Bidding Farewell to a Beloved Servant of the Master

The gray and rainy skies that broke over Chicagoland this morning seemed appropriate after learning Sunday night of the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley, a humble man of God whom we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, revered as a prophet of God. While it is a sad day for the members of the Church, it is truly a joyous one as he reunites with his wife and those others who have gone before him on the other side of the veil.

While he now will live on in legacy and in our memories, Pres. Hinckley's witness of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ will stand forever. Temples, which were such a focus of Pres. Hinckley's life, now literally dot the Earth and stand as witnesses of God's majesty and the power of prophetic vision. I truly stand all amazed tonight as I count my blessings and ponder on the life of this exemplar of living a Christ-like life.

I've sought a bit of solace this day in the music of the Church. Hymns like "We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet" have brought comfort. It's been touching to listen to the music that my girls have gotten from EFY as well. There is one rendition of "Praise to the Man" by Jenny Jordan Frogley that has brought tears to my eyes time and again tonight. It's from the "A More Excellent Way" CD. It's a powerful, stunning rendition - the arrangement is unbelievable- of that hymn that praised that prophet of old, Joseph, but it applies in many ways to the work of the Pres. Hinckley. Give it a listen - you can find it on iTunes.

There is so much that can and will be said and written about Pres. Hinckley and so much will stand for his legacy. I thought it appropriate to share an example of his sweet, simple, yet powerful teaching. Years ago, he taught the youth of the Church the "Be-Attitudes," six simple guidelines:

• Be Grateful
• Be Smart
• Be Clean
• Be True
• Be Humble
• Be Prayerful

Simple, perhaps. Incredibly powerful, absolutely. How different this world would be if we each chose to live these six principles each and every day in all that we do. It would be a different world.

I am grateful for the witness that I have that Christ lives and that He is my Redeemer and that He guides us through prophets even today. I know that shortly another chosen of God will soon take on the mantle of prophet. There is peace in knowing that God's plan continues to work. I'm grateful for that knowledge. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to know Pres. Hinckley and am eternally grateful for his life and example. Now, while we may shed a tear in his passing, we must honor his legacy by living the best lives that we can. We must live in such a way that we honor our older brother Jesus Christ in all that we do.