Funeral Services for President Hinckley Announced

There has been some confusion over the location of President Hinckley's viewing. The venue was originally announced to be held in the tabernacle, then it was set for the Church Administration Building. It sounds like it has finally been determined to be in the Conference Center. Personally I am glad it's the Conference Center - at least I can be warm while I wait in line.

Below are two Press Releases from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding the funeral. Below that you will find information on BYU Broadcasting's Special Broadcast and a Special Cane Wave Tribute to President Hinckley planned.

Did You Know?
Venue Change for President Gordon B. Hinckley’s Viewing

The venue for President Gordon B. Hinckley’s viewing on Thursday and Friday has been changed to the Conference Center, 60 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City. Conference Center doors will open at 9:00 a.m. for the viewing and will close at 7:00 p.m. both days

SALT LAKE CITY 28 January 2008 Funeral services for President Gordon B. Hinckley, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who died Sunday evening, will be held this Saturday, February 2, in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.

The proceedings will be broadcast via satellite in 69 languages to over 6,000 Church buildings globally. Brigham Young University’s BYU Television will also broadcast the funeral internationally.

Those who attend the funeral services at the Conference Center will need to be in their seats no later than 10:30 a.m. for an 11:00 a.m. start. Seating will be restricted to the 21,000 capacity of the Conference Center. Overflow seating with large screen viewing of proceedings will be offered in the adjacent Tabernacle, Assembly Hall and Conference Center Theater.

Between the funeral and graveside services, a program profiling the life and ministry of President Hinckley titled In His Own Words will also be televised.

President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since March 12 1995.

There will be a public viewing Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Center, 60 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City.

President Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, died at the age of 97.

The Church president passed away at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from causes incident to age. Members of his family were at his bedside.

Expressions of sympathy can be emailed to condolences@ldschurch.org or mailed to Church headquarters at 47 East South Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150.

President Hinckley’s family members have suggested that in lieu of flowers those who wish to send a memorial gift could donate to the Church’s Perpetual Education, Humanitarian or Missionary funds, or the Gordon B. Hinckley Chair of British Studies at the University of Utah.

BYUBroadcasting Special Broadcast

Funeral services for President Gordon B. Hinckley 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, UT on

Saturday, 2 February 2007, at 11:00am (mountain time).

The funeral services will be broadcast live on BYU Television, BYU Television International, KBYU-TV, Classical 89, and BYU Radio.

Some of President Hinckley's memorable devotionals, firesides and more will be featured throughout the month on BYU Broadcasting stations, please check out www.byub.org/preshinckley/ for the latest updates.

Cane Wave Tribute to President Hinckley

In honor of President Gordon B. Hinckley, a unique tribute to this beloved prophet is being organized for his funeral. All who loved President Hinckley and who will be in Salt Lake City on Saturday, February 2, are invited to participate.

Most of us have had the pleasure of seeing President Hinckley greet the masses with a wave of his cane. It became his signature over the past few years, and we all got a good laugh when he used his cane to wave to the masses instead of using it to help him walk.

To honor the man, and his great sense of humor, a group known only as “Cane Wave Tribute” is proposing that Church members line the streets between the Conference Center and cemetery, hopefully with thousands of admirers, waving canes as the cortège passes. This website has been set up to disseminate information about the tribute as it becomes available.

Cane Wave Tribute asks that you send a copy of this article to as many people as you can, and ask them in your message to do the same. This way we can reach as many people as possible, and give this great man a fitting tribute.

Get your walking canes right away. Make this a family event, and share the joy of a final celebration tribute to President Hinckley. School classes, wards, and seminaries are invited to participate together. Join thousands of other Latter-day Saints for an event that will live forever in your minds and hearts.

For information, visit the blog site or call Kristen Call Smith at 801-743-4604.

Renee's Note: It would be a nice touch to donate your waved cane to the LDS Church Humanitarian Aid afterwards. Humanitarian Aid donations can be made at any Deseret Industries - just mark it as such.