President HInkley

It is amazing how fast word travels. Especially in the day and age we live in. President Hinkley passed away at 7pm last night and at 8pm my parents received a call from President Linford who had a friend that worked in the Church office building that called him.

My parents called me at 8:24pm and a minute before that Jeremy's sister called him with the news. I went and looked on the Internet to see if I could find any more information and Dessert News had so many hits that I could not get through. The Salt Lake Tribune I was able to get on and Front Page Web page story about him with over 50 comments responding to the article.

I think President Hinkley was the first president of the church that I ever felt a personal connection to. He was sustained president in 1995. This was the year I graduated from high school and my first year at Ricks College. I remember his first conference as president of the church and how he spoke at every session. It was so refreshing and inspiring to hear from a prophet of the Lord. I think this was the first conference where I really paid attention to all 4 sessions. I looked forward to conference from that time forward.

I was able to attend a session in the tabernacle with my sister Natalee, my roommate Lisa, and Natalee's roommate where I was able to hear him speak live for the first time. We were crammed in there and behind a pole but were so uplifted to be in his presence.

I was able to go to the closing session of the first sessions in the brand new Conference Center. I was able to see President Hinkley again and I will never forget his closing remarks and his reminder for us to try and be a little better. He paused for a minute sensing we did not want him to end and told us how much he loved us and his testimony of how much the savior loved us and how the savior was his friend. Coming from a prophet of the lord that touched me very deeply. I need to do better to be a friend of the lord.

I am so thankful for the church and the way it was established. It is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we owe all to but I will forever be grateful for the great men he calls to lead our church. We are marvelously blessed.