I join with many of you in mourning the passing of Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who died on Jan. 27, 2008. While his death is not terribly surprising and he now reunites with his beloved wife, we will miss his leadership, his humor and his example. He leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten and will be difficult to match. His example in reaching out to nations of the world, expanding missionary work, instituting the perpetual education fund, building the Conference Center, and building temples closer to members of the church throughout the world have led the church’s growth at the beginning of this century.
He also was a strong supporter of public communications and working with the media. Most people would shrink from an interview with Mike Wallace or Larry King, but Pres. Hinckley stepped up to both of them with positive outcomes. His leadership expanded the role of the church’s public affairs department, including the growing use of new media to share the gospel message and clarify the position of the church. Who can forget the images of Pres. Hinckley during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games as he welcomed the world to the LDS Church’s home town.
On a personal note, I got to meet Pres. Hinckley and shake his hand near the end of my mission. As some of you know, I was fortunate enough to serve the last six months of my mission in Nauvoo, Ill. Pres. Hinckley, who at the time (1982) was a counselor to Pres. Spencer W. Kimball, came to Nauvoo to dedicate several historic sites, including the site of the original Nauvoo Temple. Check out the photo below (but don’t laugh too hard at how young and geeky I look; it WAS the 80s!). This photo was taken where the Nauvoo Temple now stands again. It was a great honor for me to meet him even briefly. At the time, he was the only healthy member of the First Presidency. I remember him saying that in the 30 days before the dedication in Nauvoo, he had traveled 30,000 miles for the church. His dedication and service to the church would fill our collective lifetimes of service!
Join me in remembering his example of dedication and service, both to the church and to public relations and communication. His life is a great model for sharing the truth boldly and lovingly. He addressed tough issues directly and without apology. He defended the truth by correcting misstatements of others about the church. Many people provide good role models in specific areas of their lives. Pres. Hinckley is a model for all areas of life.
Thanks for sharing, Mark. That’s a great picture!
President Hinckley will be sorely missed. He is truly one of my heroes and a great example of how public relations should work.
Comment by Adam Denison — January 28, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
hahaha i LOVE the picture!!! classic. and you are so so so lucky that you got to meet pres. hinckley. i love him and i will definitely miss him…but hey, i’ve always got his biography and life story VHS to remember him by
Comment by lyndsey — January 28, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
You have captured and verbalized the thoughts so many of us have of love and admiration for President Hinckley. And thanks for sharing your great personal story and picture.
Comment by Ted — January 29, 2008 @ 9:03 pm
Thank you for your thoughts and picture (you have to love the 80s). In 485 with Professor Wakefield, we spent about 20 minutes discussing President Hinckley and his public relations efforts. We covered many of the insights you stated. What a great man, not only as a prophet of God, but as a communications leader.
Comment by Sarah T. — January 30, 2008 @ 8:19 pm