His two counselors also spoke. Together, President Hinckley, President James E. Faust and President Thomas S. Monson have been the church's First Presidency for a dozen years.

"These past 12 years have been a tremendous blessing to serve with him and Thomas S. Monson and see quite literally the Lord working through a prophet," President Faust said.

"President Hinckley's life is a gift," President Monson added, "not only to the church but to the entire world."

"If I'd known so many nice things would have been said," President Hinckley said, "I would have had a party like this 10 years ago."

President Hinckley has been the chairman of BYU's board of trustees for the same 12 years and proudly mentioned the Marjorie Pay Hinckley Endowed Chair in Social Work and Social Sciences, named in honor of his late wife.

Still, President Hinckley said, his father Bryant S. Hinckley was more deserving than he of having a BYU building named after him.

Bryant Hinckley studied under Karl G. Maeser, the university's first president, and later served as president of the BYU Alumni Association's Emeritus Club.

President Hinckley grew even more animated when he and Samuelson stood to place the last items in the time capsule. Before he placed a pair of his cuff links in the stainless steel box, he laughed and said, "I don't know how I'm going to get along without 'em."

After everything was inside, he noticed some socket wrenches still on the table and turned to Samuelson and said, "What are the wrenches for?"

Samuelson told him he was needed to help fasten the lid on the time capsule.

"Good," President Hinckley said happily. "I'm good at it.... These are no strangers to me."

Afterward, he playfully led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday to You" by waving his signature cane.

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