Thoughts

I had many emotions and thoughts as I watched President Hinckley's funeral today. The one thing that really stood out to our whole family, including the kids, was when Bishop Burton spoke on behalf of the youth.

I was in a primary presidency the year that the theme was "Follow the Prophet" and I was able to see President Hinckley really became 'their' prophet as we spent the year teaching about prophets, focusing alot on President Hinckley. He is the only prophet that my kids remember and they are having a hard time imagining that any one else could be their prophet. I feel for them because I felt the same way when President Kimball died. I actually didn't like President Benson until the year that I taught the kids in Primary about all of the latter-day prophets (I think 2001) because I thought he was so blunt and didn't ever speak to the kids the way President Kimball had. Having experienced this, I feel for my own children and will do my best, in prayer and love, to help them accept our new prophet.

Some of the things they remember, and always will, from President Hinckley are the 6 Be's, his love of the temple and building so many temples, how cute he and Sister Hinckley were together, asking us to stand a little taller, standing for something, raising the bar for missionaries as well as all of us, and waving his cane. These are some of the things that the kids have brought up as we have discussed his passing during the last week. It is good to remember the things that we learn from him because our immediate response to his passing was that we were only 6 days away from the Cultural Celebration that the kids are performing in and he would be at and only 7 days away from being in the temple when he did the dedication here in Rexburg. We felt a little jipped, but quickly our thoughts went to him being with Sister Hinckley - as was mentioned at the funeral and in the news throughout the past week. It is my dream that some time in eternity LeRoy and I will have a relationship like theirs. I hope that in our old wise age we will look as adorable together as these two.


I enjoyed the funeral, with tears and with laughter, as well as the broadcast shown after the funeral. As they rebroadcast his testimony, Levi came in from his room and said "I remember him saying that" and watched the rest with me. That is very much how it was when President Hinckly would speak. The kids could be distracted during conference, especially by Sunday afternoons after 8 hours of conference, but as soon as they heard President Hinckley's voice they would come and listen. We all loved him and will remember his teachings, example and humor.

Kata left a great link to his testimony and I agree with Mike . . . it is well worth watching the funeral and the footage after at http://www.byu.tv/ .