Jan
27
Submitted by Jeffrey on Sun, 2008-01-27 23:26
The prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died less than three hours ago. While this was a little surprising (no illness, just increasing frailty), he was 97 years old! And he missed his wife terribly. President Hinckley was a great example and I'll miss him.
Ironically, my wife and I and her mother (who is visiting this week) were just talking about his general decline late this afternoon. We wondered if he would make it to his 100th birthday. He did not, but he is the longest lived prophet of the latter-days—except that, technically, John the Beloved, Enoch, Melchizedek, the three Nephites, and many others we might not know about, never died.
While I'm sad to see the end of the Hinckley era, this is not a tribute blog entry. I want to point out that I heard of his death at about 8:30, within two hours of his passing! The means was a text message, to my sister's boyfriend's phone while they were visiting us. We went online for confirmation and we only found two news stories about it. Within 15 minutes, there were more than we could count. The Church had barely announced his death when I heard of it!
This is fitting. President Hinckley was the information prophet. He worked as the Church's Publicity man back in the '30's and '40's and he was always encouraging the other Brethren to use media as a tool to preach the gospel. In his lifetime, the Church had it's first radio conferences, televised conferences, then internet simulcasts. He encouraged the Church's internet presence, the release of the scriptures online, and of all conference talks as transcriptions, audio, video, and more.
The Church now simulcasts Stake conferences among several stakes, so that Apostles and other General Authorities do not need to travel so relentlessly every weekend. And many of our prominent temple dedications have also been broadcast to the Church membership world-wide.
President Gordon B. Hinckley was a prophet that lived in the time foreseen (and yearned for) by so many other prophets. They saw a time when all would hear the "good news" and have the opportunity to rejoice at the love of God, to repent and be filled with joy. President Hinckley exemplifies such prophets. He preached and lived what he preached. He loved, and he served, and he worked harder than anyone I've known for the improvement of our world. He reached out to everyone, regardless of faith, creed, nationality, color, or behavior. He used every means, every technology, available to teach others how to live happily, with the greatest possible joy and satisfaction in this life and after.
Thus it is very fitting that the news of his death should travel by every modern communication medium around the world, within moments of the announcement. And while many will sorrow at his passing, it really is a triumphant finish. He worked hard to the very end. He was an innovator during the greatest innovative century to date.
He lived his gospel. He is home, with his God, his wife, and many, many friends and family. I couldn't ask for a better finish for my mortal experience.
