Local LDS faithful reflect on Hinckley legacy
By Brielle Kennington
Argus Observer
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:47 PM PST
Ontario — A day after the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died, several local members of the faith reflected on the life and legacy of a man that led their church through a period of remarkable expansion.
LDS president Gordon B. Hinckley died Sunday at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City with members of his family at his bedside.
Hinckley, who spearheaded the church through 12 years of global expansion, was the 15th president of the Church.
“He touched people’s lives and his focus was on the family and trying to make it stronger and just helping people live right,” Ontario LDS Third Ward Bishop Randall Jensen said.
Ontario third Ward First Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency Mary Anne Fry said Hinckley’s personal style made him a good leader.
“I was just amazed at his vitality, he was down to earth, good old common man and he had a sense of humor,” Fry said.
Hinckley, who was born June 23, 1910, in Salt Lake City took his first job as a newspaper carrier for the Deseret News.
He would later be known within the LDS faith for his writing and speaking skills.
At the time of his death, he had penned several books and numerous manuals, pamphlets and scripts.
In 2004 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil award, by President George W. Bush. He also received the Silver Buffalo Award of the Boy Scouts of America and has been honored by the National Conference (formerly the National Conference of Christians and Jews) for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world.
President Hinckley and his wife Marjorie Pay married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1937.
They have five children.
“I had the opportunity to be in Utah county several years ago and when President Hinckley was there and spoke, he had his wife there and just respected her and showed how much he loved his wife,” Jensen said. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.
