Tyler Soelberg

Tyler Cevering Soelberg 1986 ~ 2011 Farr West 25, passed away on Thursday, July 21, 2011 due to injuries sustained in a bicycling accident. He was born in Ogden, Utah on February 12, 1986 to W. David Soelberg and Pamela Cevering. Tyler had a passion for life and learning and enjoyed being with family and friends. He attended Weber County schools, graduating as the valedictorian of the class of 2004 from Fremont High School. Tyler served an honorable LDS mission in Albania where he adored the people and considered the country his second home, returning several times to visit.

Tyler visited the Vlorë Branch where we meet him for the first time last August, 2010.  Tyler was the first Branch President of the Vlorë Branch and served in that position for 6 months.  The saints of the Vlorë Branch love him very much because he was such a good missionary and kept track of all the members after his mission.  Tyler was scheduled to visit Vlorë in August this year and was going to baptize one of our investigators.  I am sure that our Heavenly Father had a greater need for him than he was needed here on earth. 

 This is a picture of Tyler and Enea Rrokaj at the Stalt Lake City airport just two days before his death.  Tyler was helping Enea get on a plane to come back to Albania after finishing a semester at BYU Idaho.

After talking to many of the members of the Vlorë Branch and seeing how much Tyler was going to be missed President Smith decided to have a special fireside.  Those who were brought into the gospel of Jesus Christ by being taught by Elder Soelberg were especially affected.  The meeting, 1 Aug 2011 at 7 PM, was to give everyone an opportunity to say how they felt about Tyler and help them go through the grieving process.  We were pretty sure that ten people would show but not many more but we were surprised to have 27 (some didn't stay for the photo) people attend.


The meeting went well with President Smith talking first, after a hymn and prayer, about death and the way Latter-day Saints see death.  Then everyone took turns, then President Smith ending with what he felt Tyler would what them to do; not be sad for him, to live the gospel to the fullest and build up the kingdom in Vlorë Albania.

Every meeting the Vlore branch has there are investigators in attendance.   This fireside held on a Monday evening talking about death and a former missionary had four investigators attending.  Our Sacrament meetings average six investigators every week with up to 20 attending on one Sunday.