September 28, 2025, 7:30pm MDT
The tabernacle choir for Temple Square’s “Music & The Spoken Word” program on Sunday, September 28th was a homage to President Russell M. Nelson.
The 17th President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints passed away late on Saturday, September 27th. He was 101 years old.
Executive producer, executive producer and principal and presenter of “Music and Speaked Words,” Derrick Porter welcomed the audience at almost a handful of Salt Lake Tabernacles, explaining that the printed programme was not distributed for arrangements made earlier that morning to honor President Nelson.
On the 5,000th episode of Music & The Spoken Word on July 13th, President Nelson shared some of the early memories of the program.
“I can’t remember life without ‘music and spoken words’,” the Prophet said in a statement at the time on churchofjesuschrist.org. “I was born in 1924 and the first broadcast of “Music and Spoken Word” was on July 15, 1929. As a little boy, I remember listening to the Sunday broadcast. ”
The farewell song for the choir “God Be Be with You Till We Meet Again” is usually sung after it’s aired to those in attendance.
Sunday was the final song on the airing, following Porter’s “speaked words” message entitled “God with You, Until I See You Again,” which honored President Nelson’s life.
The photo of President Nelson was the last image on the air. At the tabernacle, the same image was projected into the ceiling above the choir during a moment of silence, as the broadcast concluded.
“President Nelson’s life was not normal and seemed to leave an unforgettable mark wherever he went,” Porter said as he stood on stage to present “speaked words” during the live broadcast.
President Nelson held many titles, including doctor, surgeon, researcher, professor, and middle Li. But what was important to him was the children of God, the son of the covenant, the disciples of Christ, the husband and father, and the angels of the Lord Jesus Christ, Porter said.
Porter also shared some of President Nelson’s teachings.
“Through his message, we learned to ‘better, get better’. He taught us, “God wins our lives, learns the ‘thrill of heaven’ and hears the Savior’s voice saying that the Lord President “loves one another.” He begged us to be a peacemaker, to listen and treat each other with respect, and treated us with respect and respect for “fighting hostility for understanding and peace.” ”
During his professional life, President Nelson contributed to the development of the heart lung machinery and pioneered the now open technique of cardiac surgery.
“More than anything, he was a disciple and witness of Jesus Christ, and his life’s mission was to help others and heal the heart and spirit,” Porter said.
Porter concluded: “In a sense, he was with us throughout all the journey of this broadcast, and today, for his friends, on behalf of the choir and orchestra friends of the tabernacle, we are parting and dear friends.
The program was under the direction of the choir music director Mac Wilberg and associate director Ryan Murphy. The choir and orchestra of the Tabernacle in Temple Square performed “simple gifts” and “beauty of the earth,” followed by an organ solo by Andrew Answorth from “Annie Laurie.” The choir and orchestra also performed from “Atalia” “glorifying his honorable name.” “When I Want to the Stars” in “Pinocchio”. And before Porter shares the “speaked words” message, the choir concludes with “God will be with you until we meet again,” “his eyes are on the sparrows.”
“Music & The Chaked Word” broadcast-5011 is available on Tabernacle Choir’s YouTube channel, broadcastcasts.churchofjesuschrist.org and the Gospel Stream app.
