With President Hinckley gone, there have been many tears that have been shed. I must admit that, I too, have shed some. I don't cry because he's the prophet for my generation, or because of the things that he's taught us. There are the lucky ones who have been able to meet him during his lifetime. I am one of them.
I was only ten-years-old. I went with my family to a conference in Atlanta. I don't remember what was said during the conference and I was still to young to comprehend the importance of the prophet. But after the closing prayer, I took my then 3-year-old brother with me to watch President Hinckley leave. I was pushed to the front of the guards. Despite how much I wasn't paying attention, I do remember the host saying that he wouldn't be able to shake any hands that day. I very vividly remember watching President Hinckley taking his steps down the few stairs. He seemed to so far away, but soon was walking down my way towards the doors. Next thing that I remember is he was coming closer my way. He soon stood in front of me, said to my little brother, "Hey, Buster," shook my hand, and walked away.
Out of all those people there, he walked up to me. I was just a little 10-year-old girl. At the time, I still remember the feeling that I felt even after watching him completely disappear, and somewhat understood the importance. I always wished that if I had the chance to see President Hinckley again, I would ask why. Why out of all those people he walked up to me.
Looking back now, it's not so much the experience that is so important, but mainly the feeling that I had felt. It has followed me throughout life. It was the beacon of light when I reached the lowest point in my life in my younger teen years. It was my motivation to continue on even after people continually put me down. It was the hint of what was the right thing for college, my major, and what is my mission - what is most important to me. It is the feeling that I continually keep with me every moment of my life.
It was just the day before he died, the wish of meeting him again crossed my mind. I, however, had the feeling that I probably won't get to ask him that until after I cross over many years from now. When I heard of his death, my first thought was that "Now I'll never know."
The Lord has mysterious ways of teaching us. And a thought consumed me.
What people see in him is what he saw in me all those years ago.
He's left a part of himself in each of us. We just have to let that part of us shine so that what people see in us is what we see in him.
XOXOXO
The talk President Hinckley gave after his wife died: The Women in Our Lives
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