LDS Funeral Scriptures and Prayers: What's Read at Mormon Funerals

Selecting scriptures and understanding the prayers at an LDS funeral can feel like a closed book if you haven't been through one before. The service itself doesn't follow a fixed liturgy — there's no prescribed set of readings the way some denominations handle it. But certain passages appear again and again because they speak directly to Latter-day Saint theology on death, resurrection, and eternal families.

Scriptures Commonly Used in the Chapel Service

Speakers at LDS funerals are asked to center their remarks on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the hope of resurrection, and the eternal nature of family bonds. The scriptures they draw from reflect those themes:

On resurrection and the body being restored:

• Alma 40:23 — "The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body"
• 1 Corinthians 15:22 — "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive"
• John 11:25-26 — "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live"

On comfort and peace during grief:

• Doctrine and Covenants 42:45 — "Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die"
• John 14:27 — "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you"
• Mosiah 24:14 — "I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders"

On eternal families and the plan of salvation:

• Doctrine and Covenants 138:15-17 — The Savior's visit to the spirit world after His death
• Doctrine and Covenants 76:62 — Those who dwell in the celestial kingdom

These selections aren't mandatory. Families work with the bishop and assigned speakers to choose passages that feel personally meaningful while staying doctrinally focused.

The Prayers During the Service

Three distinct prayers occur during a typical LDS funeral:

The opening prayer (invocation): Offered by a family member or friend chosen by the family and approved by the bishop. This is an extemporaneous prayer — there's no script. The person addresses Heavenly Father, asks for comfort and the presence of the Spirit during the service, and closes in the name of Jesus Christ. Non-member guests are welcome to bow their heads silently during this prayer but are not expected to recite anything.

The closing prayer (benediction): Similar in format to the invocation, offered by a different person. It typically expresses gratitude for the life of the deceased, asks for continued comfort for the family, and may mention the graveside service to follow.

The family prayer: This happens privately, 15 to 30 minutes before the chapel service begins. After the public viewing ends and the room is cleared, the family gathers for a final private moment. A designated family member offers a simple prayer thanking God for the deceased's life and asking for strength during the service. Immediately after, the casket is permanently closed.

The Graveside Dedication Prayer

This is the most formal prayer in the entire funeral process — it's a Melchizedek Priesthood ordinance, not just a prayer of comfort. The priesthood holder performing it must be authorized by the presiding bishop and be worthy to hold a temple recommend. If he is outside his home ward, he must present a current temple recommend or an official Recommend to Perform an Ordinance form to the presiding bishop.

The structure follows a specific pattern:

1. Addresses Heavenly Father
2. States that he is acting by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood
3. Dedicates and consecrates the burial plot as the resting place for the deceased's body
4. Prays that the plot will be hallowed, protected, and preserved until the day of Resurrection
5. Asks for comfort for the family and shares spiritual thoughts as prompted
6. Closes in the name of Jesus Christ

The prayer is extemporaneous within this framework — there's no word-for-word script to read. If no worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holder is available, the family may choose any person — male, female, member, or non-member — to offer a simple graveside prayer instead. This alternative prayer carries no priesthood requirements.

What You Won't See

LDS funerals don't include several elements common in other Christian traditions. There are no liturgical chants, no incense, no responsive readings where the congregation reads lines back and forth, and no administration of the sacrament (communion). The simplicity is deliberate — the service is meant to focus attention on Christ and the hope of being reunited with the deceased.

The Mormon / LDS Funeral Guide includes a compiled library of traditional funeral scriptures organized by theme, along with guidance on working with the bishop to build a program that honors both the family's wishes and the Church's doctrinal focus.