He has 'gone home' — Service full of fond memories
By Carrie A. Moore
Published: February 3, 2008
With millions of Latter-day Saints worldwide watching and listening live, LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley was eulogized Saturday — his red chair on the
To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it seemed only fitting that the "house President Hinckley built" was the site for his funeral, the first to be held there since its completion in 2000. He was remembered by his daughter and fellow general authorities as a giant of a man who built large on a legacy of faith that spans generations for his family.
Thousands braved the cold downtown before 9 a.m. to get tickets for the service after a two-day viewing in which nearly 58,000 people filed through the
Virginia Hinckley Pearce told those assembled her father felt deeply the hand of ancestral faith, with three generations of forebears who had sacrificed and lived for their faith, and three generations now living who look to his legacy as part of their own.
Quoting him, she said he realized "the tremendous obligation that was mine to pass on all that I had received as an inheritance from my forebears to the generations who have now come after me."
Underscoring the feeling church members have for him, she said, "Our father was adorable. And he was a marvel to watch. Disciplined and courageous, with an unbelievable capacity for work, he believed in growth."
Such continual growth "is the story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that he loved to tell, as well as the story of his own life. That kind of growth requires faith, courage, discipline and hard work — partnered with the gracious hand of the Lord."
She thanked church members, fellow general authorities, medical personnel and his staff and personal secretary, Don Staheli, for making it possible for him to fulfill his responsibilities as president.
President Thomas S. Monson, who presided at the service, said it was difficult to recall a time when he and President Hinckley had not known each other, having served side by side in the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency for more than 44 years.
When traveling together once on an assignment in southern
President Hinckley "still lives," he said. "All that we knew about him continues. His spirit has simply gone home to that God who gave him life. Wherever I go in this beautiful world, a part of this cherished friend will always go with me."
President Henry B. Eyring, who was named in October as second counselor in the First Presidency following the death of longtime counselor President James E. Faust, said in the past few days, he has remembered President Hinckley's voice when a difficult problem was brought to him.
"Time after time, he would quietly say something like this, with a pleasant smile, 'Oh, things will work out."'
His accomplishments all had one thing in common, President Eyring said: "Always they were to bless individuals with opportunity. And always he thought of those with the least opportunity, the ordinary person struggling to cope with the difficulties of everyday life and the challenge of living the gospel of Jesus Christ."
President Boyd K. Packer, who served as acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve during President Hinckley's administration, said he first met President Hinckley more than 50 years ago. He remembered his colleague's ability to communicate, saying he began writing as a young man and never quit doing so.
His ability to communicate was legendary, he said. "I have regarded this power of communication and charm in President Hinckley as brotherly love and humility. It was always apparent whether he was with laborers on a dusty road, or a banquet in a presidential palace." Elder Earl C. Tingey, of the Presidency of the Seventy, spoke of the church leader's "footprints in the sand," as an example to all of personality traits they can follow.
Perhaps his most important footprint was his love of people. "Thank you for letting us know you loved us. We are better because of you."
Bishop H. David Burton said President Hinckley was the only prophet young Latter-day Saints have ever known, and lauded their love for him when they used text messages after his death on Sunday urging each other to wear Sunday best to school on Monday as a tribute uniquely their own.
"To use their vernacular, he was awesome! He connected! Because of him, they know what it means to 'stand a little taller,' 'do your best,' 'raise the bar' and what the 'six B's' are: be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble, be prayerful."
President Hinckley's daughter, Kathleen H. Walker, closed the meeting with prayer, remembering that her father "has worn out his life in thy service. ... May the things we have learned remain with us forever ... as we continue to move forward in every way to bring honor to his life and to his name."
Formality and decorum were evident during the services for those gathered in the Conference Center, who watched on the large monitors as members of the Quorum of the Twelve lined the entryway into the huge auditorium as the casket was wheeled in and moved out following the service.
Usually smiling and animated as they enter during general conference, his fellow general authorities and family members were solemn, some dabbing at tears, as his casket was set in place for the service.
Following the service, the congregation stood as President Monson and President Eyring left the dais first, followed by President Packer and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve in order of seniority. Members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, as well as those in the congregation, waved white handkerchiefs as President Hinckley's casket was wheeled from the building, then used them to dab at tears in a final farewell to the leader they loved.
President Monson acknowledged the technological presence of millions via satellite, and noted the presence of government and civic leaders, in particular Mike Leavitt — former
As the service ended, family members and general authorities followed the casket out of the
Once inside the hearse, President Hinckley's casket made its way out of the Conference Center's underground parking garage, traveling south on West Temple, turning east on South Temple where many leaving the service waved handkerchiefs and canes at his cortege, and others gathered in scattered pockets further east stood in respect as the hearse passed.
The procession moved east to N Street and then north to the
While the cortege was traveling, several hundred members and others stayed behind in the
They stayed that way for several moments. They then began drifting quietly toward the exits.
E-mail: carrie@desnews.com
© 2008 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved
Leader was giant of faith, love, vision
By Carrie A. Moore
Published: February 3, 2008
President Gordon B. Hinckley was so attuned to the sacred nature of LDS temples that he regularly removed his hat when passing beneath the
The story was one of several remembrances shared by President Thomas S. Monson, who served as first counselor to his cherished friend for nearly 13 years. They spent a total of 44 years together in the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The church leaders are transported in carts beneath the complex, and in winter months President Hinckley always wore a coat and hat. "As our cart passed under Main Street, President Hinckley knew that we were then within the confines of the temple rather than under the street and, without a word, would remove his hat and place it on his lap.
"He seemed to know instinctively when that moment arrived. It was such a simple yet profound expression of reverence and respect for the House of the Lord, and it made a deep impression on me."
During his administration, President Hinckley announced a plan to construct dozens of small temples across the world and will be remembered by church members for the massive building program that ensued, more than doubling the number of LDS temples worldwide.
President Monson also recalled a conversation with a doctor who treated both him and President Hinckley. The physician told President Monson he was concerned that President Hinckley didn't use his cane to steady himself when he walked. "The last thing we want is for him to fall and break a hip, or worse. Instead, he waves it around and then doesn't use it when he walks.
"Tell him the cane has been prescribed by his doctor, and he needs to use it as it was meant to be used."
After listening to the doctor's concerns, President Monson replied, "Doctor, I am President Hinckley's counselor. You are his doctor. You tell him!"
He described his friend as a giant of a man in knowledge, faith, love, testimony, compassion and vision. "I cannot adequately express how much I miss him. ... We have shared much over the years — heartache and happiness, sorrow and laughter."
He was "our prophet, seer and revelator. He was an island of calm in a sea of storm. He was as a lighthouse to the lost mariner. He was your friend and my friend. He comforted and calmed us when conditions in the world were frightening. He guided us undeviatingly on the path which will lead us back to our Heavenly Father."
During a meeting together as a First Presidency about 10 days ago, "his voice was strong, his mind was clear. He was self-assured and decisive. A few days later he lay near death."
President Monson described his last visit to President Hinckley's home a few hours before his death with President Henry B. Eyring and President Boyd K. Packer. After circling with other family priesthood holders to give him a blessing, "it was a sacred time of parting; we knew the veil was very thin and that he was being summoned to the other side."
As he traveled home, President Monson recalled his friend's words to LDS women in September 2003, expressing his love for his wife, Marjorie, who died shortly thereafter. "He missed her every day, every moment. What a glorious reunion they have now had."
"On behalf of each one of us, my brothers and sisters, I offer our final farewell to our beloved prophet. ... God be with you till we meet again."
E-mail: carrie@desnews.com
© 2008 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved
Unwavering faith and a desire to bless
By Twila Van Leer
Published: February 3, 2008
Optimism marked the tenure of President Gordon B. Hinckley, said President Henry B. Eyring, who had served in the First Presidency only a matter of months prior to the death of the revered church leader.
In the days since President Hinckley's passing, "I have remembered his voice," said President Eyring. Often that voice came quietly at the end of serious discussions about real difficulties facing the church, and the message was consistent: "Oh, things will work out."
Such optimism often grew out of President Hinckley's "great personal capacities" to deal with challenges, said President Eyring. Determined to bring temple blessings to church members throughout the world, President Hinckley often gave credit to others when the dream succeeded. "But he was the one who sketched, as he returned from Colonia Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas, the design for those smaller temples which now bless people across the world," President Eyring said.
But personal abilities aside, the optimism also was founded in "his unwavering faith in Jesus Christ and the power of his atonement," President Eyring said.
It was President Hinckley who conceived of a way to help young people in many countries to "walk out of poverty" through the benefits of the Perpetual Education Fund, said President Eyring. And "he is the one who conceived of this lovely
At the core of all of President Hinckley's innovations for the church was the desire to "bless individuals with opportunity," President Eyring said. "And always he thought of those with the least opportunity, the ordinary person struggling to cope with the difficulties of everyday life and the challenge of living the gospel of Jesus Christ."
President Eyring proclaimed that President Hinckley now is "in the spirit world among the noble prophets who have lived on the Earth."
As a nonagenarian, the prophet experienced his own painful loss when his beloved wife, Marjorie, preceded him in death. If told of the grief being experienced by the many he has left behind, he would "listen carefully, and then I think he would say something like this, with sympathy in his voice, but with a sound in it that would bring a smile to our lips, 'Oh, it will all work out."'
President Hinckley was looking forward to the dedication of a temple in
"President Hinckley's best may be so much more than we can offer the Master. But all God asks of us is that we do our best."
President Hinckley had his own moments of feeling inadequate in his calling, said President Eyring, recounting a time when President Hinckley was looking at pictures of those church leaders who went before him. "In that moment, he began to weep, I think not out of fear but out of gratitude. ... Faith in his heart left no room for doubt or fear."
President Eyring challenged all to follow the example of President Hinckley and "take the gospel down into our hearts."
E-mail: tvanleer@desnews.com
© 2008 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved
Faithful honor President Hinckley with canes, handkerchiefs
By Stephen Speckman
Deseret Morning News
Published: February 2, 2008
Sue Willis staked out a place on
Willis had her white handkerchief ready. So did her daughters Megan, 16, and Mickenzie, 13, who made the trip with Mom from
"It's just nice to have a final say 'goodbye,"' said Mickenzie. "This is just our way of showing gratitude for what he has done for us."
Just down the street Kristen Smith and her husband, Benjamin, were ready with black canes they bought for about $12 at a grocery store. Smith was the organizer of an effort to bring people out to wave canes and handkerchiefs.
"I think it's great to see people of all ages here," Smith said. She planned to take photos of the event and post them on the Internet.
The idea came to Smith as a way to honor President Hinckley, who in his later years used a cane to greet people and would do the same with a handkerchief. Smith had hoped thousands would turn out, but the numbers were closer to the hundreds up and down the funeral procession route along
The news of waving canes and handkerchiefs spread through media and Internet sites and brought out people like Kami Antriyao and her friend, Trisha Hunsaker. They used borrowed canes to pay their last respects.
David Gould, of
Normally, all of the teens agreed they would be watching cartoons or playing video games on a Saturday around noon.
"This is way more important than anything," Gordon said.
"Your cartoons can wait," Esther Gould piped in.
"We love the prophet," Barker said.
Madeleine Gould said President Hinckley was a great man and set an example for her family.
To hear the teens talk that way was a moving experience for David Gould. "I'm very proud of them," he said. "I'm pleased to know the prophet was important enough in their lives to take a Saturday to honor him."
A few feet away Abbie Vianes and Chantal Courteille used handkerchiefs from
"He used to say 'hello' to us," Vianes said while looking down at the white handkerchiefs. After the funeral, she said, the handkerchiefs will become keepsakes.
E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com
© 2008 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved
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