R.I.P. Gordon B. Hinckley

Last night an old friend passed. Last night a mentor and teacher left this world and as some could say was “called home”. I know that I haven’t been very active in church and some would say I’ve pulled myself pretty far from the church but it’s always been there. I’ve always identified myself as a Latter-Day Saint and I think I always will.

Whether or not one considers themselves a Latter-Day Saint, I believe no one who has met Gordon B. Hinckley can honestly say that he was anything but an upstanding individual. This was a man whom I admired. Even when I fell off the standard and even as I continue to drink on occasion or skip church or what have you, this man was the standard by which I wanted to measure myself especially as a husband and I hope soon, as a father.

Todays news of his death has hit me kinda hard. I knew he was old. I knew he’d been sick more and more over the last couple years and had I been going to church and paying attention, I’m guessing this wouldn’t have been such a shock to me. All I can say is my prayers and thoughts go out to his family both temporally and spiritually. We’re going to miss having him around. We’ll miss hearing him share in his wisdom but we know that when our time comes and our journeys in this life are through, perhaps…just perhaps we’ll see him again. Either way the man is in for an eternity of joy. Only God can deny him of that now.