Thousands attend viewing service for President Russell M. Nelson
Oct 6, 2025, 4:30 PM
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SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands of people visited the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City on Monday to pay their respects to President Russell M. Nelson.
President Nelson, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2018, died Sept. 27 at age 101.
A public viewing began Monday at 9 a.m. and was scheduled to run through 8 p.m. Mourners were able to walk by President Nelson’s open casket and pay respects to the church leader, who was first called as an apostle in 1984.
“It was just beautiful, and it’s so peaceful,” said Darolyn Bankhead of South Jordan. “He was such a wonderful man. He brought peace to the world, and he brought happiness and he was just like everybody’s father and grandfather. You just felt his love for you, and we’re going to miss him.”
“He made it sound easy to live the gospel, and that it was just simple to do that,” added her husband, David Bankhead. “I think about … the bridges that he made with other congregations, other churches, and just to love everyone. That’s his whole thing: to love everyone. You don’t have to agree with them, but you love everyone.”
Jessica Bianco of Lindon brought her children and nieces and nephews to the viewing Monday afternoon. She reflected on President Nelson’s legacy of following Jesus Christ.
“He helped me be a better person,” Bianco said. “Every time that he would speak, I would feel inspired to be a better person and to help my neighbor or to serve somebody, and so I feel like that was the biggest thing for me in his life was I learned how to be a better servant of Jesus Christ and a better disciple here on the earth.”
Suzanne Stirland of Hooper attended the viewing with three of her children.
“We actually did get to see him recently at the Syracuse Temple [dedication], and we were able to tell him that we loved him, and he said that he loved us too,” Stirland said of President Nelson. “I felt that love today when I saw him. We’ll miss him, but we know he’s with the Lord.”
Her 15-year-old son, Luke Stirland, said it was a meaningful experience to attend the late prophet’s viewing.
“It’s definitely something I’ll remember for the rest of my life for sure,” he said.
President Nelson’s funeral will take place Tuesday at the Conference Center at noon.
This is a developing story.
