A lot has happened since I last wrote. It was an eventful January and it has continued into February. I write this on Sunday, February 10, 2008 and am enjoying sitting with my wife while we watch some television and recap the week. One of the major milestones that I feel like recording is the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley.
Two weeks ago to the day I was sitting on my couch and I received a text message from my friend Doug. It was about 8 o’clock and his message said “we have a new prophet.” I texted back a response along the lines of “huh?” and then he replied that President Hinckley has passed away earlier that evening. I immediately tried to log on to ksl.com to see if what he had said was true and the site wasn’t working. I later found out it was because it was being inundated with traffic for people trying to find out the same thing that I was. I logged on to the website of a competitor of KSL and saw the notice and story of how he had passed away at about 7pm that night and it was because of symptoms relating to his age. It seemed surreal to me that he would die; I honestly could not see a time when the church wouldn’t be led by him. He seemed almost iconic with the way that he led the church. He was the prophet for the majority of the time that I can say that had a testimony and it was quite a shock to hear of his passing.
It wasn’t until later that night that I found myself emotional over his passing. When I was a child the prophet was Ezra Taft Benson. The prophet that gave me my mission call was Howard W. Hunter. But President Hinckley was always present throughout the presidencies of both of those men and I can honestly say that I remember him more than any of the other president of the church. He was always a source for guidance and light; he was and is important to my development as a member of the church. I love him and am grateful for his influence in my life. All of that came to the surface as I pondered that the church would now be without Gordon Hinckley the man and the mantle of Prophet would pass to another. I found that for a short week I was curious to how my heart would embrace President Monson after he was sustained as the new President of the church. I watched the funeral proceedings of President Hinckley and was deeply touched by the countless expressions of love and gratitude for what he did for all mankind as he was here on the earth. I wept as I listened to his daughter share the personal side of his emotions and health after the passing of his wife Marjorie years ago. I connected in my heart once again that a willing man plus the mantle equals an inspired servant. I rejoiced silently for him and the reunion he was experiencing with his sweet wife. All is well.
A few days later was the press conference announcing to the world President Thomas S. Monson as the new prophet and new president of the church. He (the Lord) chose President Henry B. Erying and President Deter F. Uchtdorf to be his counselors. He answered questions about his feelings and the direction he would take the church. I loved that this his response was that he had served with Gordon B. Hinckley for 44 years and that he wasn’t going to depart much from the course President Hinckley had trod; the doctrine was constant. What a testament to the unity of those brethren!! I saw in him the same prophetic mantle and felt the same Spirit remind my soul that the man only holds what God will allow him to, and that has passed to this man, Thomas S. Monson. On top of that, I guess the work rolls on.
I will share more of my thoughts about this at a later time...
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