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i wasn’t initially going to blog about the death of gordon b. hinckley. there have been tons of stories online that have done a great job of honoring his life and contributions. but i wanted to add my two cents and the impact this man has had on me personally. the name gordon b. hinckley is probably unfamiliar to most in the world. but to any member of the latter-day saint (”mormon”) church, it is a common one. my church differs from many others in that we have a living prophet to receive revelation for the church body (not to say that individuals can’t receive revelation on a personal level or that bishops can’t receive guidance for their congregation, etc.). the lds church is set up and ran much like the primitive church seen in new testament. to clarify - members of the mormon faith don’t see the prophet as a perfect person. we recognize that prophets have weaknesses and faults - but they are mouthpieces for the lord. but the purpose of my post is not to convince anyone that gordon b. hinckley was a prophet of god. i do, however, want to convey the impact that he has had on many such as myself.

i remember some past presidents of the church - ezra taft benson, howard w. hunter, etc. i knew the greatness of these men and always had a respect for them. but somehow, i felt a personal connection to president hinckley. i saw him speak in person once when i was younger - i was impressed with how he carried himself and the feeling i got when i heard him talk. not in a “oh wow - he’s a great public speaker…” or “boy he’s entertaining” kind of way - it was something much more. his messages were always full of hope and purpose. he truly exercised love everywhere he went. one could not ask for a better representative of their faith. over the last decade, i feel that the public has been more educated about the latter-day saint church and what it does (and more importantly, what it doesn’t) stand for. there are still many misconceptions about the mormon faith, but many errors have been corrected under the leadership of gordon b. hinckley. whether it was the multiple interviews on larry king or appearing on 60 minutes or being involved in several organizations and events - he actively welcomed sharing the church’s message with others. as silly and/or insignificant this might seem to others, i think that his efforts to familiarize the world with this form of christian faith made one of the largest impacts on the day-to-day lives of lds members such as myself.

whenever i would hear gordon b. hinckley speak at meetings or conference, i found myself wanting to be a better person. his understanding of the gospel and god’s message was inspirational and i always walked away learning something new. president hinckley’s humor was charming and his charismatic personality was infectious. he never wavered and always stood strong for what he believed. his passing actually comes at an interesting point in my life. i’ve been struggling with some things… and while my roots and understanding of fundamentals are intact and strong… it’s been having a hard time manifesting itself in my life due to other distractions. my thoughts have been on president hinckley and the kind of man he was over the last couple of days and i’m reminded of some memorable quotes:

“Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.”

“Our lives are the only meaningful expression of what we believe and in Whom we believe. And the only real wealth, for any of us, lies in our faith.”

“Believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Redeemer, the Son of God, who came to earth and walked the dusty roads of Palestine-the Son of God-to teach us the way of truth and light and salvation, and who, in one great and glorious act offered an atonement for each of us. He opened the way of salvation and exaltation for each of us, under which we may go forward in the Church and kingdom of God. Be not faithless, but believe in the great and wonderful and marvelous blessings of the Atonement.”

“Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

“The family is a creation of the Almighty. It represents the most sacred of all relationships. It represents the most serious of all undertakings. It is the fundamental organization of society.”

“The Holy Ghost is the Testifier of Truth, who can teach men things they cannot teach one another. “

under the leadership of gordon b. hinckley, a document came out that outlined the lds view on the family. the document - called the family: a proclamation to the world - has hung on my parents’ wall for years and i love reading it from time to time. it echoes the scriptures’ message of how sacred the family is. i could go on and talk about the perpetual education fund, countless temple dedications, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, etc. that president hinckley organized and participated in, but there are plenty of sources on that. gordon b. hinckley is more than a list of deeds and facts to me. i have been touched and inspired by this man’s testimony and devotion to the gospel of jesus christ. through his obedience and example, i have learned what it means to be a servant of the lord and i can only hope that i will one day be a fraction of that. he loved christ with all of his heart and it radiated from him. i know that he has peace now and that he is reunited with his wife and loved ones. and for that, i have joy. but all the same - i am going to miss his guidance and wit. he was a unique man with a love for humanity. his is truly a life worth celebrating.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” ~2 Timothy 4:7

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EDIT: a day after i made this post, a friend forwarded me this link… i couldn’t have said it better myself: