Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints paid homage to the late church President Russell M. Nelson in an Oct. 1 broadcast dedicated to honoring his life and legacy.
“Brothers and sisters, and friends throughout the world,” said President Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as he greeted the broadcast’s viewers worldwide, “we meet in this special meeting to pay tributes to President Russell M. Nelson, who died at his home on Saturday, Sept. 27.
“We also join our brothers and sisters, and others throughout the world, who grieve at his passing.”
Speakers in the Oct. 1 broadcast, titled “A Tribute to Russell M. Nelson,” included President Oaks; Primary General President Susan H. Porter; Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé; Elder Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy; and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Henry B. Eyring, both of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Accompanying their remarks were a few hymns performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square — a fitting accompaniment considering President Nelson’s “love for beautiful music,” said President Oaks.
President Dallin H. Oaks
In his tribute, President Oaks said he thinks of President Nelson as a “servant” of God and a “prophet of love.”
He recounted the last interaction he and then-President Eyring had with President Nelson, saying:
“The last time (we) saw President Nelson was two days before he died. We expressed our love for him, our dearest friend, and gave him assurances that we were carrying on with the decisions he had made.
“He smiled and tried hard to communicate with us. Words were difficult, but his efforts and his smile conveyed the love he felt for us as his counselors and for each of you in this great work.”
Following his recounting of this experience, President Oaks listed a series of President Nelson’s teachings regarding love toward God and his children.
“Each of us has inherent worth and dignity,” he said, quoting President Nelson’s recently published Ideas piece in Time magazine. “I believe we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father.”
President Oaks closed his tribute, inviting all to remember and be influenced by President Nelson’s teachings and “example of love.”
President Susan H. Porter
President Porter shared experiences she had with President Nelson, where she was able to feel the “joy of his personal ministering in the Savior’s name.”
She spoke of the times President Nelson visited and ministered to her late husband, Elder Bruce D. Porter, even when he himself was experiencing sorrow from the deaths of his wife Dantzel and his two daughters.
President Nelson, she said, answered the call of the Savior: “I was sick, and ye visited me.” And his visits followed a “remarkable pattern.”
“He would enter very quietly, tenderly hold Bruce’s hand and, if he was awake, he would speak softly and gently to him,” President Porter said. “He always took time to encourage and uplift me.”
Serving in the Primary general presidency, President Porter added she has met members worldwide who have likewise felt President Nelson’s love through his “gentleness, meekness and love unfeigned.”
“I join with you in thanking my Heavenly Father,” she said, “for the blessing of being taught and loved by President Russell M. Nelson.”
Bishop Gérald Caussé
Serving under President Nelson’s leadership has been “one of the greatest privileges of my life,” said Bishop Caussé in his tribute to the late prophet.
Having met with him weekly over the past seven and a half years, Bishop Caussé said he and his counselors were able to witness firsthand “a prophet of God at work.”
“Many have asked me what it was like to work with him, what kind of man he truly was,” he said. “My answer is simple: President Russell M. Nelson was exactly the man you believed him to be.
“He embodied unwavering faith, pure love and profound compassion for all of God’s children. His legendary gift for remembering names reflected not only a sharp mind, but also a true shepherd’s heart. He listened to everyone intently … (and) exemplified the Lord’s teaching that the ‘worth of souls is great in the sight of God.’”
Bishop Caussé added his witness of President Nelson’s “inspired leadership,” saying:
“With all my heart, I testify that he was and is a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, and undeniably a prophet of God.”
Elder Carl B. Cook
“President Nelson was genuinely interested in everyone in a very Christlike way,” said Elder Cook, “and we all felt it.”
In his tribute, Elder Cook recounted multiple instances where he saw President Nelson minister to him and others as Christ would.
On one occasion, Elder Cook said he and President Nelson were on a plane together, flying to an assignment. Trying to be mindful of President Nelson’s “busy schedule,” Elder Cook said he decided to read rather than ask him questions.
Yet he quickly learned President Nelson sincerely wanted to talk with him.
“He was interested, he cared about me, and we ended up talking the entire plane ride,” said Elder Cook.
He later remarked: “As we know, President Nelson was conversant in many languages, but as a true disciple of Jesus Christ, his primary language was love, and that love is deeply rooted in his soul.
“I know that President Russell M. Nelson was a true and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ because he loved us, he served us, and he invited us to treat others with love and kindness.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
In his tribute, Elder Holland spoke regarding two of many “unblemished facets” of President Nelson’s life, which made him “something of a living temple.”
The first of these was his integrity of character.
Said Elder Holland, “The very pupil of his eye or the behavior he demonstrated when none but God could hear or see him — by these and any other measurement … (President Nelson) gets an unblemished straight A.”
The second facet Elder Holland mentioned was President Nelson’s “remarkable talent as head of a family.”
President Nelson, he said, had an “immense amount of pressure on him as he tried to keep a strong covenantal relationship with each of (his family members).
“It cannot be overstated,” he continued, “that his family meant everything to him.”
At the close of his tribute, Elder Holland stated: “I’m honored to have known President Russell M. Nelson, to have loved him, and to have felt his love for me.”
Elder Henry B. Eyring
Sharing with the broadcast’s viewers how God has confirmed to him that the church’s past leaders have been called of him, Elder Eyring testified of President Nelson, that he was a prophet called of God.
He shared that his testimony of President Nelson’s divine call first came as a “warm assurance.”
“I knew that President Russell M. Nelson had been called of God as a prophet to guide and counsel us.”
Observing President Nelson’s love for all of God’s children, Elder Eyring said his testimony and admiration of the prophet grew.
President Nelson, he said, “taught of our Savior and Redeemer, encouraging all to emulate him. I admired in (him) an inspired capacity to remember the names and faces of people he had met.”
With this gift, said Elder Eyring, President Nelson had the ability to “make each person feel loved.”
“I close with my prayer that we will follow President Nelson’s prophetic counsel to trust in the Lord’s revealed guidance to his servants, and that we will remember his example of love.”
