It’s only been a few hours since I heard that President Gordon B. Hinckley died. I was at a fireside and I overheard someone telling us about it when it was announced publicly to the entire group. The room went silent for several minutes. When I got home I checked the church web site, then CNN, then the NY Times. I read what my friends put on Twitter and Facebook. I learned that the Greek Orthodox church also lost their leader today, he was much younger, 69 I think.

President Hinckley is so beloved. I thought of him as our single prophet because his wife died about four years ago. I wonder how challenging it was to be the prophet without that companionship and support. I looked up Gordon B. Hinckley in Wikipedia and this is what it said first: This article is about a person who has recently died. Reading that made my heart sank for a moment.

President Hinckley became prophet at age 84 and he died at age 97. He’s the oldest prophet we’ve ever had. I wondered also how it is to keep that kind of schedule when you’re that old. But he handled it with grace. He seemed younger than he was because he had a young and playful spirit.

I’m so used to him being our prophet that it’s a little tough to believe he’s really gone. I’m not sad but I have a deep feeling of respect and honor for his work and legacy. He’s a legend. I was actually sad when Howard W. Hunter died so quickly after becoming prophet. I had a testimony of him and adored him and it was unexpected that he died so soon after becoming prophet.

The church will still run and we’ll get another prophet (Thomas S. Monson most likely) but I’ll never forget President Hinckley and the impact he had on my life.