On June 20, 1993, on the occasion of the funeral of his wife of seventy-one years, while he had his remaining children and many of his posterity gathered together in one place, grandfather Kenneth Burnett, after sharing some of the experiences of their life together, made the following plea to his posterity and the others there assembled.
“But now Brothers and Sisters, let me tell you, love one another. There is so much hate and envy and malice and trouble in the world today. We live in the great day of Satan. Love one another. Get down on your bended knees at night and thank your Heavenly Father for your life and then turn around and try to always keep his commandments and live his laws that you’ll only be happy. You’ll never get happiness if you do not live as our Heavenly Father has asked us to live. I hope my children, my grandchildren will remember the things I’m telling them here today. I may not be here another day, I don’t know. I’m here on borrowed time; I realize that (editor’s note: he lived another 6-1/2 years to the age of 105). But when I think …when I think…of the blessings of the Lord…and then when I think…when I say love one another…and when I think about the promise that was made to my dear wife, who lies there in that casket…of the temple…eternal life without sin or death. I know it with every part of my being.
Now when it comes to loving one another, if you’ve had envy, if you’ve had words, if you’ve had problems, if you’ve had trouble with one another, think of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ nailed to the cross on Calvary and in turn the nail prints and the blood running out of his hands and his feet and the spear in his side…and he turned and he said to his Father, “Forgive them for they know not what they do”. How can we have any forgiveness that compares with that forgiveness? I love my Savior. I love what he’s done. I love for my life here upon the earth. I had the privilege of going into the mission field on two occasions and bringing this glorious Gospel to some of his children on the earth. Now I’ve said too much. I’ve said a lot to ya. But my dear children, please, I plead with you, please love one another. You’ll never feel that Spirit I have felt at that time…I’d give all I possess on this earth if I could be in the feeling and possession of that true Spirit….if it ever touches you, you’ll never forget it. I’ve been in the presence of it when it would just be so strong it would almost consume your flesh. Now the Lord bless you. I love ya. I’ve spoken on this program that didn’t have my name on it. But I want you to know that that dear Sister that lies in that casket…I’ll tell ya…I hope I’ll be worthy to meet her. And when the day comes for judgment…don’t prejudge people, leave it up to the Lord...and when it comes… the judgment day…and I have carried this thought in my mind from long time…and my Heavenly Father says to me, “Now Kenneth, what have you done for my cause on the Earth?” I hope I’ll be comfortable and I hope I can tell him that I tried. I tried on those missions to bring that wonderful message to his children. Now may the Lord bless ya. I appreciate…I know my dear wife, if she could rise out of there she’d tell you the same thing, how she appreciates you coming here and thinking of us. Now may peace be with you in your homes. And again I say to you, love one another. True love, not puppy love. Not sexual love. True love! May that be the lot with all of you. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
The person conducting the funeral then came to the podium and made the following statement:
“You of the Burnett family have witnessed a remarkable thing today. Your patriarch has given you great counsel and advice. He has given you his patriarchal blessing. As you have gathered together to pay tribute to his wonderful wife, he has felt the desire to bless you as great patriarchs of ages past have done. Adam gathered his posterity together to bless them at the end of his life, as did the great patriarch Jacob. Lehi, as he grew old, felt compelled to bless his children. He said, but behold my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave my blessing upon you. The words of your patriarch that you have heard today are no less important for your family than Lehi’s were for his. These words should be written down and his testimony should become a part of your Book of Remembrance, your family scriptures, and they should be handed down with your testimonies added, to your children and to their children.”
