President Hinckley, our beloved prophet

President Gordon B. Hinckley has been the prophet since my junior year in high school, and he passed away on Sunday, January 27th. He is the prophet I have looked to and learned from for all of my adult life. I cannot say that I am sad that he passed away, I feel a sense of peace that the loss of our earthly leader does not mean the loss of leadership in the church. I am so grateful for the knowledge of eternity and the plan of salvation and that life doesn't stop with death. I know that President Hinckley is alive and well reunited with his wife and family. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of Jesus Christ as our leader, teacher, and examplar. I know that whoever becomes the new prophet will lead us and guide us as Heavenly Father would if he were here on earth. I love the gospel and I know that it is true!

I am ending with one of my favorite talks from President Hinckley. This was given in General Conference in April 1995, entitled We Have a Work to Do:

"My beloved associates, far more of us need to awake and arouse our faculties to an awareness of the great everlasting truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each of us can do a little better than we have been doing. We can be a little more kind. We can be a little more merciful. We can be a little more forgiving. We can put behind us our weaknesses of the past, and go forth with new energy and increased resolution to improve the world about us, in our homes, in our places of employment, in our social activities.

We have work to do, you and I, so very much of it. Let us roll up our sleeves and get at it, with a new commitment, putting our trust in the Lord."

"Now, my beloved brethren and sisters, as we return to our homes, may we go in safety, pondering the things we have heard these past two days. May we go with determination to try a little harder to be a little better."

I love that! Try a little harder to be a little better. That's all we can do! I love President Hinckley and the way he lead our church while we were lucky enough to have him.