My Prophet Dear

The other day my roommate, who is not a member of the church asked "What is a Prophet? And what does he prophesy?"
With the recent passing of President Hinckley, this question came at a poignant time. We gave him some simple answers. And he seemed satisfied. But this question of "What is a Prophet?" still rang in my ears and I found myself dwelling on it.
President Hinckley was my prophet. Not in the possessive sense but, in the sense you would call your hero "my hero." It gave me a sense of pride to claim him as such.
Now, I have never shook his hand, nor been within 200 yards of him, so how can such a man be so much to me? I have come to realize it was the feelings he gave me. Hope, peace, love, yes even godly sorrow. As I look back, I realized that my testimony for President Hinckley has grown slowly.

• He was the prophet of my youth. For the Strength of Youth, the 6 B's, the new Duty to God requirements all came under the direction of President Hinckley. But I remember attending Priesthood Sessions and sitting up straight in my pew to listen to the prophet.
• He signed my Mission Call. That one act alone forever seals him to my heart. He called me on a mission. It was under his presidency that Preach My Gospel was introduced, the book that my mission President said would train the future leaders of the Church.
• He came to Taiwan during my mission. He came and dedicated the Taiwan Service Center. This 5 floor building includes a stake center, distribution center, 2 chapels, employment center, and much more. He originally dedicated the grounds for the original chapel and we were excited to have him come back and do it again. He dedicated the Taiwan Taipei Temple. The Taiwanese Saints all reserve a special place in their hearts. Members would burst out into tears in his presence. In his address he even pronounced "Taipei" correctly. He blessed the members to, "always have rice in their bowls" and with his love.
• He was a humble man. In the 2006 General Conference do you remember when everybody stood up and sang "We Thank Thee O' God For A Prophet?" Later, Elder Hallstrom of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy visited our mission. He related that when the members started to stand up the Seventy were wondering what to do. Should they stand up as well? In the church you are only supposed to stand during a hymn when directed by a the Presiding authority. Then President Monson stood and the General Authorities followed. Now, President Hinckley due to illness had sat down during the other hymns and could have choose to sit and have the saints sing to him. But President Hinckley always said that that hymn was about the Prophet Joseph Smith, and when any other man would have sat, President Hinckley stood and sang with the rest of the members of the church. Elder Hallstrom then testifies as to why he did stand by saying, "It was because President Hinckley knows who's church this is." I watched that General Conference broadcast a week later with the Taiwanese Saints and without missing a beat they stood and sang. The spirit confirmed to me strong as ever that truly that he is a prophet.
• His Testimony is what I'll Remember. The strongest testimony of the Savior, Joseph Smith, Tithing, Priesthood, Temples, I have ever heard came from this wonderful man.

Oh how I will miss him. But I like him know "who's church this is." I echo what Elder Jeffery R. Holland said to us in a Mission Conference that I thank God for, "the miracle of Gordon B. Hinckley."