Elder Boyd K. Packer passed away on July 3 at 2 p.m. in his Utah home at 90 years of age. He served as an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for over 50 years, having been ordained into the Quorum of the Twelve on April 9, 1970, according to Mormon Newsroom.
Elder Packer gave talks throughout the world, sharing his witness of Jesus Christ. “After all the years that I have lived and taught and served, and millions of miles I have traveled all around the world,” he said at a General Conference, “with all that I have experienced there is one great truth that I would share. That is my witness of the Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Ulziika Sukhbaatar, a freshman studying political science from Mongolia, said she felt like Elder Packer had been a great example of a witness of Christ because of his perseverance to share the message of the Savior despite his worsening health.
“I don’t know him closely, but I heard he never complained about his health issue,” she said. “One thing I could tell about Elder Packer is that he is really patient and he understands the importance of trials. That’s how he shows he is a good witness and he can represent as an example of Christ.”
“He was a great witness of Christ,” said Kyujin Cho with a smile, a sophomore from Korea studying business management. “He had taught people from his experiences and wisdom, and those experiences and wisdom were from him making choices to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Packer filled his talks with stories from his life, from family experiences to the time he served in World War II, sharing his witness to those in his stories and to those listening.
“There are so many apostles that are so wise and have been through stuff like that,” said Stephanie Davis, a graduate from Nevada who majored in graphic design. “When you’re in the war, there are other people who don’t have faith and get so depressed. If you have that one friend like him who has faith, who keeps pressing forward, who prays for himself but also for other people that he’s serving with. … I think Christ did that too.”
Elder Packer was born Sept. 10, 1924 in Brigham City, Utah, according to Mormon Newsroom. He served in the military during World War II, becoming a bomber pilot. He attended Weber Junior College and received his associate's degree and went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Utah State University. He got his doctor of education degree from Brigham Young University in 1962, according to Mormon Newsroom.
Elder Packer was a family man, a spiritual leader, an accomplished artist, and a lover of nature. He put family first, answering their calls even when he was in important meetings, according to Mormon Newsroom. He showed his amateur sculptures of flowers and birds as well as other artwork in a 2004 exhibit in the Museum of Church History and Art.
His art reflected his love in nature, as a friend Theodore Tuttle told Mormon Newsroom, “You didn’t really get to know him until you walked through a forest with him.”
“One eternal truth I have come to know is that God lives,” Elder Packer testified in a General Conference. “He is our Father, we are His children. I bear my testimony that the Savior lives. I know the Lord. I am his witness. I know his great sacrifice and eternal live for all of Heavenly Father’s children. I bear my special witness with humility, with absolute certainty.”
Elder Packer’s funeral will be held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah on Friday, July 10, at 11 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time, reports Mormon Newsroom.