Thousands of mourners expected to attend Mormon church president’s funeral

SALT LAKE CITY AP A funeral facility will be held Tuesday in Salt Lake City for Russell M Nelson the charismatic sentimentalist who oversaw a key temple building boom as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Nelson led the faith up until his death in late September at the age of The funeral is expected to draw thousands of mourners to the faith s Conference Center at Temple Square About members of Nelson s family are expected to attend along with people who swiftly snapped up tickets that the church offered online within minutes stated church spokesperson Doug Andersen The amenity also will be broadcast globally on the church s website and other online platforms What attendees can expect during the funeral Nelson s funeral will be devoid of formal church rituals Andersen reported It will resemble a worship arrangement with prayers hymns and talks and will focus on Nelson s life and purpose he mentioned Both aspects of Nelson s legacy as a spiritual leader for four decades and as a heart surgeon who saved lives will be celebrated during the function Andersen announced Nelson s body will be dressed in mostly white temple clothing the ceremonial garments worn by adult members The commemoration arrangement open to Latter-day Saints and non-members will be conducted by a lay minister A general viewing was held Monday at the conference center attended by about people according to Andersen He noted church funerals typically are marked by an atmosphere of hopefulness and peace They generally are not burdened by the inconsolable grief and despair so often seen in other funerals he declared That is especially true in this episode with a life lived beyond years Nelson s hymn Our Prayer to Thee will be sung Nelson s funeral will also feature heartfelt tributes and comforting music performed by the famed Tabernacle Choir reported Andersen It will include a hymn written by Nelson titled Our Prayer to Thee which was first published in the church s official publication and performed at general conferences in October and April One musician described the song as a special sacred representation of the relationship between God and the faithful Nelson s family members likely will select the other songs and hymns that will be performed at the funeral Family is paramount in this life and the next While the funeral will be society the burial will be private with family It will take place at Pioneer Cemetery where Brigham Young and countless other pioneers of the faith are buried Andersen mentioned Family plays a important role in the faith not just in this life but also in the afterlife explained Kathleen Flake former professor of Mormon Studies at the University of Virginia Flake reported once the body is escorted to the grave site those who are not family will leave and a male family member usually the eldest son 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 explained 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 publicized A new church 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 In his first major address since Nelson s death Oaks encouraged members Sunday during the faith s twice-annual general conference to get married and have children The -year-old former Utah Supreme Court justice emphasized the importance of family while acknowledging that not all families look the same In a departure from his typical sermons which often appeal more to reason than emotion Oaks shared an emotional story about the day his grandfather stated him at age that his father had died He went on to describe the value of being raised by a single mother and others who stepped into parental roles for him and his siblings Oaks also revealed Sunday that the faith will slow down the announcement of new temples the first major difference from Nelson s presidency Bharath communicated from Los Angeles Associated Press religion coverage receives aid through the AP s collaboration with The Conversation US with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc The AP is solely responsible for this content Source