Monday, January 28, 2008

Explanations and True Devotion

I started this blog so I that I could talk about all the cute things that my kids do...without having to worry about whether or not anyone else wanted to hear it.

But it has become more than that for me.

It is an opportunity for me to write...funny, silly, snarky...just to write about whatever topic I wanted. The writing itself is a joy that I didn't really have a chance to do on a regular basis.

It is also an opportunity for me to really keep a history of our family...a real record for my children, and my children's children, so that they could know what life was really like for us and how we managed.

Now having said that...up to this point, I have chosen not to share anything too personal or anything deeply religious...but I want to change that...at least a little bit.

How can my posterity know what life was really like if I only share the good or the funny? How can I record our family's history without including the hard or the sad?

All of this long-windedness, is just my way of explaining that I need to share with you my feelings about the death my beloved prophet Gordon B. Hinckley.
Most of you who read me are also members of my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...aka the Mormons), but some of you are not. So I will just say that our church is led by a living Prophet, called of God, to direct its members in the things that our Father in Heaven would have us do. Think Moses.

President Hinckley has been the Prophet since 1995...the entire time that I have been married. My children have never known another Prophet. I came into my own, spiritually, as a member of the church, under President Hinckley's direction.

I love him.

President Hinckley was a humble man, funny and sweet, and he was a wonderful example to me, of discipleship. I could look at him, just living his life, and know that I too could live that way and have that joy. He loved the Savior. And even after his loving wife passed away, he continued in his selfless devotion to the cause of rigtheousness.

So, with just the slightest bit of sadness, but mostly just deep gratitude, I am glad that he has been reunited with his beloved spouse, and I know that there are many waiting on the other side to welcome him home.

I am grateful for my membership in the Church, because I know that I am a better person with the Gospel than I ever was without it. And I hope that I too will be a good example of service in the kingdom...that others will know the Savior, because the knew me.

The photo of President Hinckley was taken by Scot Facer Proctor.

4 comments:

Shelby said...

Beautifully put. I haven't been able to put anything in words, but things feel a bit different.

Kimber said...

Thank you for sharing your testimony and thoughts about President Hinckley. He has definitely played an important role in our family's life - he was a great man and will be sorely missed by many.

Amy said...

Thanks for sharing this- I've been unable to confront or deal with my feelings of his passing. This post helps me realize that I need to make time to do so and make time for my kids to do so as well since like your kids, he is the only Prophet my kids have known. Thanks Denise!

Amberlyn said...

Hey Denise, this is Amberlyn, Amy's friend. I just wanted to thank you for your beautiful words. My blog started out simple as well, and has transformed into something similar to yours. A way to record my family history. Hope you don't mind me peaking in on you at times!!!

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