BYU administration encouraged religion professors to take a few minutes at the beginning of their classes to talk about President Hinckley, who as president of the church also served as chairman of BYU's board of trustees, and allow the students to discuss their feelings.

During BYU religion professor Scott Esplin's class, Gordon Bean, 23, of Annandale, N.J., a senior majoring in bioinformatics, told the other students he is named after President Hinckley. "My family really respected him," Bean said, adding his father, David, was named after David O. McKay.

BYU religion professor Guy Dorius presented to his class the slideshow of President Hinckley that the university has on its Web site, www.byu.edu. Many students cried as they watched.

"This prophet was your prophet in so many ways," Dorius said, bringing up the fact many of the students have known only one head of the LDS Church because President Hinckley was appointed when they were children.

"We were looking forward to getting our mission letters signed by President Hinckley but it will be cool to be one of the first ones to have our letters signed by the new prophet," said Logan McDermott, 18, of Suwanee, Ga., a freshman majoring in business.

Students eating lunch in Cougareat talked about experiences with President Hinckley that they remember and cherish.

"When they sang Happy Birthday to him and he was waving his cane," said Laura Wolthuis, 20, of Castlerock, Colo., a sophomore majoring exercise science.

Spencer Hafoka, 21, of Kahuku, Hawaii, a freshman taking general classes, said he remembers performing in a dance group as a child at a ceremony for President Hinckley when he visited BYU-Hawaii.

Icce Homero, 24, of Cuernavaca, Mexico, a sophomore majoring in business, said when President Hinckley spoke at BYU, it was wonderful hearing him speak in English instead of a translator speaking Spanish.

"It was my first time I had a chance to see a real prophet," Homero said.

---

E-mail: astewart@desnews.com