separation is real, but we shouldn’t be too sad.”
Nelson’s son referenced his father’s thoughts on grief: “Mourning is one of the purest expressions of deep love,” and noted that “The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”
Henry B. Eyring, a top counselor to Nelson, spoke on the dual aspects of Nelson’s legacy—as a spiritual leader for 40 years and a heart surgeon who saved lives. He shared a personal note, revealing that Nelson’s meticulous care once extended his own mother’s life through several surgeries.
Though the funeral was closed casket, Nelson’s body was dressed in predominantly white temple clothing, traditional ceremonial garments worn by adult members, Andersen noted. This followed a public viewing on Monday that saw around 18,560 attendees.
Nelson’s hymn ‘Our Prayer to Thee’ was sung
The renowned Tabernacle Choir performed a hymn written by Nelson titled “Our Prayer to Thee.” First published in the church’s official publication, it was previously performed during general conferences in October 2018 and April 2022. A musician described the hymn as a unique, sacred expression of the bond between God and the faithful.
Nelson’s family selected other hymns performed during the funeral, including “Let Us All Press On” and “It Is Well With My Soul.”
Family is paramount in this life and the next
While the funeral was public and open to Latter-day Saints and non-members, the burial is private. After the service, Nelson’s family headed to Salt Lake City Cemetery, where many other pioneers of the faith are buried.
Family plays a significant role in the faith, not just in this life, but also in the afterlife, said Kathleen Flake, former professor of Mormon Studies at the University of Virginia.
Flake said once the body is escorted to the grave site, those who are not family will leave and a male family member will dedicate the grave.
In the church, temple sealings, which is the joining together of a man and a woman and their children for eternity, bind the family as a unit that crosses over from this life to the next. A sealing must be performed in a temple by a man who has the priesthood.
“The belief is that (Nelson) would be joining in the afterlife with predeceased family members,” she said. “You go from the family here on Earth to the family that is in heaven, and live together in eternity.”
New president still to be announced
A new president — considered a prophet by members — is expected to be named sometime after Nelson’s funeral.
Announcing his successor, Dallin H. Oaks, is largely a formality because the church has a well-defined leadership hierarchy that helps ensure a smooth handover and prevent lobbying internally or publicly.
Oaks led Tuesday’s funeral service and described Nelson as “my best friend and most effective teacher.”
In his first major address since Nelson’s death, the 93-year-old Oaks encouraged members Sunday during the faith’s twice-annual general conference to get married and have children.
Oaks also said Sunday that the faith will “slow down the announcement of new temples” — the first major difference from Nelson’s presidency.
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Bharath reported from Los Angeles.
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