Anecdotes and Memories of Gordon B. Hinckley, Late President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I remember developing a love for Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through regular sessions of General Conference. I would wait impatiently each session of General Conference through all of the talks from the upper-echelon of leadership for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for him to come to the podium and speak to the members of the Church. My eagerness usually had something to do with his sense of humor that would cause me to prick up my ears and listen more closely. Somehow the Prophet was always able to captivate and I felt as though he was speaking directly to me even though there were millions of other members listening to conference at the same time. I loved to hear him talk about how much he loved his wife and became choked up when I heard him discuss how much he would miss her after she passed away in 2004.

Later, as a college student at Brigham Young University, I had the exciting opportunity to attend General Conference in person in the new Conference Center and from the nosebleed seats way up high I would lean forward to catch a glimpse of him as he walked in to officiate over the General Conference of the Church. It would not be the first time I saw him in person nor the closest. I also got to see him in the flesh at the Marriott Center at Brigham Young University for what I remember as one of the best-attended weekly devotionals that I can remember from my time in college. My heart would warm and tears would inevitably come to my eyes standing to sing We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet as the Spirit would testify to me of President Hinckley's calling as a modern-day prophet, seer, and revelator. Just seeing him and observing his kind manner made me want to be a better person, to try a little harder to do the right thing, to lengthen my stride.

My favorite anecdotes about President Hinckley are not from the few glimpses I have had of him in person, however. These favorite memories are ones that have been passed from member-to-member as others I have known have had the enviable experience of meeting this awesome man face-to-face.