Gordon B. Hinckley

I'm a little excited about the Relief Society manual for 2017. It features a certain adorable President Hinckley.

This is one of the most adorable pictures of him and Sister Hinckley.

In preparation to learn more from him and about him, I'm drawing on all my mind powers to remember him. He was the prophet of my youth, and he left a distinct impression on my life.

I remember when he challenged all members to read the Book of Mormon. We read it as a family and I was asked to speak about the experience in church. I recall feeling guilty for not reading it on my own, but looking back, there was nothing wrong (and likely many things right) with reading the Book of Mormon in a family setting.

I remember the 6 Bs: be smart, be clean, be true, be prayerful, be grateful, be humble. I also remember that he later added 3 more Bs: be positive, be still, be involved.

I remember when he dedicated the Salt Lake Conference Center and how the pulpit was built from a walnut tree that he planted.

I remember when he waved his cane at general conference.

I remember that he focused on building temples all over the earth.

I remember when he issued the Proclamation on the Family and the Living Christ.

I remember when he was on 60 Minutes.

I remember that he was confident that everything would work out.

And I remember when he died. I know exactly where I was and how I found out. I was sitting on the stairs at ward prayer during my freshman year and a friend announced it to the ward. My roommate burst into tears. Two days earlier, my Living Prophets class had finished our unit on President Hinckley. It felt like I had finally gotten to know him, and then he left.

Well, he's back in a way, and I look forward to learning even more about him this year. Miss you, President Hinckley!

Howard W. Hunter: Help from on High

I spent most of Sunday School today hastily preparing a lesson for Relief Society after receiving an assignment from the Relief Society president. Luckily, I had already read the chapter and fallen in love with it. President Hunter really knew his scriptures and had a sense of the poetry of the gospel. In no deliberate order, here are some insights I got from him about receiving help from on high:

• 1 Corinthians 2 is a chapter about spiritual knowledge, or "the mind of Christ." It teaches us that spiritual knowledge is spiritually discerned and is not gained through our physical senses alone. 
• To gain spiritual knowledge, you need to prepare by meditating and pondering. As you suppress the sensations and distractions of the physical plane, as you consciously shed worldly thoughts from your mind, you can more easily step onto the spiritual plane. You hone your spiritual senses and expand your soul so it can receive more light and truth. You conquer the natural man.
• As you meditate and ponder before prayer, think about the things you need help with. Generate a list so you don't forget what to pray about--this list will come in handy when the Lord provides revelation and answers and promptings.
• Spiritual knowledge and guidance then comes through prayer and action. If you inquire, the Lord will inspire.
• Pray for everything, the good and the bad. Praying for others, especially your enemy, will teach you about them. You will come to know that everyone has a divine identity, that everyone needs help, that everyone needs your love and respect.

My big takeaway: Gain "the mind of Christ" 

by pondering, praying, and then acting. 

Engage in prayerwork.

The Doors Along the Path

"When one door shuts, another opens, even for a prophet in prison. We are not always wise enough or experienced enough to judge adequately all of the possible entries and exits. The mansion that God prepares for each of his beloved children may have only certain hallways and banisters, special carpets and curtains that he would have us pass on our way to possess it."

- President Howard W. Hunter, "The Opening and Closing of Doors"

These photos are of the Provo City Center Temple, and they remind me so much of the descriptions of the mansions God prepares for us. There are many hallways and doors and stairs and some ways are shut and some are open, but the path that God provides will always lead us to the same place: into His arms. And who am I to question that path?