Personal legacy of President Hinckley
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President Gordon B. Hinckley was an optimist, said President Henry B. Eyring during the Church leader's funeral on Feb. 2.
When a difficult problem facing the Church was brought to him, President Hinckley "would listen carefully, perhaps asking a question or two, to be sure that he understood the magnitude of the difficulty facing us and that those who brought the problem to him knew he understood. Time after time, he would quietly say something like this, with a pleasant smile, 'Oh, things will work out."'
Referring to the Church president's "great personal capacities," President Eyring, who had served as a counselor to President Hinckley since last October, spoke of the construction of temples throughout the world, the development of the Perpetual Education Fund and the building of the Conference Center.
Recognizing that President Hinckley's personal legacy goes beyond "my power to describe," President Eyring declared: "His accomplishments have one thing in common. Always they were to bless individuals with opportunity. And always he thought of those with the least opportunity, the ordinary person struggling to cope with the difficulties of everyday life and the challenge of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"More than once he tapped his finger on my chest when I made a suggestion and said, 'Hal, have you remembered the person who is struggling?"'
President Hinckley's optimism, President Eyring said, was justified by his great faith that God's powers were in place and from "his unwavering faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Atonement."
Continuing, President Eyring recalled how years ago when he was responsible for teaching the gospel to youth in seminary programs throughout the Church, President Hinckley tapped his forefinger on a younger Henry B. Eyring's chest and said, "Hal, why don't you do better in getting the gospel down into their hearts?'
"He knew that only when it was down in their hearts, as it was in his, would they be strong enough and brave enough to qualify for Eternal Life....
"President Hinckley knew that God will steel and fortify us all as we choose to take the gospel down into our hearts. And he knew that the choice was made by consecrating all we are and have to follow the Master. He knew it was best to make that choice early, in the days of youth, because it might take years for us to qualify for the change in our hearts which comes because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."
