I was a high school senior when Hinckley became president of the church and so he is probably the prophet I remember best, but I think that he transcends my mere memory as an extraordinary man. He always exuded moral strength at the same time as self-deprecating humor, spiritual forward-thinking as well as temporal concern with the lives of the members of the church. He traveled all over the world to ensure that he met as many people as possible, that they knew him and that he knew them. He also presented a real outreach of the church to news organizations and members of other faiths, to let them know who we are and what we represent, not the least of which is friendship and fellowship.
My grandfather, E. Keith Loosli, was a year older than President Hinckley, and died just a touch younger. In many ways they resembled each other--strong men of faith who put their family and community ahead of themselves (in Hinckley's case, his family and community comprised the entire church). A year or so before my grandfather's death, we were together at a family christmas party and I was looking at out at my grandfather's impressive amount of progeny. I asked him something along the lines of, "How do you feel having had so much in your life?"
His answer has stuck with me and seems to apply to President Hinckley now. He said, "This is what comes from living the teachings of the gospel" and read to me a scripture from D.&C. 121:
My grandfather, E. Keith Loosli, was a year older than President Hinckley, and died just a touch younger. In many ways they resembled each other--strong men of faith who put their family and community ahead of themselves (in Hinckley's case, his family and community comprised the entire church). A year or so before my grandfather's death, we were together at a family christmas party and I was looking at out at my grandfather's impressive amount of progeny. I asked him something along the lines of, "How do you feel having had so much in your life?"
His answer has stuck with me and seems to apply to President Hinckley now. He said, "This is what comes from living the teachings of the gospel" and read to me a scripture from D.&C. 121:
Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men and to the household of faith and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.
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