Is Anyone Else Going to Miss President Hinckley?

(Note: This is not as timely as I was hoping: I wrote it the night I went into the hospital (two days after General Conference) to give birth to my first child, Astoria. So I got a little side-tracked.)

I have to admit that I cried all through President Hinckley’s talk in the Sunday morning session of General Conference. I was really glad he said that it wasn’t his obituary, because I was thinking throughout the whole thing: oh! this is the last we will hear from him; this is his farewell to the church; an era in church history is over. Ok, yes, I am in my last two weeks of pregnancy and a little prone to being over emotional, but I really am going to miss his presence at the head of this church.

When the conference session was over, I felt the urge to dwell on him and his life in some way, and I realized that I sill haven’t read his biography, written by Sheri Dew. So I got on Amazon.com to look into ordering it and came across this interesting outsider’s review of the book:

Gordon B. Hinckley will not be remembered as someone who made contributions in Mormon doctrine. Sometimes, in the book, you almost sense a Gordon B. Hinckley who doesn't really believe in anything other than the organization. After reading the book, I feel I understand Gordon B. Hinckley as a capable administrator, a loyal member of the organization, but anything but a dynamic leader who actually stands for anything. I cannot think of a single revelation
that Gordon B. Hinckley has made (other than some silly stuff about piercings and tattoos—how’s that for earth-shattering). He has spent millions on temples, and has worked tirelessly on public relations pursuits for the church, but an inspired leader? Even with the author’s best spin, I don't think so.

I’d love to hear people’s reactions to this, because I think this reviewer picked out the very things that represent President Hinckley’s inspiration: making temple work accessible and available to so many more members throughout the world and working to make the church a serious player on our modern global stage—or at least, a presence that people recognize, acknowledge, and lend credibility to like they never have before. Any thoughts?

On a personal note, he’s actually had close contact over the years with my family: my father and grandfather were his home teachers in Salt Lake City when my father was a young man and President Hinckley was an apostle; he sealed my parents in the Salt Lake Temple (apparently he came to the sealing late but entered the room with a huge smile and, knowing that my father had served his mission in Japan, said, "Konichiwa gozaimasu!" (which means something like, "Hello very much!"); he and Sister Hinckley visited Japan several times while my family was living over there, and my mother remembers Sister Hinckley asking her, "When are you going to bring your kids home and teach them the Star Spangled Banner?"; and he set my father apart as a mission president back in 1999. I was there in the Church Office building for the blessing, and I remember President Hinckley coming in, circling the room to shake hands with everyone who had come, and stopping at my grandfather, when my dad said, "President, you probably don’t remember, but my father and I were your home teachers . . ."

"Yes. I do remember," President Hinckley responded. "In the East Millcreek Ward. 1962." (or some date.)

How incredible that he remembered. The man must meet and know so many people every day. I was so amazed at his ability to be personal and real.

I have no fears for the future of the church once he’s gone (succession in this church is like clockwork), but I am sad that my daughter will never know him.

So here’s what I’m going to miss about President Hinckley:

his sense of humor—a story: the one time I actually attended conference in person, back in the Tabernacle, I got in line at 4:00am, waited outside until the afternoon session, finally got a seat behind one of the cameras (which meant I couldn’t see anything), and then promptly fell asleep when the session began—it was so hot and stuffy inside. But I remember President Hinckley getting up between speakers and saying something to the effect of, "I know it’s hot in here, but it’s going to be even hotter if you don’t repent!" How random!

His humor always gives me a sense that although the church and the gospel are serious things, there is room in our association with them—and therefore with the Lord?—for humor and down-to-earth-ness.

his direct speech—he’s not prone to speaking entirely in the passive voice like so many other general authorities; and this directness comes through (more importantly, of course) in content as well as style

his modern-ness—to me, he really does seem to have a sense for what is going on in the world around him, despite the fact that he was born, in what, 1910! Think of the history he has lived through and yet he speaks to us about raves and the internet and body piercings.

his energy—even at his age, he always seems so alive

his gratitude—I’d love to know the number of times he has thanked us as members of the church for our faith, service, commitment; I remember this really mattering to me when I was a missionary

There are other things I could list, but I want to know what everyone else is thinking.