- Many Utah Latter-day Saints learned of Sunday's Michigan meetinghouse shooting while worshipping in their own meetinghouses.
- The counsel of the late President Russell M. Nelson offered comfort amid news of the Michigan tragedy.
- The events of the past two days have prompted a wide range of emotions for many Utah Latter-day Saints.
Like many Utahns, Devin Osterhout learned of the deadly shootings at a Michigan meetinghouse while attending his own Sunday morning services in a Latter-day Saint church building.
The initial details of the Michigan tragedy were, of course, unfolding even as Osterhout and his fellow congregants were processing the news of Saturday evening’s death of President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Osterhout outside his meetinghouse in Draper. “It’s sad just to know that a place that is a sanctuary for so many people was attacked.”
He noted that the Latter-day Saints are not the only religious group who have been victimized by recent violence. “It just goes back to President Nelson’s message, right? If we could all love and serve each other better, this world would be so much better off.”
Even while mourning the church leader’s passing, Osterhout said he was comforted Sunday by President Nelson’s counsel.
“President Nelson was a great example in so many ways,” he said. “His desire for us to love God and love our neighbor is what the world needs. And I love that President Nelson shared that so freely and frequently.
“But it breaks my heart to see people that are struggling and not loving their neighbor.”
Belinda Wong has a nephew serving a mission in Michigan.
After learning that her missionary nephew was safe, Wong attended her ward sacrament services in Sandy, pondering President Nelson’s oft-repeated calls for unity.
“He was an extraordinary man who gave us an example of how we should live and to seek celestial things — and to see the world from a celestial perspective.”
The church’s 17th president has passed away, but his teachings remain very much alive at a difficult moment for all Latter-day Saints and their friends, added Wong.
“If we look at this from a celestial perspective, this too shall pass, and that this will be something that can make us stronger and not divide us,” she said.
“That’s the most important thing — to not be divided.”
Sonja Harris of Cedar Hills taught Sunday’s Relief Society lesson in her ward, focusing on the teachings of Christ.
The events of the past two days prompted her to change her lesson.
“We talked about many things such as President Nelson and his laser-like focus on turning people to the Savior…and there wasn’t a dry eye.”
Harris added her Relief Society group also talked about “the sad things that were going on in Michigan” and the importance of establishing “church” inside the walls of one’s own home.
“Even though times are hard and a little bit crazy, we still can preach of Christ, and we can teach of Christ,” she said. “Instead of saying things that are unkind, we can be better disciples of Christ, like President Nelson.
“He taught us to put away our weapons, to be civil in our dialogue and to be understanding and to love.”
A former law enforcement officer, Dave Sutherland stood a few steps from his Latter-day Saint meetinghouse in Cedar Hills on Sunday afternoon and considered the juxtaposition of emotions many were feeling.
“This is a tragic event (in Michigan) — and I mourn the losses for those families…and like all the other members, we are praying for those families in Michigan and hope they can have peace and receive the help they need,” he said.
Sutherland added he is grateful for Christ’s teachings and the opportunity he and others have to help any who are struggling.
His wife, Elizabeth Sutherland, said the women in her ward Sunday gathered for Relief Society to talk about the impact that President Nelson has had on their lives.
The late church leader, she added, taught her to love others and be a peacemaker.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about this fallen world that we live in,” acknowledged Elizabeth Sutherland. “But President Nelson also taught us that we can succeed.
“Heavenly Father has given us all of the tools and how, by growing closer to the Savior, we can make it through these hard things that we are having, whether personally or happening around us.”
The Sutherlands’ 16-year-old daughter Kara said she is finding strength in her life by accepting President Nelson’s challenge to “letting God prevail in our lives.”
Michael and Nanda Brock were attending their family ward at the University of Utah Sunday when they learned of both President Nelson’s death and the Michigan meetinghouse shooting.
The developing story out of Grand Blanc, Michigan, “made me think about all of the violence” happening in the world, said Michael Brock.
Nanda Brock said she was saddened by Sunday’s shooting — “It is a terrible thing” — but added she finds hope in President Nelson’s assurance “that the Lord will do great things.”
