A large number of those who lined up early for tickets were in their late teens and early 20s. Deborah Allred, a 22-year-old student at Brigham Young University-Idaho, began her wait for tickets at 3 a.m., saying she wanted to pay tribute to a man she said has "been like a grandpa to me."

"I have such a deep love and appreciation for him," Allred said, shivering but smiling on the cold morning. "He is my prophet. He's been the prophet since I can remember. I always enjoyed listening to him and hearing him. It meant a lot to me to be able to come here."

Allred said one of her favorite memories of President Hinckley was a November 2000 address during which he shared the "six B's" of advice for youth: "Be grateful. Be smart. Be clean. Be true. Be humble. Be prayerful."

"I just loved how he always spoke to (the youth of the church) like he was a caring parent or grandfather," she said. "I knew he cared about me every single time he spoke. It made me listen more, I guess."

Those comments were echoed down the line by a group of college students and recent graduates who met Friday while in line for about five hours to attend President Hinckley's viewing. They decided to get together again today to wait in line for the funeral.

"He's our prophet," said Megan Lee, a BYU student from Nampa, Idaho.

Hailing from various parts of the country and rival schools (four from BYU and two recent alumni of the University of Utah), the group bonded in their shared love of President Hinckley.

"He's the prophet I grew up with," said Esmeralda San Miguel, who comes from Texas.

The group also shared a makeshift picnic breakfast of muffins, bagels, bacon, eggs, sausage, hot chocolate and more on the sidewalk along North Temple.

"He believed in the youth so much," said Ashley Makahilahila, a BYU student from Hawaii. "It really gave us hope."

Vince Heinrich of Bend, Ore., was part of another group of college-age friends who gathered outside the Conference Center about 10 a.m. with tickets in hand.

"He was the prophet of our childhood," Heinrich said. "He helped our generation through those awkward stages of adolescence."

Brynna Brockbank, an Ann Arbor, Mich., native now attending school at LDS Business College in Salt Lake City, said President Hinckley's love for all people was evident every time he spoke.

"Even if there were thousands of people in the crowd, you felt like he was personally talking to you, that he personally knew you," Brockbank said. "I think many, many people's lives have been touched from listening to them, as mine has. He's a great man, a great example."