Re: LDS funeral and burial customs


<rogerccovalt@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:11qs5nlj1jq8m0a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> While I am LDS, I am not a fan of tradition.

I see no problem there. Much in the "Main Stram" of Christianity is
tradition, and much of that came directly over to The Church of Jesus Chrsit
of Latter-day Saints. I think most of that doesn't really matter to our
Savior and His Father (and ours) one way or the other.

> When I die, there will be
> no open casket. In fact I would prefer no casket at all at the service

No problem there either. It is not required by any principle of the Gosple
that I have ever heard of.

> (I have a thing about open caskets and seeing my friends cry over their
> departed love ones).

I would leave instructions against that. If your wife wants to do that in
private, that is sufficient, I would think. But of course once you are dead,
your "loved ones" will call the shots.

> I have no use for this physical body after I die,

Well, at least until the resurrection, and I suspect that it can then be
called back from wherever it may be scattered.

> so my wife knows that I would prefer to be cremated,

No problem there either as far as principles are concerned. Of course you
probably should realize it would be nice to tell your wife that it is fine
with you to do whatever she will feel comfortable with, so long as it is not
really and strongly against your principles.

Snip

> My father died earlier this month. He was not LDS (But was raised in
> the RLDS faith). He was cremated. Half of his ashes will be interred at
> Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery this upcoming week, and the other half
> will be taken to the local mountains in the spring and scattered.

Again, no problem since that was his wish. I take it he saw no disrespect in
that. I think we really should respect this temple which has housed our body
for however long, but it is no longer being used for that purpose.

> This
> was his wish and we all rejoiced at his wish. His service was a
> celebration of life. His minister spoke, then my brother, sister and I,
> along with my dad's oldest brother spoke about the good memories we
> had of him. My dad liked to make muffins, so my 10 year old daughter
> made a bunch of muffins for everyone in attendance. We then invited
> everyone over to my sister's for food and drink.

My mother died last July at age 95. Not many people are still alive who knew
here when she was young. I conducted her funeral in the little country
protestant church that she had attended while she was able. I allowed their
pastor to give an opening prayer. I intended to do most of the talking, but
I offered the opportunity to my 7 children to make a few marks of
remembrance if they wished. My oldest son. age 51, took about 25 minutes and
spoke about what she would like to see her posterity do. A cousin of mine
remarked that he had never heard the passages of scripture about the
relation of husband and wife so well explained. It was not what I had in
mind, but I saw no reason to stop it while it was in progress. The "Ladies
Aid" of that church provided a meal for us afterward. I dedicated the grave,
LDS style. (I had no brothers and sisters, nor did she) I started the
funeral by telling those who were there that I wanted to to be more like we
were all having a reunion at her home, about 2 miles away, except we were
going to remain in the pews.

> Now that is how I'd like my service to be.

I know of no reason that it cannot be. Perhaps by that time there will be a
slight change in the cast.

> Other experiences-My wife assisted a close friend in the washing and
> dressing of the friend's mother in-law.

I have only done something of that sort once. A couple of years ago, a man
in our ward died. He had no closer friends that I, I suppose, since he was
not of long term membership in our ward. The bishop called and wondered if I
would go with him to clothe this brother. It was the first time for both of
us. It was not big deal. He was not there, really, only the "tabernacle"
which had housed his spirit for in excess of 80 years.

> Recent death of a 5 year old
> in our Ward, the family stood around the casket and sand "Families
> can be together forever".

I really dislike that song. It is true, but many will not. and there are too
many youngsters who have families here on earth who treat them quite badly.

> My dad use to work with a Bishop who made
> the comment that one thing he never got use to was dressing the body of
> a deceased member.

Well, bishops are like other people in that they say a lot of things. <G>

.

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