President Gordon B. Hinckley, the leader and prophet of our church, passed away last night around 7:00 PM Mountain Time. He was the 4th prophet of my lifetime, and even though Ezra Taft Benson was the prophet of my childhood, President Hinckley was the prophet when I gained a testimony for myself of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had a profound impact on the Church - specifically with temple construction and bringing the Church out of obscurity and into the international religious dialogue. You can read the official news report of his life and death here.
Although many will talk of his great accomplishments as the 15th president of our church, for me his impact was much more personal. He seemed to be a moral cheerleader, urging us to do better tomorrow than we did today. For many, this gospel can be very demanding and overwhelming. But President Hinckley counseled us to take it one step at a time, never forcing, always there to encourage and support. He had a great sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. He understood the struggles we go through on a daily basis, and made the gospel, and more importantly the atonement, a real and tangible part of our lives. He brought us closer to other people of faith, both Christians and non-Christians alike in a great spirit of diplomacy, and urged us to do the same. When he spoke I never felt guilty or ashamed, just inspired and uplifted.
I had the opportunity to see him in person on a number of occasions - something I know many of my friends out here on the East coast have never had a chance to do. I will never forget the first time he came to BYU to speak. Students lined up outside the Marriott Center for hours to make sure they had a seat. When he entered, every person stood in silence as he made his way up to the podium. When we sang "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet", there was not a doubt in my mind that he was in fact a prophet of God, called to lead His people. Those who knew him loved and revered him. If ever I doubted the truthfulness of this work, hearing President Hinckley's humble testimony was all the strength I needed.
I am grateful that the Lord calls prophets to lead and guide us in these latter days. I'm grateful for the inspiration that President Hinckley has given me over the years. And I am grateful that he is finally able to rest and see his beloved Marjorie again.
For those not of our faith wanting to know more about how prophets are called and what will happen to the leadership of the Church now that President Hinckley has passed away, click here.
Although many will talk of his great accomplishments as the 15th president of our church, for me his impact was much more personal. He seemed to be a moral cheerleader, urging us to do better tomorrow than we did today. For many, this gospel can be very demanding and overwhelming. But President Hinckley counseled us to take it one step at a time, never forcing, always there to encourage and support. He had a great sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. He understood the struggles we go through on a daily basis, and made the gospel, and more importantly the atonement, a real and tangible part of our lives. He brought us closer to other people of faith, both Christians and non-Christians alike in a great spirit of diplomacy, and urged us to do the same. When he spoke I never felt guilty or ashamed, just inspired and uplifted.
I had the opportunity to see him in person on a number of occasions - something I know many of my friends out here on the East coast have never had a chance to do. I will never forget the first time he came to BYU to speak. Students lined up outside the Marriott Center for hours to make sure they had a seat. When he entered, every person stood in silence as he made his way up to the podium. When we sang "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet", there was not a doubt in my mind that he was in fact a prophet of God, called to lead His people. Those who knew him loved and revered him. If ever I doubted the truthfulness of this work, hearing President Hinckley's humble testimony was all the strength I needed.
I am grateful that the Lord calls prophets to lead and guide us in these latter days. I'm grateful for the inspiration that President Hinckley has given me over the years. And I am grateful that he is finally able to rest and see his beloved Marjorie again.
For those not of our faith wanting to know more about how prophets are called and what will happen to the leadership of the Church now that President Hinckley has passed away, click here.
