INVOCATION

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name  Matt. 6:9 Thou seest that we are met here this day as family members, loved ones, friends, and fellow saints of Zion, in this beautiful and sacred building to offer our appreciation and pay tribute to the life and the labors of thy worthy servant, thy prophet, seer, and revelator unto thy great Church.

Father in Heaven, our hearts are heavy with sorrow because of the loss of friendship, privileges and associations that we have enjoyed with thy worthy servant in the past. We do not sorrow, Father, because of him, for we feel that his life has been as fine an example to thy children everywhere as any man we have known. He has walked in thy ways. He has kept thy commandments. He has labored for the salvation and the blessing of his fellow men. In this he has been unselfish and devoted all the days of his life.

We thank thee Father that his life has been such that we have been able to listen to the tributes that have already been read in our hearing this day. For these we thank thee, and for the many others that have not been read. And we pray now, Father, that as we are thus gathered together, that thy Holy Spirit may be poured out upon those who take part in these exercises, those who furnish the music, and the Brethren and those who have been asked to speak, that they may speak words of comfort and consolation, that may be an encouragement and a comfort to those who mourn most, the intimate loved ones of thy servant.

Father, as these exercises come to a close and we have listened to the tributes that will be paid, may there be added to them the tribute that each of us feels in his heart for his association with him and for his wonderful kindness and his noble example, for we do love him, Father. Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest the love we bear for him.

Father in Heaven, as he has brought honor to the name that he bears and has proven himself worthy to stand in the presence of his father and his grandfather, both of whom have occupied positions in the presidency of thy Church, we feel that nothing would please him more nor please thy Church more than that his posterity unto the latest generation of time may continue to bear luster to that name, and be worthy to bear it among the children of men and the saints of Zion everywhere.

Now Holy Father, thou hast declared through thine Only Begotten Son, "For blessed are they which do mourn, for they shall be comforted"  Matt. 5:4 We ask that these services this day may prove a comfort to all who mourn, that thy spirit may be present in rich abundance, that we may do honor to thy noble servant, all of which we ask, and we thank thee for all our blessings in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, Amen.