When I first joined the church, President Hinckley was the prophet. I had always wondered why we no longer had prophets on the earth, so it was easy for me to believe and accept that Joseph Smith, Jr. spoke with God and restored His church on the earth. I did struggle with accepting President Hinckley as a modern day prophet. That concept was still a bit foreign to me. Weren't prophets all supposed to be dead and we read their works as scriptures?
Before my second or third General Conference as a member, I decided I needed to gain a testimony of Gordon B. Hinckley as a modern day prophet. I believed that Brigham Young was the prophet after Joseph Smith. There were too many miraculous events described regarding the mantle of the priesthood passing to him after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. It stood to reason that if I believed that transfer of authority, then I should also believe all subsequent transfers of authority. I recall attending that next General Conference broadcast with the faith and hope that Gordon B. Hinckley was a prophet. During that conference the Spirit confirmed that truth to me.
My favorite thing about President Hinckley was his unsinkable optimism. My favorite teachings are his Ways to Be.
