Reader voices: President Gordon B. Hinckley

Editor's note: We asked readers to share how President Gordon B. Hinckley, who passed away Sunday, influenced their lives. Here is a sampling of the responses we received:

My husband and I were not active in the church when I heard (President Hinckley) was going to speak at a regional conference in Evanston, Wyo. I told my husband I was going with or without him, and to my surprise, he came with me. We left home early and got to Evanston in a thick fog. Neither one of us knew where the high school was where President Hinckley was to speak. We were in the general area when we saw two men in white shirts and ties drive by. Sure enough, we followed them and got to the high school. We stood in line for some time in the cold and the fog, and we got to sit in the gym where he would speak, instead of an overflow room. ...

He and his wife both spoke, and they were so charming and full of love. It was amazing. When he started to walk off the stage, the congregation spontaneously broke out singing "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet," and my tears could not be held back. Since then, my husband and I have been very active in the church and have gone through the temple. We love President Hinckley. Our most sincere sympathy goes out to his family and close associates.

Jeanne Nelson

Kemmerer, Wyo.

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I saw President Hinckley for the first time at the dedication of the Guadalajara, Mexico, Temple. I was in the last dedicatory session in the celestial room. It was a great blessing to be before a prophet of God. I could truly feel he was a man of God. I greatly appreciate him and I thank him for the revelation on smaller temples, since they now can bless us no matter where we are.

Brenda Deaquino

Monterrey, Mexico

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I proposed to my wife the day (President Hinckley) was sustained as the president of the church. I'll never forget the feeling I had as I sat in my fiancee's apartment, freshly decorated with balloons and tulips from my surprise April Fools' day proposal, and sustained him while watching conference together.

As I sat and contemplated our future, I knew that following his counsel would lead our little soon-to-be family through whatever was ahead.