President Hinkley became the propht in 1995 when Howard W. Hunter passed away. I was a sophomore in High School. I remember hearing the news in my Seminary Class, my teacher at the time was Brother Slaughter. I remember that I was so glad President Hinckley was the new Prophet, he had been running the church for a while anyway with the last few prophets being old and not in the best of health.
I once had the opportunity of see President Hinckley as he passed me in a hallway at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I was standing at the ticket desk to get tickets to Legacy when a hush came over the building and you knew something was coming even if you couldn't see it. Moments later President Hinckley, his wife and an escort of security came around the corner. Many in that group I was standing with got to shake his hand, but being in the back I did not. However, I could "feel" his presence and I knew he was a prophet of God. I will miss President Hinckley, but the work goes on and the church is still true.
“This work is true. You know that, as do I. It is God's work. You know that also. It is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the way to happiness, the plan for peace and righteousness.”
“God our Eternal Father lives. His Son, our Redeemer, the resurrected Savior of the world, lives. They appeared to the boy Joseph Smith to part the curtains in opening a great work of restoration, ushering in the dispensation of the fullness of times. The Book of Mormon is true. It speaks as a voice from the dust in testimony of the divinity of the Lord. The priesthood with its keys, its authority, and all of its blessings is upon the earth.”“And we are partakers of these precious gifts. And so, as we might say to an old friend, good-bye. May the blessings of God rest upon this sacred and wonderful hall. And may we, as those who have come here frequently to partake of the Spirit felt here, live worthy of the title Latter-day Saints is my humble prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.”
(“Good-bye to This Wonderful Tabernacle,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 91. )
2 comments:
He was a unique and wonderful prophet, and though the church will continue to move on, I don't think anyone will ever quite be able to fill his shoes.
Being about ten years older than you, I remember when President Kimball died, and how it really wasn't a huge surprise because he had been sick for so long. The same with President Benson's declining health. President Hunter never really did enjoy good health while he was prophet, but President Hinckley remained hard at work up until the very end.
He was a warm, inspiring and wonderful man; I'll miss him a lot!!!
I remember as a very young child watching President Kimball's funeral on TV. I was very upset that he had died and I prayed for him for a long time after he died because I didn't understand that President Benson took his place.
I don't really remember President Benson actualy being the prophet since he was so sick all the time so to me that was when President Hinckley really became the prophet to me.
Then there was President Hunter... He was a great man, but again he wasn't around very long. So pretty much in my almost 30 years of life is President Hinckley leading and directing the church. :)
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