Mourners brave morning chill for tickets to President Hinckley's funeral

President Hinckley also "brought the church into the 21st Century," said Kelly Buie of Salt Lake City, citing his participation in national media interviews. He sought out opportunities to help the world better understand the LDS Church and its members, Buie said.

"He really tried to fight the myths about the church and the misconceptions about what we believe," Buie said. "He's an amazing man, and he really did a lot to further the church around the world."

Friends Cora Montgomery and Kelly Butikofer flew in from Chicago to attend President Hinckley's funeral, saying they didn't want to miss this opportunity to say farewell to a spiritual leader who made a profound difference in their respective lives.

Montgomery said she gave President Hinckley the nickname "Sparky," "because he was such an energized person."

Butikofer recalled watching TV in 1999, flipping through channels when he saw President Hinckley talking about the construction of the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois. Butikofer was a member of the LDS Church, he said, but he didn't attend church and wasn't living all of its teachings.

Seeing the LDS Church leader on TV and listening to him speak "called me back," Butikofer said.

"I did whatever I had to do to come back to church," he said.

Jerry Washburn, mayor of Orem, recalled the influence President Hinckley had on his life.

"(President Hinckley) has had such an impact on my life personally," Washburn said as he waited for funeral services to begin. "His inspiration, his guiding words and example meant so much to me and my family, and just to be able to be here and feel the impact he has had, just to be able to be here and feel that spirit, and inspiration, I feel it's a privilege."

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