LDS
church members and friends salute Hinckley's wisdom,
service at funeral
FLOWERS FOR
A PRESIDENT: Gordon B. Hinckley's casket is carried
during his funeral in the Salt Lake City LSD
Conference Center. / Photos by Tyler Larson
By Renae Cowley
February 4, 2008 | SALT LAKE CITY -- "He had
the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader,"
were the condolences of President Bush and first lady
Laura Bush in a letter read by President Monson Saturday
at President Gordon B. Hinckley's funeral.
President Bush awarded Hinckley the Medal of Freedom,
the highest honor a civilian can receive, in June 2004.
The service was graced by dignitaries such as Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid, Republican presidential
candidate Mitt Romney, former Utah Gov. Michael O. Leavitt,
Sen. Orrin Hatch, Gov. John Huntsman Jr., U.S. Rep.
Rob Bishop, Sen. Bob Bennett, and U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon,
just to name a few. Thirty-four members of the church's
Quorum of the Seventy were also in attendance.
A hushed and reverent tone of remembrance enveloped
the packed 21,000-seat Conference Center in Salt Lake
City as Hinckley's casket was carried in by his grandsons
with church authorities lining the entrance.
Many saw it fitting that the casket was laid in front
of the pulpit, built from the wood of a walnut tree
Hinckley planted in his back yard.
The remaining two members of the church's First Presidency,
President Monson and President Erying, left an empty
chair between them where Hinckley would have sat as
a hollow reminder of his passing.
Hinckley was the 15th president of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and served nearly 50 years
in the church's presidency, 13 of which he presided
as prophet until he died Jan 27, 2008, at age 97.
The last public appearance Hinckley made was at the
renovation of the chapel in Salt Lake City where he
offered the dedicatory prayer.
Hinckley was known as "the great communicator" with
a long list of accomplishments. He dedicated 75 temples.
He envisioned smaller, more accessible temples such
as the Hong Kong and New York temples. Hinckley founded
the Perpetual Education Fund for the purpose of furthering
education and ending poverty in developing nations.
He also commissioned the building of the church's Conference
Center which is the largest building in the world used
for religious purposes.
Virgina H. Pearce, daughter of Hinckley, described
her father as "adorable."
Pearce said the last four years were the "capstone"
of her father's life after the loss of his wife, Marjorie,
"allowing the loss to carve out an even deeper
place in his heart for compassion and dig an even deeper
well of faith and trust in God."
The sun lights the conference center on the morning
of the funeral. / Photo by Tyler Larson
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