I haven't been able to fully wrap my brain about what has just happened. I have experience with death. A lot of experience...more than I would like. But the blow is never diminshed despite how many times you have seen death.
Pres. Hinckley, the beloved prophet of my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) passed away today at the age of 97. While I have loved every prophet that has presided over the church, and have respected their work and have gained a testimony of the principles that they taught, Pres. Hinckley has always been my prophet. I have loved him from the very beginning...and even before that. As a young child I remember dreading the fact that we had to watch all 8 hours of conference. But when Pres. Hinckley spoke, I was all ears. For some reason I was just drawn to him, his words, and his love.
I guess I could launch into a schpiel about all of the wonderful things that he has done for the church, over his lifetime, for me personally--but I won't. I guess I just wanted to say that I love him and that I will miss him. I am grateful for the way that he has influenced me and for the things that he accomplished in his lifetime. While I am sad at the loss (and it is great), I am happy to know that he has been reunited with his sweet wife. Any time apart from the love of your life has got to be terrible. I am grateful for the principle of eternal families and of life extending beyond the grave. I feel blessed to know this. I feel blessed to have a deep and abiding testimony of this.
And so as we welcome in the new prophet (President Monson) and his counselors (Pres. Eyring and Pres. Uchtdorf) let us pay final tribute to Pres. Hinckley by being a little kinder, a little more compassionate, a little more loving and forgiving. Let us attend the temple more frequently. Let us donate a little more generously. Let us stand a little taller and be the best that we can be.
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