"The Finest Thing I Have Ever Done"-- Gordon B. Hinckley

On Sunday, my family attended a huge multi-stake conference. My stake, the Salt Lake Bonneville Stake, was invited to attend at the conference center in downtown Salt Lake City.

Although it was a challenge to accomplish attending this conference, we made the effort after a very firm plea from our Bishop, Terry Smith, in the Sacrament Meeting the week before. He said, "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity." That was enough to hook Joop and Cricket, Mom was already on board, and Marty was working on his list of reasons it never going to work. However, we got Dad on board successfully, and we made it in plenty of time to get a great seat. Marty was so great and took care of Henk so we could listen to the conference. And because of my new calling in YW, I wanted to journal about it since that can count for my Personal Progress! (I already earned the Young Womanhood Acheivement Award, when I was a Young Woman myself, but I can earn it again as a leader.)

This was in a conference that focused on two primary issues-- first, following the Spirit's promptings as a guide in life, and second, building and protecting ourselves and our families as spiritual temples. The speakers were Richard G. Hinckley, Melvin J. Ballard, Cheryl Lant, and Thomas S. Monsen.

President Hinckley is the son of THE President Hinckley and the brother of my Stake President Clark Hinckley. I've known him since high school as the father of my friend J. My mom has known him since college, and says she is amazed at how much he is growing to look like his Dad. (I agree). She said he was one of the most handsome guys at the U when she was there. Anyway, he spoke about his deep gratitude for the Lord's generous and loving promises to us as children of God and members of families. He stated, "the family is the fundamental unit of God's Kingdom." He spoke of the keys of sealing power and how that power was on the earth at different times throughout the ages and in our time. Then he shared a very tender story from a recent family experience.

He described being present at a sealing of a Hinckley granddaughter in the Salt Lake Temple. His father, President Gordon B. Hinckley conducted the sealing. As is customary, President Hinckley made some remarks at the sealing. After his remarks, he said (in a low voice, almost to himself), " It has just occured to me that I have sealed all five of my children and all 24 of my married grandchildren in this temple....and I think it is the finest thing I have ever done."

What a tender moment to share with us, and what a wonderful expression of President Hinckley. With all of his accomplishments, to speak so highly of this duty shows how important it is that we honor those covenants and seek to help others accomplish them.

President Hinckley was a hero of mine, and I just reveled in hearing this story. I also loved the story that President Monsen told. He chuckled to be sitting to the right of another President Hinckley and mentioned that when he was called to be first counselor to President Hinckley, the prophet asked him to tap him when he started to doze off during conference. President Faust asked for the same favor. President Monsen said, "You better believe you don't fall asleep if you're conducting." President Monsen said, "I don't know how you tap the President of the Church for falling asleep." When it happened, he started to panic, until he noticed that President Faust had dozed off too. He lightly touched President Hinckley on the shoulder and said, "Look at Jim," pointing at him. President Hinckley reached over with his cane and bopped President Faust, saying, "Wake Up Jim!" That story made me just chuckle!