President Hinckley's Final Public Address

Ariel and I were blessed to be present for President Hinckley's final public address one week before his passing. Below are pictures from the meeting, courtesy of Don Thorpe.

Garden Park Re-Dedication

Sunday January 20, 2008

Dedicatory Prayer

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Sunday, January 20, I had the unique experience of sitting at the feet of God's prophet, and the prophet of the whole earth, President Gordon B. Hinckley.

I attended a meeting as a member of the Garden Park ward in Salt Lake City's Bonneville Stake. Over the past two years the building received a major renovation for safety purposes. The work just finished and the rededication of the building took place Sunday, performed by President Gordon B. Hinckley, father of Bonneville's Stake President, Clark Hinckley. Others that addressed the congregation included Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin and Elder Dallin H. Oaks, both members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

My wife and I arrived an hour and a half early and obtained seats on the front row. When the commencement of the meeting neared everyone suddenly stood up. I felt a rush of the Spirit overwhelm me as I saw the prophet of God pass down the aisle. He looked tired, old and weak, as well as energetic, young and strong. A true light boomed out of him and I received an indelible witness in my heart and mind that he is a prophet of God. No one else on earth, at 97 years of age or any age, could carry such a commanding presence.

President Hinckley's dedicatory prayer reminded me of an observant listener of the Prophet Joseph Smith's praying: "Never until then had I heard a man address his Maker as though He was present listening as a kind father would listen to the sorrows of a dutiful child. . . .There was no ostentation, no raising of the voices as by enthusiasm, but a plain conversational tone, as a man would address a present friend. It appeared to me as though, in case the veil were taken away, I could see the Lord standing facing His humblest of all servants I had ever seen." (Daniel Tyler, in "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Feb. 15, 1892, p. 127)

As he uttered a prayer dedicating the building I felt a conduit to the heavens open above me. It truly felt as though a son were talking to his father as he asked the Father to bless the land, to bless the saints, to bless the work. I felt as though, were I to open my eyes, I would have seen God the Father standing by His prophet, listening to his prayer and ready and anxious to respond.

President Hinckley was the prophet when I received both the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. He guided me through my youth, sent me on a mission, and is still here to counsel and teach me in my marriage and as I anticipate the arrival of my first child. His bold, prophetic words have kept me from the addictions of pornography, gambling, verbal and physical abuse, and most importantly, they have brought me closer to Jesus Christ. I attribute much of my meager spiritual progress in the past ten years to President Hinckley.

As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified over a year ago, so do I testify, that "President Gordon B. Hinckley is in every way, from head to toe, such a prophet, one whose life and voice we cherish and for whom we have prayed so much" (Prophets in the Land Again, Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2006).

It was a beautiful prayer, and appropriate for his last public petition to the Lord. He cared so much for the work and for the saints as is manifest in his words. Mom Galli has brought up multiple times what a kingdom builder he was. I think that works as a perfect description of him.