Oh how I love the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley and wished the weather was better to travel to the funeral but I am so grateful that it will be on the T.V. and hopefully many will get to see it there. I was there with the mourners for Pres. McKay and thankful I could be. "We thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet". On the news it stated that when the brothern voted we would know when the next Prophet had been chosen. With all the challenges with the Pres. of the United States campaign for Nov. it is so refreshing to know how God chooses and appoints the Prophet to succeed each one. Pres. Thomas S. Monson will be a wonderful President. None of us vote but we do get to sustain!!
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is perfectly organized and it is a thrill to see how it performs!
I'm so grateful for my membership!!

President Hinckley is a great man and will be missed, but thank goodness we have the fullness of the gospel to give us direction after our prophet passes. I am a convert of nearly 19 years and this is the 3rd prophet to pass away. With the knowledge of what has just happened we can look forward and not back to a great future with the called prophet of the lord. I am so grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

It is so wonderful to know that eventhough our Prophet has passed on, our church is NOT without leadership. How wonderful to know that the work of the Lord still continues and the men who step up in our Prophets absence are worthy and sustained men who follow our Heavenly Father's plan and keep it going forth. Any other church would be in an upheavel and have to search far and wide for another leader. Not us, He is already in our church. It is just a matter of waiting for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to reveal to those men who it is supposed to be. I am so greatful for my membership. A membership that I CHOSE of my own free will and choice. Not one that was forced one me or that I was tricked into. This is the ONLY true church of JESUS CHRIST on this earth and the gospel WILL go forth, no matter what!

How much we will miss him.President Hinckley was a great prophet and an example to us all.We send our love to his family, he will be deeply missed.

The Mormons believe God still talks to prophets, right? Do you believe God talks to the new prophet and tells him he's prophet? How does that work in your church?

In response to Outsider, The governing body of the Church is the First presidency (3 men President and 2 counselors) and the Quorom of the 12. All are sustained by the membership of the church as Prophet, Seers, and revelators. When the president dies, the First presidency is dissolved, and the 12, along with the two former counselors determine who the next president will be. It generally is the apostle who has served the longest, in this case it is Thomas S. Monson, who was serving as Hinckley's first counselor. There is no voting, no posturing, no politics. It is done in a prayerful manner. Since the 12 and the counselors are considered Prophets as well, there is never a moment when the church is without revelation from our heavenly father.

I would like to know what channel the funeral will be on and at what time please? Annmarie

Succession to the Presidency of the Church is well-established. The senior Apostle, in this case Thomas S. Monson, will become the next President.

As far God speaking to the new Prophet: The Lord reveals his will for the Church through the President. That communication may be through a direct visitation, a vision, or through inspiration confirmed by the Holy Ghost. In fact, that is the most common means of communication.

Any person, whether member of the Church or not, can recieve a spiritual confirmation that the new President of the Church is the Lord's chosen Prophet. Simply pray and ask the Lord. I recommend that all do so.

Thank you.

The romance of the Utah pipe pipper and the dance goes on and where it stopes nobody knows.

The suspense of the surprise is almost unbearable.

With a President or without one, the Church still has leadership. It always will.

But it really makes no difference. You can change out any of the apostles as the president, and the machine will continue to function just the way it has for decades. It is a huge, behemoth of a business that rolls along without regard for individuals, whether at the top or at the bottom.

The "Saints" will continue to meet weekly in their "meetings" where they point out all the flaws of other faiths and non-members; and where they congratulate each other on how rigtheous they are; and they will continue to pay their tithing mindlessly into the Church treasury, and then go home to live their lives, totally ignoring Jesus' true message. Their children will continue to "follow the prophet" by "choosing their friends carefully" (read: forming their self-righteous cliques), and treating those who are not like them or who believe differently, as lesser persons. They will continue to believe that they are "blessed" because of their righteousness and others are "cursed" for their sinfulness. And most of all, they will continue to blaspheme the Lord by engaging in hero-worship of Hinckley and Smith.

You heard it here first. New first counselor, Oaks, and new second counselor Holland.

Before you all slam on Lion's comments, make sure you reread Anonymous' comment first, because it was very vain and arrogant and is embarrassing to me as an LDS person. Lion just needs to know that most LDS members are not right-wing braggarts, and that type of talk is not appropriate for a public message board, regardless.
I never cease to be amazed by the crazys in Utah. There are the over-the-top LDS people who should know better, and on the other hand there are the mormon-haters...both groups lose all common sense when posting on message boards. In between, you have the normal people, LDS, all other religions and beliefs, and atheists alike...who just treat each other civilly and shut up.

steve bensen ,what if you are wrong? good luck!who will win friday,jazz?

I am so sorry you feel the way you do -- I have felt some of those feelings, but worked to forgive those whose behavior might have stemmed them -- I have too much to learn & do to carry around other people's mistakes, too.

It is important to remember we are all children of God, and as such, we are all learning to be like Him (kind, forgiving, etc.).

Unfortunately, we are also all mortal & prone to make mistakes -- this is an important lesson to learn so that we can "forgive those that trespass against us" as the Savior taught.

It's not easy, but it's worth it!

"Qunech not the Spirit". Anonymous is just happy about membership and wants you to know it. Take it for what it is worth and be happy to live in Latter Day Zion, where, if you are obedient and supportive of the Restored Latter Day Kingdom, blessings come and prayers are answered. Succession to the office of Prophet Seer and Revelator is smooth as glass and always has been. The Quorumn of Twelve Apostles is a group unlike any other in the world. Truly inspired in all they do and say. Be Happy and count your blessings.

We need to learn to allow others to be what they are and how they are and allow ourselves the same.

Both are great men, but it would be very surprising if President Eyring is not retained as a member of the First Presidency. Any one of the Twelve would be wonderful in the First Presidency. I expect President Eyring to be First Counselor. My guesses for the Second Counselor are, in order, the following: (1) Elder Ballard; (2) Elder Oaks; and (3) Elder Holland.

I love President Hinckley. Few men have been as well tutored for their mission in life as he was. He was worthy and clean and willing to be tutored.
President Packer deserves someconsideration as 1st co.
p.s. I knew a Janice Cluff years ago.

if your in Utah, it will be on 2,4,5, & 13 starting anywhere between 10 and 10:30 am.

Yeah, Anonymous definately went overboard. Not a good way to make friends outside the Church. The Lion is just plain wrong, but when you see comments like Anonymous, then people like The Lion have to chime in. We bring it on ourselves. When you grow up as the only LDS person in your entire HS senior class, and you work in an organization where 6-8 of the 1200 people are LDS, you learn to be a little more humble and tolerant of other people's beliefs, or you don't have too many friends. All LDS members should give that a try.

President Hinckley was a man with many obvious spiritual gifts: My first awareness of this with was during a church dance festival that I participated in nearly 40 years ago in Salt Lake City. It was here I heard and witnessed an opening prayer by him asking to shield us dancers from the rain and then personally experience the immediately answer to this request when at the conclusion of this prayer we dancers watched the attendees opening their umbrellas as rain drops fell down upon them, while we dancers were untouched by the shower that surrounded us. I later got to know him well enough to offer this additional personal witness and intended word of praise: He walked and talked with the Lord face to face; he sought to be wise and exhibited a surprising amount of passion to see and know for himself the mysteries of the Lord. I'm not a member of record in the Mormon church, but offer these two happenings as my personal experience with him and testimony of the true nature of your late prophet leader.

To The Lion: I apologize that the LDS people you've met fit your description. I've met some of them, too. Fortunately, they are vastly outnumbered in this world by LDS faithful who live their lives 24/7 trying to emulate the Savior AND by others around me who may not be members of the LDS church but far outshine me in their efforts to live the life He taught.

As we cannot judge all baseball players by the example of Barry Bonds, we cannot judge all church members by the bad examples of a few.

To Lion, why are you so dependend on having a leader, what about learning to think for yourself and promoting the same perogative of growth for all men. It is good to work together but we need to learn to think and act for ourselves. Good luck in out growing your hand holding security blanket.

Lion is Ok, the comment is for the fanatic anonymous. Such a sheltered attitude will stunt his growth. He needs to get out into the world.

In the spirit of a previous post, my personal speculation is that President Monson will retain President Eyring as a counselor, and choose from Elders Holland, Oaks, and Bednar for a new counselor. Based on precedent established by President David O. McKay, Elder Eyring would remain 2nd Counselor unless a more junior apostle (Uchtdorf, Bednar, Cook) is selected, or someone from outside the Twelve. It really doesn't matter. It's in the Lord's hands, and they're all great.

I BELIEVE IN THE ARTICLES OF FAITH. THE 11TH ONE IS: WE CLAIM THE PRIVILEGE OF WORSHIPING ALL MIGHTY GOD ACCORDING THE DICTATES OF OUR OWN CONSCIENCE, AND ALLOW ALL MEN THE SAME PRIVILEGE, LET THEM WORSHIP HOW WHERE OR WHAT THEY MAY.
AMEN!!!

Find an LDS chapel and ask to see the missionaries, they'll explain it all and then you can pray about it and find out if it's true. Nobody but you can find out for you, if you really care to.

Hi! President Hinckley was and is truly a good boy. and I loved hearing him a lot!

I hope to see him soon in the spirit world! and I love him!

I am sure President Monson will be a wonderful President as will his two councilers be wonderful as well and called of the Lord. The Mantle will fall on him and all will move forward. President Hinckley will be missed very much, however the fact of the matter is very simple, as I say, this life is only a spec of dust in comparison to all the space in the largest building's space you can imagine, compared to all eternity and beyond! The work will go on, and so will President Hinckley, he will rest a while, then go back to work on the other side. We all will to some degree or another. May God bless us all with the power to do so. Families and Friends will be together forever, this I know and I know it because of two wonderful sisters who came to my home in Western NY in late 1994 and told me all the things I already felt were true for most of my life, I just needed someone to confirm them, and that is what the Church did for me. Thank you President Hinckley for being such a wonderful man.

A question. I am sure there is an answer and someone will post it.
The President of the Church has passed away. Right now, this very minute, who is in charge? If God wants to speak to whomever is in charge, who, right now, is in charge?

If we want to talk about Precedents, N. Eldon Tanner was the first counselor in the first presidency even though he had less seniority in the twelve than Marion G. Romney. In fact he had less seniority in the twelve than Gordon B. Hinckley but that is not quite her or there.

The David O. McKay case involved changing someone from First Counselor to Second Counselor which is the only time it was done in the First Presidency. I don't really have any clear notions of who the next First Presidency will be, at least not to the point of trying to set myself up as the first one to express them, but I do have to admit that I am really looking forward to finding out who the new First Presidency is. I am just not patient enough probably.

I think we should refrain from stating that Thomas S. Monson is "going to be" the next President. Yes, there is a precedent and it is extremely likely that he will be. But acting like it is already decided implies that the brethren are following some sort of set guideline (aka, senior apostle as president) rather than following the spirit.