President Gordon B. Hinckley, Prophet of God, has Died
by -President Gordon B. Hinckley, prophet of the LDS (Mormon) Church, has died at age 97. President Hinckley was the fifteenth prophet of the Church and the oldest prophet in the Church’s history. He died from complications of age.
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, also a Mormon, said: “His life was a true testament of service, and he had an abiding love for others. His wit, wisdom, and exemplary leadership will be missed by not only members of our faith, but by people of all faiths throughout the world.”
President Hinckley was born on June 23, 1910 in Salt Lake City. He was the grandson of Mormon pioneers, who helped to settle the state of Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah, and made his career working in the Church’s media department.
President Hinckley was the leader of the Church during a time of great expansion. Under his leadership, the number of Mormon temples in the world doubled, and the church grew from 9 to 13 million members.
When President Hinckley first became the prophet of the Church, he said the following: “We are dedicated … to teaching the gospel of peace, to the promotion of civility and mutual respect among people everywhere, to bearing witness to the living reality of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the practice of his teachings in our daily lives.”
He lived a great life doing just that; he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and furthered the latter-day work. Let’s all give thanks to God for the life of this great man.
According to Mormon customs, the most senior apostle, Thomas S. Monson, will be the next prophet. He will likely be ordained in the next few days.