A Note On President Monson's Funeral

Hello again, everyone! As most of you may be aware, I offered my thoughts earlier this week about the likely speakers at President Monson's funeral services, which were held today. I just now realized why I didn't anticipate President Nelson being the concluding speaker.

For the funerals of Presidents Hunter and Hinckley, their First Counselors were also the Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in view of their being the next most senior apostles, although in both cases, there was an Acting Quorum President (which was President Packer on both occasions) directing the assignments of the Quorum while the actual Quorum President was serving in the First Presidency.

It makes sense that, for President Monson's funeral service (as was true for President Benson), the Quorum President (which was President Hunter at the time of President Benson's death and President Nelson at the time of President Monson's death) was the final speaker, capping off the tributes to the deceased Church leaders. I will hopefully remember to take that into account in the future.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Coverage of President Monson's Funeral from Mormon Newsroom and KSL/President Monson's Colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Offer Additional Tributes

Hello again, everyone! I am posting again now for a few reasons. The first is to inform those interested that additional coverage about the funeral proceedings held for President Monson today can be found on the Mormon Newsroom website, and on that of the Church owned and operated Utah news source, KSL.

Additionally, after the funeral, the Church News also published more extended statements from President Monson's colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, among them those who had their first experience with reorganizing the First Presidency when President Monson became Church President, and those to whom their apostolic calls were extended during President Monson's prophetic administration. You can find the article sharing those here.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post (which, at latest, will be coming Monday following the anticipated press conference in which the new First Presidency will be presented to and take questions from the media), I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Summary of President Monson's Funeral Proceedings/Additional Tribute to President Monson Provided By Elder Andersen

Hello again, everyone! The Church News has provided this article to share an excellent summary of the funeral proceedings. What an excellent tribute to the life and teachings of our beloved prophet it was. While much of those addresses focused on personal remembrances, there were also references to the importance of the plan of salvation and the idea that his work continues beyond the veil. Additionally, the Church News has shared this article highlighting talks from Elder Andersen and his wife, among others, which were given at a youth devotional in the Logan Tabernacle. And Mormon Newsroom has released this summary of the funeral proceedings. These are fitting tributes to the life, ministry, teachings, and legacy of our dear prophet. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

President Monson's Funeral Plan Announced

Hello again, everyone! I am back in the late morning hours of Friday January 12 to pass along some information about the layout of the funeral services for President Monson. It appears that President Hinckley's funeral may have been an exception to those for Church Presidents.

With the consent and at the request of the Monson family, President Eyring will conduct the funeral, with Elders M. Russell Ballard and Jeffrey R. Holland giving the invocation and benediction for the services. Ann M. Dibb will represent the family, and we will hear from Presidents Uchtdorf and Eyring, then acting Church president and President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Russell M. Nelson will be the concluding speaker.

The Tabernacle Choir, which was the one assignment for which President Monson insisted on taking personal responsibility, will be singing his favorite hymns for the funeral services, which will include the following: "Consider the Lilies", "O Divine Redeemer", "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd", and "If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not". His son, Clark S. Monson, will give the family prayer, and his oldest son, Thomas L. Monson, will dedicate the grave.

It will be great to hear the talks and music for this conference, and it looks like the Church is taking the advice President Monson often gave, which is that funerals should be short in their duration, with addresses that focus more on the plan of salvation than they do on the accomplishments of an individual.

You can depend on my bringing a report of my observations on funeral proceedings later today. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

More Tributes to President Monson

Hello again, everyone! The Church News has released additional tribute articles to President Monson, including this one, which summarized the way Elder Andersen remembered President Monson during the Seminar for New MTC & Visitor's Center Directors, this one focusing on the power of the last address he gave in General Conference, and this one, containing more reflections from his daughter Ann M. Dibb about how, even as his body and mind were failing, he found joy in serving others.

It amazes me that even at a time when he recognized his physical and mental capabilities were diminishing, the principles of reaching out to rescue that characterized his life continued until he had completely worn himself out in so doing. And by that, I mean simply that while others in that situation might be more inclined to sit back and wait for death, the principles that characterized President Monson remained in force until he literally wore out his body and mind to the degree where he passed away.

How grateful I am that he did not suffer long. Just think about it: On May 23 of last year, the Church announced he was stepping back from active service, and while many of his predecessors had failing health for years, the expectations President Monson set for himself, to the very end of his life allowed him to truly wear out his life in the service of others for the final 7.5 months or so that he lived. What a legacy for us to follow in our own lives. He lived as such, he died as such, and he has now returned to the Master to whom he devoted his entire life.

Thanks for taking time to read this. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.