While I have been around long enough to remember four different presidents of our church, President Hinckley is really the only one I have ever known. I was too young to remember anything about President Kimball; however, I do remember his funeral. By the time I was old enough to understand who President Benson was, the only tangible evidence of his presidency was his empty chair during General Conference. My most lasting memory of President Hunter was that I learned about his death from the news scroll while watching the O.J. Simpson trial. President Hinckley on the other hand, I have known my entire adult life, he was the president during my mission, and has been a constant I could rely on as an example.1) "
Be Ye Clean" I remember this talk. It was the first time in my life that I knew a conference speaker meant their words for me. I even reported on this talk for seminary. Recently, President Hinckley gave this talk again during Priesthood session because he said that we needed a second dose, and that too few of us remembered it. I felt a tinge of pride to not be in the group who didn't remember the talk.2) "
I challenge you to a dual" Again, from conference. I will never forget this moment as President Hinckley challenged Russell M. Nelson to a dual for giving a conference talk that President Hinckley described as a eulogy. It was nice to see such an admirable person having a sense of humor.
3)
My Mission Call. As many of you know there are very few things in life as exciting as getting a mission call. I can honestly say that I was surprised by a call to the Philippines. (I had my money on Russia-long story for another time). I loved my mission though, and felt blessed to be sent to a country that was close to President Hinckley's heart. He had dedicated the country in the 60's and had followed its phenomenal growth since then. Shortly before my mission he had toured the Philippines, I'm always bummed that I missed that, but being able to share the Prophet's love for a spiritually blessed nation is something I will carry my entire life.4)
Temples. I think just about everyone will have this on their list. Once a person understands how amazing a temple is, there is no way someone cannot appreciate the building spree that took place during President Hinckley's tenure. As someone who loves to travel, there is a great piece of mind being somewhere so far away from home, but knowing that you have access to a temple. I'll particularly remember the contrast I felt after spending 4 months in mainland China and then being able to visit Hong Kong. I made a Temple trip a high priority since it had been so long. There were two other Americans in the room with me and everyone else was either Chinese or Filipino. It was a powerful learning moment.5)
90th Birthday. It seems crazy to think that this was almost 8 years ago, but I got to go to the 90th Birthday celebration in the Conference Center. It was the first major gathering held there, and it was basically a trial run for learning how to get people in and out of the building so they would have a working plan in place before General Conference. Despite a fairly hectic seating, when it finally started it was great to be able to wish President Hinckley a happy birthday. Although it wasn't part of the plan for the evening, it was great when Gladys Knight got the entire building to sing "Happy Birthday" (after the cameras were turned off of course, so the church wouldn't have to pay royalties). At the time I didn't think we'd get the chance to wish him many more, he sure showed me wrong.6)
The Perpetual Education Fund. This was almost as though the brethren were reading my mind and knew what it was that was my biggest concern for the welfare of the Church back in the Philippines and other impoverished nations. In reality it just shows how in touch they are with the problems facing real people. At the time, I was at BYU and very concerned about what was becoming of people I knew back in the Philippines. In reality I was getting regular reminders because I was still receiving email from girls desperate to marry me in order to get a chance at a better life here. While unlike some of my missionary friends, I never tried to solve the problem that way, I was praying for the Church to implement some sort of plan to help members deal with the economic challenges of where they live. Sure enough, I wasn't the only one concerned.I'm sure I could list 20 other things, but I think that President Hinckley would probably worry that I was wasting my time. He'd want us to move forward and not dwell on his death; to use the end of his life as a spiritual rebirth of ours. While it is hard to imagine the First Presidency without Gordon B. Hinckley, I'm reminded of this quote:
"
At the close of one particularly difficult day, I looked up at a portrait of Brigham Young that hangs on my wall. I asked, 'Brother Brigham, what should we do?' I thought I saw him smile a little, and then he seemed to say: 'In my day, I had problems enough of my own. Don’t ask me what to do. This is your watch. Ask the Lord, whose work this really is.' And this, I assure you, is what we do and must always do."Each Prophet is called to serve at a time when their service will do the most good. While it is hard to imagine not having President Hinckley up there any more, the Lord has other men waiting in the benches, men who have been foreordained and set apart to serve at a time when they will be most effective. I know that I can look forward to a lifetime of men serving in that position that I will respect as much as Gordon B. Hinckley.
