In Memory of President Gordon B. Hinckley

On Sunday, January 27, 2008, Gordon B. Hinckley, Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away at the age of 97.

For those of you who are not members of our Church, let me explain a little. We believe that there is a prophet and there are apostles living on the Earth today. Just as there were prophets and apostles in the days of the Bible, there are prophets and apostles today who receive revelation from our Heavenly Father and testify of Jesus Christ. We believe that after the crucifixion of Christ and after all the apostles were killed, the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the authority to preach His gospel and administer ordinances (baptism, etc.) were lost. In Amos 8:11-12, it says, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-restoration-of-truth/the-great-apostasy

Many years later in 1820, a young Joseph Smith was trying to decide which church he should join. There were so many, and they all interpreted the Bible differently, so how was he to know which one was right? He read in James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." So, Joseph Smith took that challenge. He prayed to ask Heavenly Father which church was true and which he should join. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Themselves appeared to Joseph Smith. He was told that none of the churches contained the fullness of the gospel and that he should join none of them. He was then called as a Prophet to restore the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to organize His Church as it was organized in the days that Jesus Christ lived on the Earth. (To read more about Joseph Smith's First Vision, go to http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1)

Amos 3:7 says, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." We believe that God has not left us alone to figure out everything on our own. There is a prophet TODAY who can give us guidance and lead us in the right direction. Of course, we are taught that we should take that same challenge from James and ASK Heavenly Father if the things that we are taught are true or not.

With that being said, I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2001, and Gordon B. Hinckley is the only prophet that I have known. I may have never met him in person, but I have seen him on TV when he gave conference talks for the Church, and I have heard him speak. He was an amazing person and leader, and the Church has grown so much under his direction. To read about how he dedicated his life to the work and service of the Lord, here are some good articles.

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/feature-story-president-gordon-b-hinckley


http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2008/01/gordon_b_hinckley_19102008.html

I will miss his smile. I will miss his humor, and I will certainly miss all of the love that he had for everyone all over the world. He will be greatly rewarded in Heaven.

To read some of the teachings of President Hinckley, you can go to www.lds.org, or go to www.mormon.org to learn more about our church. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/a_of_f/1
A couple of great talks by President Hinckley are http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=a57e8fbe352fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1 and http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-690-30,00.html If you are interested to find out how the new prophet will receive his calling, go to http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/succession-in-the-presidency-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints

(I know this is a lot of information, so if you have questions, just ask) :-)

I would like to end by sharing President Hinckley's testimony:
"I hope that all of you will remember that on this Sabbath day you heard me bear my witness that this is God's holy work. The vision given the Prophet Joseph in the grove of Palmyra was not an imaginary thing. It was real. It occurred in the broad light of day. Both the Father and the Son spoke to the boy. He saw Them standing in the air above him. He heard Their voices. He gave heed to Their instruction.
"It was the resurrected Lord who was introduced by His Father, the great God of the universe. For the first time in recorded history, both the Father and the Son appeared together to part the curtains and open this, the last and final dispensation, the dispensation of the fullness of times.
"The Book of Mormon is all that it purports to be—a work recorded by prophets who lived anciently and whose words have come forth "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations" (Book of Mormon title page).
"The priesthood has been restored under the hands of John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John. All the keys and authority pertaining to eternal life are exercised in this Church.
"Joseph Smith was and is a prophet, the great Prophet of this dispensation. This Church, which carries the name of the Redeemer, is true.
"I leave you my testimony, my witness, and my love for each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
President Gordon B. Hinckley
April 1, 2006, Sunday morning session of the 176th Annual World General Conference