SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Mourners remembered Russell M. Nelson, the surgeon-turned-faith leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as both a spiritual and literal “healer of hearts” during a funeral service Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
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.
About 600 members of Nelson’s family were in attendance at the faith’s Conference Center, along with 20,000 people who quickly acquired tickets the church offered online, said church spokesperson Doug Andersen. The service also was broadcast globally on the church’s website and other online 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.”
He quoted his father’s own words about grief: “Mourning is one of the purest expressions of deep love,” and, “The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”
Henry B. Eyring, one of Nelson’s two top counselors, reflected on both as …