We thank Thee, o God, for a Prophet...

I'm probably not the only one doing this, but since the internet seems to be such a good sounding board I thought I'd write a few thoughts.

Undoubtedly anyone who reads this blog has heard of the passing of President Hinckley.  We were at my parents'  house, and my brother's girlfriend got a text mentioning President Hinckley had died.  We check the news channels and nothing (it was only 8:00), but they were talking about it on the radio.  I mentioned that I had actually had a thought that morning about how things work when he passes.  I have to admit I have had thoughts now and then, usually in the shower in the morning, wondering if that would be the day we heard the news.  Maybe that's a bad thing to admit, but I think I was just bracing myself for the inevitable, even though some would liked to have thought that President Hinckley was going to be here forever.  And despite bracing myself, I found myself shedding tears for his passing, and rightly so.

Like many in my age group have mentioned in the news interviews and things, President Hinckley was the prophet of our generation.  I was a youth when he delivered his "B's" talk and when he talked about one set of earrings and no tattoos.  He was the prophet I testified of on my mission; I was blessed to be in Ukraine when he visited the people there for the first time.  I can without a doubt say he was instrumental in the forming of my own testimony because he was God's representative during those years when my testimony was becoming my own.  Then I think of my younger brothers who are 17 and 19, or Abby's younger siblings who are 19, 13, and 10.  He's the only prophet they've known.  He by far hasn't served the longest, but when he's been the prophet for your whole life - or half your life in my case - and done so much for the growth of the Church, I hope that his death has an impact.

I'm happy his family was able to be with him when he passed.  I'm happy he's able to be with his wife again, whom he's greatly missed.  The thought that has the biggest impact on me though, is that he's returned to that God and Savior of whom he has been testifying his whole life.  Can you imagine the feeling in the room when he, or any past prophet, passed?  I'd like to think that He was there, ready to personally escort His beloved servant home.

I love and respect President Hinckley.  What an amazing man, a true example of a man of God.  I had hoped, ever since my mission, to meet him personally, to shake his hand and express my love, respect, and gratitude to him.  Now I'll wait, but that's okay.

As we listened to the radio driving home last night, Abby asked who I thought would get more coverage, President Hinckley or Heath Ledger, the young actor who died last week.  We turned on the news when we got home and of course, being in Utah (and being KSL), that's all they talked about for the entire newscast besides the 10 minutes for weather and sports.  This morning I checked the national news shows; one had a 10 second blurb during their check of the "rest of the news", the other, who had a whole special on Heath Ledger last week and was still talking about him this morning, said absolutely nothing.  So I guess that answers the question.  It's a little annoying for sure - not only was he our Prophet but a great man and leader in our country - but I know what he meant to me.  And while he may not receive the attention from the mainstream media of our country he will have the attention of 13 million people around the world who are church members, not to mention the countless other friends and leaders with whom he had association during his many years of service.

We have a family friend who, if I remember the story right, left the Church after the death of President Kimball.  For some reason or another, his death broke her testimony.  I can't help thinking how many people will end up doing the same.  We have to remember though that while President Hinckley was a great man - no doubt one of the best the world has known - that this wasn't his church.  I know he'd be the first to point that out, and has on many occasions.  This is the Lord's church.  We'll mourn our Prophet's passing, and then the Quorum of the Twelve will meet and appoint his successor, the First Presidency will be reconstituted, and the work will move on.  It will move on just as it did when the Prophet Joseph was martyred, and just as it has after the passing of the other 13 men who have led the Church.  My son will hear his words quoted just as I have heard the words of Joseph, Brigham, President McKay, President Lee and all the other prophets.  Unfortunately my children will never know this great man, but they will know his teachings and testimony, and they will know the next prophet, and the next and the next.  The work will move on.  In fact, I think President Hinckley's passing will cause people to ask even more questions..."I've heard of this man, who was he and what did he stand for?"

I've been told I'm a good writer but I feel like I've written a bunch of ramblings.  Hopefully they made sense, and if not they made sense to me.  I know that we have living prophets today and that President Hinckley was that prophet, and I know that his successor is and will be.  I know that this church is lead by a living God and his living Son and I'm grateful for that testimony.

Farewell, President Hinckley.  Thank you for your example, service, and testimony.  As we sometimes said in Ukraine, "do zustrichiy na nebesach" - until our meeting in heaven.