Lessons of 2025
Lesson No Thirty-Eight

Remembering President Russell M. Nelson

President Nelson’s public ministry has brought me closer to Jesus Christ. His passing has reminded me that the death of a righteous person is a graduation and a cause for celebration. We morn the passing of President Nelson, but we rejoice that he graduated from mortality with honors. He now ministers in the spirit world while he awaits a glorious resurrection. (See D&C 138:57)

What President Joseph Fielding Smith said at the funeral for Elder Richard L. Evans certainly applies to President Nelson. In my opinion, President Smith’s 3 minute sermon is one of the great doctrinal sermons of our dispensation. It is printed in full below, and I encourage a close study of each phrase in this masterpiece. I have changed the name of Elder Evans to President Nelson:

“[President Nelson] has been taken by the Lord to another field of labor, where his great talents will be multiplied a hundredfold; where he will continue to use them in the furtherance of the Lord’s work; and where they are now needed even more than they were here among us.

“And may I say for the consolation of those who mourn, and for the comfort and guidance of all of us, that no righteous man is ever taken before his time. In the case of the faithful Saints, they are simply transferred to other fields of labor. The Lord’s work goes on in this life, in the world of spirits, and in the kingdoms of glory where men go after their resurrection.

“Life and labor and love are eternal, and [President Nelson] is now assigned to continue his work in the spirit world, until that day when he shall come forth in glorious immortality to receive his place in the mansions that are prepared.

“He held the holy priesthood in this life and was ordained to stand as a special witness of the Lord’s name; he holds that same priesthood in the world of spirits and is there assigned to continue his labors for the salvation of our Father’s other children who have passed on without a knowledge of the saving principles of eternal truth which have been restored in this day.

“The Church on earth has lost the services of one of its most able and competent leaders who was endowed with special talents and abilities which are seldom equaled. But the same Church, which has an even more perfect and effective organization among the righteous dead, has gained another pillar of strength to use in the great labors that are performed there.

“His influence in this life extended to the ends of the earth, and we shall miss his voice, his counsel, and his wisdom as it was heard and felt among us. But in that sphere where the limitations and restrictions of mortality no longer curtail the spirit children of our Father, his voice, his counsel, and his wisdom will influence greater hosts who seek and need the words of life and truth found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

There is power in the sacred name of Jesus Christ! President Nelson’s teachings about properly using the sacred name of Jesus Christ has had a long lasting impact on the Church, on the world, and on me personally. He has emphasized the power that comes into our lives when we properly use the sacred name of Jesus Christ. “Taking the Savior’s name upon us includes declaring and witnessing to others—through our actions and our words—that Jesus is the Christ” (The Correct Name of the Church, Ensign, November 2018).

- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “If we as a people and as individuals are to have access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ—to cleanse and heal us, to strengthen and magnify us, and ultimately to exalt us—we must clearly acknowledge Him as the source of that power. We can begin by calling His Church by the name He decreed” (Ibid).

- The atonement of Jesus Christ. It is common to shorten our reference to the Lord’s atonement by simply saying, “the atonement”. But the power of the Holy Ghost is felt when we say, “the atonement of Jesus Christ”. President Nelson taught: “When we discard the Savior’s name, we are subtly disregarding all that Jesus Christ did for us—even His Atonement” (Ibid).

- The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. When referring to His Church and His atonement we should use His name. When referring to or teaching from the Book of Mormon we may want to look for opportunities to use the full name of this book by adding, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” This will help us to make the Lord Jesus Christ the focus of our lives, and to “look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36).

President Nelson’s personal ministry to me, which has blessed my life so much, includes the Salt Lake Temple and its renovation, and the Louisville Kentucky Temple.

The Salt Lake Temple. I served in the presidency of the Salt Lake Temple from 2008 to 2011. Susan was an assistant to the matron during this time. Every Thursday morning the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles met in their council rooms on the fourth floor of the temple. They would enter the temple in small groups or individually through a door near the baptistry. The member of the temple presidency, who was presiding in the temple that morning, and his wife would be there to greet them. During this time we got to know President Nelson. Also, President Nelson was in the temple on other wonderful occasions where he taught and ministered to us.

The renovation of the Salt Lake Temple. When President Nelson announced the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple I was very excited, but also a little saddened because it would necessitate the removal of the Cedar of Lebanon tree that my grandmother brought back from the Holy Land as a sapling in 1948, and gave to the Salt Lake Temple. It was planted near the southeast corner of the temple. It had grown to be the most recognized tree on temple square.

I asked President Nelson if I could pay to have this tree removed and I would cut it into small pieces to give to my grandmother descendants. After considering my request for a few days he told me that he had decided to preserve this tree so it would be there at the Second Coming the Lord.

President Nelson set me apart as the President of the Louisville Kentucky temple. After serving three years in the Salt Lake Temple presidency and getting to know President Nelson, I was fortunate to have him set me apart as the President of the Louisville Kentucky Temple. At that time he promised us this would be a highlight of our Church service and a great blessing to our family. President Nelson’s promise has been fulfilled in so many ways.

Testimony. I rejoice to know where President Nelson is now, and what he is doing there. I conclude by slightly modifying the words of President Joseph Fielding Smith quoted previously. These marvelous truths apply not only to President Nelson but to all people who graduate from mortality with honors. It is my prayer that we will all be found among that number.

“[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] on earth has lost the services of one of its most able and competent leaders. But [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints], which has an even more perfect and effective organization [in paradise], has gained another pillar of strength to use in the great labors that are performed there.

“[President Nelson’s] influence in this life extended to the ends of the earth, and we shall miss his voice, his counsel, and his wisdom as it was heard and felt among us. But in [paradise] where the limitations and restrictions of mortality no longer curtail the spirit children of our Father, his voice, his counsel, and his wisdom will influence a far greater [number of people now in the spirit world] who seek and need the words of life and truth found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Released on September 30th. 2025