During the course of the last few days I have spent a good deal of time contemplating the passing of the Lords Prophet. While I have been so engaged my mind has often been drawn back to the memory of three personal experiences with our Prophet, and I thought I would share them.
Not long after I was baptized Elder Hinckley (before he was the President of the church) visited Indiana for a conference. My father being unfamiliar with the area got just a little lost while looking for the parking garage so that we could attend the conference. My mother, as back seat drivers often do, suddenly pointed out a ramp that she thought my father should take. In an attempt to avoid an argument, and I am sure appease a slowly growing sense of frustration, he drove up this ramp. It turned out to be for VIP unloading. As the ramp leveled out we found Elder Hinckley and several of his staff, Bodyguards, or what ever standing out there. My father, realizing that we were not in the parking garage, kept driving as my mother, sister, two brothers and I gawked out the window with the realization that the man we came to listen to was standing about ten feet away from our car.
During the course of my first year of Mission service a general announcement went out that President Hinckley would be coming to Brisbane to visit the local saints. The Brisbane Mission field exploded with excitement. During the course of preparations our Mission president made three decisions that positively impacted me.
The first it was decided that they would bring all the missionaries to Brisbane for this historical event. That was important as at the time I was in Cairns, which was a 36 hour bus drive from Brisbane, and most of us were afraid that due to the cost at transporting us all south and then back north again we not be included.
The second was that a contest was started to encourage baptisms. Simply put, the Zone with the highest number of baptisms would be given the privilege of being President Hinckley’s Honor Guard as he walked from the car to Suncorp Stadium. At the time I was in what was recognized as the youngest and one of the smallest zones in the Mission. All but one of us had been out for less then a year. I know you have likely already figured this out so I will not delay in saying it. The Cairns zone (all ten of us) kicked some tail. On May 15th 1997 I was there when President Hinckley stepped out of his car into a hallway of missionaries. The real cool part is that there was no one else around so the President took time to talk to the missionaries, and shake some of our hands. I lament that I was not one of the missionaries who got to shake hands with the Prophet, (a fact that Elder Gilmore reminded me about every five minutes for the next few days) but that’s ok because I have another claim to fame.
A few weeks before President Hinckley arrived, I received a letter from my Mission President which read, “Dear elder Herrington, I’d like you to lead the music for the congregational singing at the Missionary meeting with President Hinckley.” The letter continues on with specific instructions concerning the music, but it sufficeth me to say that at the ripe old age of nineteen I was given the privilege to lead music song by President Hinckley, his entourage, and two hundred missionaries. In addition I got to stand about Ten feet away from the Prophet while I did so.
As I complete this writing I believe that it is appropriate that I add my own testimony. I know that President Hinckley is a Prophet of God. I know that he is one of the few men on this planet that can truthfully claim that they have met and spoken to Christ. President Hinckley has dedicated the greater portion of his life to the service of our God, and I can only hope that as he has been permitted to return home the Lord may give him a little time off to spend with his wife and other family members who I am sure have been waiting for him. I know that this is the Lords church and as stewardship for it passes from one great man to the next I know that the work of God will continue. God Bless and Amen.
‘S Rioghal Mo Dhream
4 comments:
Thanks for sharing Will. It's amazing the little things we remember that become so important.
I remember that conference when your family almost ran down president Hinckley. I did get to shake his hand that day because mom was in the choir and got a good seat very close to him. Anyway I remember it, because it was my 15th birthday.
What? You got to shake his hand also? Thats it I am going to follow our next Prophet around and make sure I get to shake his hand. :)
Shaking hands isn't the most important thing. (Although it is cool) We were blessed to even have been in his company, I remember vividly just the feeling of the room changing when the prophet walked in. I got to expierence that a couple of times through the years. Not everyone gets to do even that.
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