Funeral of Lucille Hulme Smart, 1932-1923

I had the wonderful opportunity of attending the funeral of a truly remarkable person today. The entire service was overwhelmingly beautiful. As I sat soaking in the spirit of the moment, I thought of Alma's declaration, "O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth."

That might seem like an odd scripture for this occasion, but I wanted all of God's children to come and witness and experience what I was seeing. God is good. This life is a beautiful gift. I experienced a little piece of heaven while still here on earth. I got a little taste of what this is all about and what really matters. 

How do we come to know God? Of course there are many ways, but one way for me is to see God reflected in the lives of His children. I saw God reflected in the life of Lucille Smart. She loved Jesus Christ and strove to be His disciple. Through her life, she drew people to the Lord. 

Too many thoughts to try and share, and it's sometimes nice to keep some of those insights and feelings to yourself. Of course, some of the wonder of the moment was to sit amongst people I have grown to love in a building that has become one of my homes to celebrate a truly remarkable woman. Thank you, Lucille, for continuing to bless our lives. And dear Brother Smart, we join your family and you in mourning the passing of Lucille. May you feel our love and support in the coming days.

Below are a few photos for those who couldn't be there today so that you can share, in part, in the day. And to once again witness the wonder of the Relief Society. The motto of the Relief Society is "Charity Never Faileth." The work of their hands and hearts is beautiful to behold.