President Hinckley

This evening, TEC and I attended a regional training meeting for the Young Single Adult program for which we serve as advisors on our ward level. Toward the end of the meeting, Elder Renlund, who was presiding, informed us that President Hinckley, prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, had just past away. Tonight my emotions are tender and my thoughts are a bit scattered, but I want to attempt to express them.

I remember the day I learned that President Hunter had died, back in 1995. I was getting some food in a busy cafeteria at the University of Puget Sound when my friend Kathleen stopped me and told me the news. It was very surprising news--he had been prophet for only a short time--and it was a touching moment for me to be in a setting where my friend and I were maybe the only two people who understood the significance of it. A prophet had just died.

President Hinckley's death comes at such a different stage of my life. In fact, so many significant moments of my life have been running through my head tonight, and along with the sadness I feel for the loss of a wonderful man, I can't help but feel gratitude at this close of a chapter of my life. The experiences that have directed my life and shaped who I am have been during the past 13 years that President Hinckley was serving as president of the Church.

I remember gathering in front of a TV with a few college friends to watch President Hinckley interviewed on 60 Minutes. I remember feeling so strongly that he was indeed a man of God and being so impressed with the way he was able to address difficult issues in such a loving and respectful way. It was an experience that made me want to stand taller and be better.

I remember, as a missionary, teaching about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy of sharing with people that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and then being able to show them a picture of Gordon B. Hinckley and feel such hope that they would be touched to know that it was true.

I remember the peace I felt as President Hinckley spoke at the General Conference after the events of September 11, 2001.

I have loved watching my own kids learn about prophets and be able to recognize President Hinckley in pictures or on the TV during conference. Even though they are still young, I felt such a desire tonight to be with them and help them understand and share with them that I know President Hinckley was a prophet.

I'm grateful for the peace I feel in knowing that the work will move forward.