I didn’t make my Sunday post yesterday so I’m going to do it today. President Hinckley, the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, died last night.

I will never forget the day he was sustained as prophet. It was a Saturday morning and I was getting ready for my Homecoming date with Ramon Relyea. The General Conference broadcast was on the TV in my parents room and I was drying my hair and various other girly things in front of the mirror in their bathroom. I could see the TV’s reflection in the mirror above my mom’s dresser. After the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang the opening song I felt the power of the conference– that I was witnessing something monumental and eternally significant. The opening prayer was said and then we sustained President Hinckley as the new president and prophet, seer, and revelator. It seems such an ordinary thing– just watching TV and getting ready for the day, but it really was one of the defining moments of my life. As I stood with millions of others around the world to sustain a new prophet I KNEW that it was true. It was real. I felt the overwhelming power of the Holy Ghost with every fiber of my being.

Later, during my second year in college, I had the opportunity to hear President Hinckley speak in person. I need to go through my old journals and see if I can find my notes and impressions from his talk. What I do remember was that I was serving on the Utah State University Institute of Religion council and got a special floor seat. I sat on the very front row, right in the middle. I was face to face with him! I felt the same witness– that he was truly a prophet of God. It reverberated through my entire being.

I am so thankful for his council, wisdom, and insight. I am so thankful for his visionary leadership in helping people throughout the entire world. I am most personally grateful for the example of his beautiful marriage, the partnership he had with his wife, and his obvious love and reverence for her. I want to follow his example. More than anything else in the universe I want a marriage like that– more than anything.

He emphasized the basics of education, personal prayer, meditation and scripture study, of praying daily as couples and families, of holding weekly family home evenings. All such small and simple things that carry profound power. I hear over and over how hard it is to go to school, to pursue life long learning, to commit to daily scripture study and prayer, to gather wiggling tired children everyday for payer and scripture reading. It may be hard, I guess, but my response is this: IT IS SO MUCH HARDER NOT TO. As children of God we need time with him daily. We need to experience the quiet of our own minds– to know what is at our core, to feel who we really are. We need the routine and bond of daily focus on things greater than ourselves with our children and spouses. I believe the one thing that has had the most powerful impact on my family for the good is a very simple thing. Each night before we go to bed Barry and I kneel beside our bed and pray together. We take turns being voice– I’m even days and he’s odd. We kneel in gratitude for the love and friendship we share, for the joy we find in our children, for the comforts we enjoy. We ask for help and insight– that we can grow in love and understanding for each other, that we can guide each of the unique personalities of our children, that we can know how to serve and love others. There is such comfort being united in gratitude, every single day. Sure, I guess it might be a little tricky to establish routines, to go to bed at the same time or overcome whatever obstacle, but my life is easier by doing these little things. We can never get too far off track. I love doing these hard things. IT WOULD BE SO MUCH HARDER NOT TO.

Thank you President Hinckley for your council and example. I love you.