~We Thank Thee Oh God For a Prophet~

~As I type this there are tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. Last night we heard the news that our beloved Prophet President Hinckley, surrounded by family, passed away, at the age of 97. I was priviledged to be on the Temple grounds in 1995 (as a Sophomore in high school) as President Gordon B. Hinckley was sustained as President of the Church; Prophet, Seer & Revelator. I as millions of others have grown to feel as though we know him so well as he has energetically overseen the church for 13 years. We have grown to love his humor, his wit, his sweet humility, his pure testimony. My testimony is so tender and so strong that he truly was chosen of God. It's hard for me to believe how anyone could ever listen to his sweet testimony & not believe in this Gospel. He was so down-to-earth, yet so in tune with Heaven.
~One of my favorite things about him is the way he always spoke about his wife. In fact the first thing I thought of when we heard of his passing, was HOW EXCITED he was last night as he joined his wife. His past talks over the last few years, talked of how much he missed her. We have a picture in our room of Pres. & Sister Hinckley holding hands, walking through a garden & underneath is a quote from Sister Hinckley saying:
"I married well, didn't I?"
~When Tim and I were first married we were in the same ward as President Hinckley's Grandson Mike. Him and Tim were Home teaching companions and Mike's wife Heather and I worked together in primary. It was always so neat to see the Prophet in their wedding pictures on their wall. What a priviledge to have Him as your Grandpa.
~One memory I also recalled was the General Conference that Tim & I and my parents were there in the Conference Center. It was in October, 2001 (the one right after September 11th), & *I remember when Pres. Hinckley began to cry in front of us at the pulpit as he began to say that He was just passed a note saying that our country had just began bombing Iraq. What an experience to be in same place as the prophet as he received such a note. He cried as he said that he didn't know exactly what was going to happen, and admitted we lived in a scary time. He ended by saying that we'd be watched over by our Heavenly Father.
~I'm so grateful I had the chance many times to be there and just feel the moment he walked into the room. Those who have been there know exactly what I mean. That moment that you get the goosebumps and the spirit whispers to you that he truly is of God...or when the Congregation sings "We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet" & you KNOW that he is. How grateful I am that we have such a loving Father in Heaven who has blessed us with living prophets in our day. There is truly Latter Day Revelation. I know this to the core of my soul.

~ We will miss you President Hinckley!~

*Click on these links for a more complete story of his life and accomplishments:

~KUTV.com Coverage - Click Here.
~LDS.org Coverage - Click Here.
~LDSlivingmagazine.com Biography -
Click Here.
~Glenn Beck's Tribute - Click Here.
~YouTube Memorial - Click Here.
~President Bush's Remarks - Click Here.
~LDS Church Statement - Click Here.