I am filled with love as I reflect on my feelings from that very formative time in my life.
Unfortunately, I cannot recall any specific experiences, but I can recall distinct impressions. I remember being impressed with how “up to date” President Hinckley was with the times…especially for an old guy! He was very aware of technology and he knew how to take advantage of it and use it for the Lord’s work, rather than shunning it as something worldly and evil. He was extremely well-informed about history and current events. I remember being a little bit in awe of just how much he knew! He seemed to understand and relate to people of all different situations and circumstances.
I LOVED listening to him speak. He was always a straight shooter, never shy about telling it like it was, never intimidated by what the world might think—and yet, his words were always filled with love and gentleness. He was blunt without being offensive. I always felt compassion in his words. I knew he was filled with love for all of us…and I could never quite understand how that was possible; it always kind of blew my mind!
I was also very impressed with his seemingly limitless energy: he traveled all over the world and was always busy, always involved. It was easy to lose track of which temple he was dedicating, which country he was visiting, which conference or fireside he was speaking at. As he soared into his 90’s I started to think he was something of a miracle. I thought maybe the Lord was going to preserve him indefinitely and that he would be the one to escort us into the Millennium! Frankly, I was a little shocked and disappointed when he passed away! (At least until the Spirit bore witness to me that Pres. Monson had received his calling and mantle from the Lord, and then I knew we’d be okay.)
I discovered a more personal connection with Pres. Hinckley just recently as I was reading about his life in our new manual. I was deeply moved when I learned that he lost his mother to cancer as a young adult. He had a really hard time getting over that loss, but he often felt like his mom was there supporting him, especially on his mission. Having just lost my own mom to cancer recently—and feeling the same sense of her guiding presence in my life—I was touched and even more grateful for his strength and his example!
