From Deseret News archives:
Learn from life, LDS leader says
The reward for early birds? The right to dash to front row seats in the cherished northwest end of arena, where devotional speakers enter and exit the podium. And sure enough, after his speech, the 96-year-old leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stopped several times to smile at and salute students in those seats.
Mikayla Bartell, an 18-year-old freshman from Redmond, Wash., and her mother, who joined the church 11 years ago, are the only LDS Church members in her family.
Bartell had never seen President Hinckley in person, so she arrived at the Marriott Center at the same time the sun did about 7 a.m.
"He waved his cane at us," she said. "It was so exciting."
The doors opened at 9 a.m., and the building filled with 20,049 students, staff and faculty. They were reverent during President Hinckley's speech, an eclectic mix of nine "brief cameos or vignettes" he titled "Experiences Worth Remembering."
President Hinckley recalled four experiences and five stories that influenced his thinking and behavior.
The experiences ranged from visits to soldiers during the Vietnam War and to the tombs of Napoleon and Lenin to a discussion with former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and they touched on the power of missionary work, the eternal nature of life and the need for kindness, brotherhood and unity.
He referred to visits to military cemeteries and said, "As I have visited these various cemeteries I have reflected first on the terrible cost of war. What a fruitless thing it so often is, and what a terrible price it exacts."
The stories included a favorite joke about getting into heaven, a cherished poem about Abraham Lincoln and a strong appreciation for the Enlightenment and the U.S. Constitution.
"There came the American Revolutionary War, resulting in the birth of a nation whose Constitution declared that government should not reach its grasping hand into matters of religion," he said. "A new day had dawned, a glorious day. Here there was no longer a state church. No one faith was favored above another."
President Hinckley urged listeners to follow his example.
Comments
- Try this chicken two-fer 6:54 p.m.
- Cats are trainable — no joke 6:47 p.m.
- Oscar gets 20 animated submissions 6:38 p.m.
- Semifinal slate sealed on 'Dancing' 6:30 p.m.
- Records: MJ's funeral cost about $1M 6:28 p.m.
- Yardsmart: Flowers honor veterans 6:26 p.m.
- Lining up for 'Modern Warfare 2' 6:22 p.m.
- Ronnie Wood divorced over adultery 6:21 p.m.
- Warhol's MJ portrait sells for $812K 6:17 p.m.
- MacIntyre wins literature award 6:16 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Gays get Mormon support in SLC
- House passes health care bill
276 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
235 - TCU showdown has big implications
193 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
108 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
100
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
I don't know, I'm pretty sure that Jordan Wynn is a better candidate since he...
Wrong, you get an - "F" Socialism does not invoke ownership to the State....
Tell me something UTES, what game this year on your schedule, has given any...
Have you seen the video clips on the Coug recruits? I think we will see much...
I don't care how many more games we lose this season. We are STILL the...
This is why BYU is alwas one and done
Your tears have been delicious. It has been especially sweet to see that...
G, looks like others are bringing facts to this and you keep providing a...
The Deseret News should do some investigating into when the Ogden School...
I hope a member of PETA doesn't get an illness that could've been prevented...



You can be the first to comment on this story.