Monday, January 28, 2008

President Hinckley

I am sick. I slept in today and took a hot, hot shower after Steve was done with his. I could hear him checking the news and getting Isaac breakfast in the kitchen, and a few minutes later they came in for morning prayer.



"Becky, I have sad news. President Hinckley passed away last night."



President Hinckley was our prophet. MY prophet. I know he was beloved to everyone, but he always seemed something more to me. He was accessible. He was human. He shared with us his faults, his fears. He laughed and joked. And he spoke with the Lord.



His marriage was and is my inspiration. Proof that celestial marriage IS possible. On my pessimistic, worldly days, I ponder on my marriage to my wonderful Steve. It is better than I ever dreamed it could be - transcending all. We are joyfully, blissfully happy. And on those bad days, I look around me and think, "could this possibly last? We are so happy. It is literally too good to be true in a world full of miserable marriages."



But yes, it is real, and yes, it can last. Gordon and Marjorie are my proof.



I am sad. I am crying. I feel like cuddling with my kids and reading General Conference talks. But you know what? First I'm going to do that pile of dishes leftover from last night. (We were at stake meetings from 5:00 to 10:00 - didn't feel much like cleaning when we got home!) Then I'm going to straighten up our room and put away the laundry from last week that I haven't found time for. I'm going to dutifully do my "chores" this morning, even though I don't want to. Because President Hinckley's motto was "Be a Little Better." And I will. I will for me, for the Lord, and for my prophet.

1 comment:

Lisa Fox said...

It's interesting, he is the prophet i will always hold very near and dear to me, and i really think it's because he was the one i looked to and watched and studied as a teenager, a single adult a new wife and a new mother. His example and love helped my testimony in more ways than i know yet. And yet i was happy to hear he passed, because i knew he was back with his true love. He missed his wife so bad, that it sometimes made me ache to hear him talk about her. What a remarkable and humble man to lead me into the adult years.