Tears at first, yes, but now a glow of gratitude for President Hinckley

A DAUGHTER'S TRIBUTE: Virginia H. Pierce speaks about her father, Gordon B. Hinckley, at his funeral Saturday in the Salt Lake City LSD Conference Center. / Photo by Tyler Larson

• Hinckley humor

By Maddie Wilson

February 5, 2008 | At about 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, I was shocked. I was standing alone in my apartment and flipped on the TV. The first thing I saw was a "breaking news" segment, with the headline running along the bottom of the screen spelling out, "LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley dies at 97."

"What?"

That was the same response my dad had when I called 30 seconds later to tell him the news.

I knew he was old. I knew he had health problems. I had always felt like he had the choice to go as soon as he felt the time was right. I just never knew that the time could ever be right.

The week after the death of the 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was full of mixed emotions for me as I furiously read through every news article and listened to every newscast I could that had anything to do with my beloved prophet.

There was crying, laughing, anger, feelings of helplessness and of hope. But now, I am left with immense gratitude for what I have learned from President Hinckley. The teaching that first comes to mind, and that has a large impact in my life right now, is that of women in the Church. President Hinckley has helped me to be proud of who I am by teaching me of the sacred and important roles of women.

In a 1998 talk titled "Walking in the Light of the Lord," President Hinckley spoke to the women of the church.

"My dear sisters, I wish to tell you at the outset how much we appreciate the women of this Church. You are an essential part of it, a most important part of it. It could not function properly without you."

I've often heard the mistaken theory that in the LDS church women are inferior to men; that their place is in the house taking care of laundry, cooking and cleaning. But President Hinckley taught me that the role women play can save the world from tragedy and heartache.

"Never before, at least not in our generation, have the forces of evil been so blatant, so brazen, so aggressive as they are today. Things we dared not speak about in earlier times are now constantly projected into our living rooms. All sensitivity is cast aside as reporters and pundits speak with a disgusting plainness of things that can only stir curiosity and lead to evil."

We have been "disappointed" and "disillusioned" by people we have looked toward as leaders, he said.

All of these problems, President Hinckley said, originate in the home. Broken homes lead to a breakup in society, he said.

"It is here (in the home) that truth is learned, that integrity is cultivated, that self-discipline is instilled, and that love is nurtured.

"If there is to be reformation, if there is to be a change, if there is to be a return to old and sacred values, it must begin in the home," he said.

The home is where we learn the values that we use to guide our lives, Hinckley said. It doesn't matter how "simple" a home may be. As long as there is a good mother and father raising their children in high standards, a "wondrous upbringing" can come about, he said.

"If anyone can change the dismal situation into which we are sliding, it is you. Rise up, O women of Zion, rise to the great challenge which faces you."

Thank you, President Hinckley, for allowing yourself to be inspired and for sharing these words with the world.

Of all the teachings, work and growth in the Church that President Hinckley helped bring about, I am particularly grateful for the delicate testimony he bore of the role of women. I do not think I would be able to understand what my role as a woman can really mean if I had not heard these words from President Hinckley.

His spirit has left this earth, but his teachings, his love and his example will live on in my heart, guiding my role as a woman.

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