Beloved Prophet

It's funny how sometimes it takes someone's passing for us to evaluate what they mean to us on a large scale. Sunday night when I found out that the Prophet of my church, Gordon B. Hinckley, had died, I really thought about what he meant to me. President Hinckley was not just my Prophet, he was my friend, my other grandfather, someone who knew me. I grew up with him at the helm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I will miss him dearly.

In no way am I sad or depressed at his passing though. Finishing our work on this Earth is a glorious thing. His reunion on the other side was more magnificent than I could ever imagine. He did it! And now he gets to be with his wife, Marjorie. I also spent some time thinking about the other people who were there to greet him, Christ, other prophets, and family. The perfect joy that must have been felt, well I can only imagine.

I also got to thinking about specific things he did or said that effected me directly. Things that changed my life, helped me move forward and upward, and made me want to do and be better. here are a few of the quotes that are significant to me and have been emblazoned upon my walls, journals, notes, and scriptures...

"work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it!" (this quote reminds me to put my all into raising my children, especially when it is hard and that's when I need it the most)

"Does it enrich the mind? Does it discipline and strengthen the body? Does it nourish the spirit?" (We have had this quote taped to all the media in our house for about 4 years now, to remind us to not let any unclean thing into our home, it has helped us to turn off a movie or show many different times)

In my journal I have a couple of entries about things he said in conference or at firesides, one of course was the Be's... I loved when he gave that CES fireside. I felt so ready to be better and try harder I was ready to be grateful, clean, humble prayerful and smart!

He got me excited about the perpetual education fund and about going to the temple often (and put a temple near enough to wherever I happened to be that I had no excuse).

He made me laugh with his jokes and the twinkle in his eye. His love for life was contagious. Even as time went on and his wife passed away, he still worked hard and did his best always! He taught me there are no excuses to give up or stop doing good.

I love Gordon B. Hinckley. I will miss him, but I will see him again!