- Derrick Porter, host of "Music & the Spoken Word," paid tribute to President Nelson Sunday.
- Porter shared personal experiences with Nelson, highlighting his kindness and leadership qualities.
- President Nelson's funeral will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Conference Center.
SALT LAKE CITY – On Sunday morning, with little notice, Derrick Porter paid tribute to President Russell M. Nelson on a special live broadcast of "Music & the Spoken Word."
Porter, who has served as The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's announcer since last year, had woken up that morning to learn that President Nelson died the night before at age 101. President Nelson had led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since January 2018.
Even though it was last-minute, Porter said, he was ready to use his time on the broadcast to remember the late prophet.
"A few months earlier, I had felt a small impression that it was time to prepare something," Porter told KSL-TV in an interview on Wednesday. "I had no idea that this was coming, but had written the bones of that tribute."
Last year, President Nelson called Porter to his assignment with the choir. But their association went far beyond that.
"For a period of just under 10 years, I served either as a counselor in the bishopric or as the bishop of our ward, where we had the great pleasure and privilege of seeing very frequently and often President Nelson," Porter said.
That was in North Salt Lake, where President Nelson used to live.
"Every time when he was there, he was loving, he was uplifting, he was building," Porter said. "His compliments actually would carry me through the day."
It was an unusual experience helping lead a congregation attended by a high-level church leader. In one instance, Porter said, President Nelson "sat down and said, 'You know, Derrick' — and opened up the program for me and said — 'I think that perhaps this bulletin, this program, is a little bit overscheduled.'"
Other times, Porter added, President Nelson would pass him a note after sacrament meeting or lean over and remark that something had worked well.
"That teaching, that counsel, came in every way, but it was always timely," Porter said. "It was always appropriate, and it was always very well received and (with) deep gratitude for it."
Porter also often saw President Nelson outside the walls of a chapel.
You never felt that he was better or different than you. Truly, he felt just that he was one of us.
–Derrick Porter, executive producer and host of "Music & the Spoken Word"
"He was an amazing neighbor," Porter remembered. "I would often see him going every Monday morning and collecting all the garbage cans of all the neighbors and bringing them in. I would see him there in his early 90s working with his snowblower, taking care of the neighbors' walks."
Ultimately, Porter said, "you never felt that he was better or different than you. Truly, he felt just that he was one of us."
President Nelson will be laid to rest next Tuesday, Oct. 7. His funeral at the Conference Center will be open to the public. A public viewing will take place the day before.
