Good-bye

A 16-year-old young man we knew from Casa died this week. He was ill but he died from leukemia--specifically the horrendous effects of the chemotherapy. His name was Charles. He was special boy and I will miss him.

Tonight at Young Women I read a quote from President Hinckley about the youth:

Never forget that you were chosen and brought to earth as a child of God for something of importance in His grand design. He expects marvelous things of you. He expects you to keep your lives clean from the sins of the world. You are the line through which will pass the qualities of your forebears to the posterity who will come after you. Did you ever see a chain with a weak link? Don't you become that weak link. (Youth Fireside Satellite Broadcast, Dec. 5, 1982)

It's hard to believe that he--President Hinckley--is gone too. Maybe he and Charles are having some good discussions up there in the spirit world, enjoying their freedom from pain and sickness.

When I found out about our Prophet's death, I wasn't sad. Who can be sad when a 97-year-old man is finally called home after a long life of service? I was certainly surprised because Kara, one of my Laurels, called me to deliver the news--only an hour or two after he'd passed!--since I'd had no idea. Of course after that I read and heard the buzz surrounding it. I told our kids it was like he got a new calling. Can you imagine actually being with that God--our Heavenly Father--with whom you have communicated daily for your whole life? Whose words you have delivered to all who would hear? Whose work you have strived to do? I can only imagine that for him, the eternal reward is pretty wonderful.

I was in 6th grade when President Kimball passed away (1985). I remember going to my locker between classes and kind of feeling depressed--he had been the prophet all my life. Now Tyce is in 6th grade and President Hinckley had been the prophet all *his* life.

I love President Hinckley and I am so grateful for all the hard, hard work he did in this life to build the kingdom. On earth he was well-loved and will be sorely missed. Now he can be with his sweet wife and his loved ones who have gone before him. I am grateful that the work of the Lord goes on, and I look forward to sustaining a new President of the Church--for past, present, and future, today I truly sing, "We Thank the, O God, for a Prophet"!