I am grateful for this opportunity to review the teachings of President Gordon B. Hinckley and the influence they have had on my life.
This great man was such a fun prophet. He loved to see the lighter side of things, and share funny anecdotes or even tell jokes. You could really see that he just loved life. He was happy because of his beliefs. This is one of my favorite quotes from him, "Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart." And he did just that.
He spoke frequently about the strength that lies within a family, and the effects that a strong family has on a community. He was not shy to chastise the Saints and tell us to do better at teaching our children to live the gospel of Jesus Christ and to be a good example to the community. He taught that we also need to teach our children morals and values. He also taught us that we need to be more kind and loving of each other. We need to uplift and support each other, give service with a kind heart, and respect all people equally, regardless of our differences. To strengthen these teachings, he helped to introduce "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." He helped to initiate the Perpetual Education Fund to make sure that all missionaries were able to obtain an education after they completed their service. He tried to teach us to love each other as much as our Father in Heaven loves us.
More then anything, I most remember him for his desire to build as many temples as possible. He wanted all members of the church to have easy access to a temple to obtain their saving ordinances. He said, "Each temple built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stands as an expression of the testimony of this people that God our Eternal Father lives and that He has a plan for the blessing of His sons and Daughters...Every temple is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and certain as is mortality." This desire of his to build many new temples further taught that we are to love and minister to each other. Our loved ones that have passed on also deserve that same kind of love and service. These beliefs strengthened my own desire to do family history research.
I am so grateful for President Hinckley's funny, humble, and strong testimony of our Savior. I know that as we strive to serve and love each other, we will be blessed.
