President Hinckley

Like everyone else, when I heard the news of President Hinckley's passing on Sunday night, I was very sad. When I told D, he said, "Can you imagine how happy he must be to see his wife?" And I think President Hinckley would want us all to have this optimistic attitude instead of being sad about not having him with us anymore. Still, he is truly a beloved prophet to me. I love his energy, work ethic, and most of all, optimism. He is such an inspiration to me for all he has done, even when he didn't feel well physically (for health reasons) or emotionally (after his wife passed away)--he didn't let anything slow him down. He is also a humble man. I remember attending his grandson's (Elder Pierce) mission homecoming with my family (he served in my parents' mission), and President Hinckley was there. After Elder Pierce's wonderful talk about the church and the gospel, the person conducting asked President Hinckley to say a few words. Instead of stealing the show, he stood up and said something like, "We came here today to listen to Elder Pierce. Wasn't that a great talk?" and then sat down. What a dear man. He has been a great influence on me during my young adult years. I hope to honor him in the way I live my life.