Upon the Isles of the Sea: Funeral for International Rugby Star Sheds Positive Light on Church

As Public Affairs Missionaries we work with media in New Zealand and throughout the Pacific so information on the Church is accurate, timely and represents the Church in a positive light. We also assist in special events. These responsibilities are illustrated by our involvement in the funeral services of Jonah Lomu, the first internationally famous Rugby player. He joined the Church three years ago. He died of kidney disease about 12 days ago.

Jonah is carried into the chapel by family, former teammates and opponents.

There were four memorial services and his LDS funeral, all covered heavily by local and international media. We were involved hosting/managing the media representatives at the Church Funeral and reporting on the main public memorial for our newsroom.

Elder Kevin W. Pearson waits to greet the Lomu family. Some of the international press covering the funeral.

It is difficult to convey the scope and size of these events. The reports were carried world-wide in major media outlets in every country where rugby is played.

Elder Kevin W. Pearson, Pacific Area President, meets with Crown Prince Ata of the Kingdom of Tonga who attended the funeral. Prince Ata is also a relatively new convert to the Church.

Over 1,000 attended the Church funeral.

President Wilson, Jonah's Stake President, conducted and spoke at the funeral.

The Church funeral was attended by over 1,000 people and broadcast to other stake centers in New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga.

Three members of the extended Lomu family in traditional Tongan dress. Over 90 family members arrived by bus just prior to the start of the funeral service.

President Wilson being interviewed by Wilhelmina Shrimpton, New Zealand Channel 3 News. One of our assignments was to coordinate these interviews. The reporters were very respectful. One cameraman told us he was excited to go into a Mormon church for the first time.

The Church was portrayed positively in all articles and news reports we tracked. Of significance was the coverage of the Church funeral. Most media reports led with Jonah's two young sons singing "Families Can Be Together Forever" and "I am a Child of God." The stake president's talk on the Plan of Salvation and the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ was also featured prominently in most reports.

The public memorial at Eaton Park (A giant rugby stadium where he played for New Zealand's national team: The All Blacks) was attended by over 5,000 people and was broadcast live throughout New Zealand and other places around the world.

Below are photographs taken by Elder Champlin at the memorial, several were used in various articles.