Many of you are familiar with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but for those of you who are not, this has been a bittersweet week for members of our faith. President Gordon B. Hinckley, prophet and leader of the LDS church passed away last Sunday evening at the age of 97.
I loved President Hinckley. He was the Prophet of my formative, young adult years. He was an inspired man who led us and loved us. He had a wonderful sense of humor, great wisdom, and a true love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. There will always be a special place in my heart for this kind man.
President Hinckley was called as the Prophet when I was in High School. In our Seminary, Sister Cornwall had us make a banner welcoming him and wishing him well in his new calling as Prophet and President of the Church. When it was all decorated and signed we would mail it to Salt Lake City with our love. We were a silly bunch, all of us great friends, and many of us half asleep. You see, for us, Seminary started at 6:30 in the morning (not that I was ever in time!). In our silliness throughout the year we frequently made up nicknames for everyone, including leaders of the Church. I attribute this mostly to the Meier girls, they were (and still are) notorious for nicknaming everything. In this setting, we all had to decide what we wanted to print in large letters across the front of the banner. We came up with
"We Love You Gordy!"
This is where Sister Cornwall showed her wisdom. Some people might have said that we were being disrespectful and that we needed to use his title and given name. But she realized that we did love this great man. We knew who he was, we understood that he was now the Prophet. And she realized that, as teenagers, the way that we were going to show our love and support for him was to give him a nickname. So she supportively helped us make the banner and send it to "Gordy". I believe that he didn't mind that we were being familiar and affectionate. He knew that we had testimonies of the Restored Gospel. Why else would we have been up and studying the scriptures at that ridiculously early hour?
This week I have really enjoyed reading others tributes to this great man. Here are a few of my favorites.
7 comments:
Thanks for the great testimony of the prophet. He was a great man. We will miss him around here! By the way, this is the first time I've ever commented on anyone's blog. Now I know how to do it. I'm learning so much this week!
I wonder how many baby Gordons will be born this year to LDS parents? Just a thought. Gordy is actually a really cute name.
This morning we sang "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" as our opening hymn at church. Probably not the only ward that did that.
My personal President Hinckley story...I suddenly remembered it last night when Matt and I were talking. A couple of years ago, when I worked at the Church Office Building, one day I was crossing the underground parking lot between the COB and the JSMB. About 20 yards away from me I noticed a golf cart outside the entrance to the Administration Building, with President Hinckley sitting inside, hands and chin resting on his cane. No one else was around! I was too shy to go say hello--and afraid some security guards would come out of nowhere and chase me off--but ever since then I have told myself that if I am in that position again I will definitely say hello. Hopefully someday I will get a similar opportunity to meet a prophet in person. At any rate I was able to be in the same room with him several times and of course hear him speak dozens of times, and am grateful for that.
I am excited to see how the church will evolve (the church not the gospel) as it continues to spread around the world under the direction of President Monson.
Melanie-So glad you have figured out the blogging thing!
Eliza- I cannot believe that you didn't talk to him! next time...
I, too , am excited to see what will come with President Monson.
Reminds me of the time we saw Elder Holland in RiteAid in SLC when we were there for someone's wedding - and I just went up and talked to him - about the WWbroadcast on teaching I'd just seen in fact - and we had a nice conversation.
So keep up on what the prophet is saying and next time you have an opportunity to chat, you'll have some fodder for conversation.
i know, i totally kicked myself even as i walked by. what was i thinking?? like i said, just too timid. i mean it's not like it would have offended him if i'd said hi, thank you, the church is true, i think you and your wife are pretty great, thanks for cracking down on church members to be better because we need it!
i have btw said hello to pres monson. but we didn't have a real conversation. i was shy that time too.
I can relate a little bit. When Mom and I lived in the Butterfield Arms we lived next door to Pres. N. Elden Tanner and he was in our ward. One Sunday we crossed paths going toward each other in the chapel before sacrament meeting. I think he was maybe as shy as I was, because neither of us even said "good morning" as we passed.
Speaking of crossing paths, years ago I had another interesting experience. I was in the old Church office building for an interview when I was teaching at the LTM (this was 1968). While I was waiting in the lobby Elder McConkie (then Council of Seventy) and Elder Hinckley (then of the 12) passed each other: "Morning, Bruce." "Hi Gordy."
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