Saintmichaeldefendthem1 Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) Greetings everyone,I'm very new here and I joined because I'm a friend of Kurt's. As you can see from my profile, I'm Roman Catholic but I do have a deep and abiding respect for the LDS faith. To enter with a splash, I decided to re-publish an online eulogy I posted shortly after the passing of the beloved apostle and president, Gordon Hinckley. I hope this conveys that in spite of my disagreement in LDS doctrines, I do love my Mormon brothers and sisters.Gordon B. Hinckley, Man of GodI felt compelled to share in the mourning of the LDS church for their beloved president, Gordon Hinckley, who recently passed away. Even though I have strong disagreements with LDS doctrine, I see no problem with being inspired by the example of this godly man.Gordon Hinckley was born in 1910 and has devoted his entire life to service in the Mormon church. He felt a strong calling upon him to become an Apostle and has taken part in overseas missions and various other ministries. In 1995, he took over the presidency of the LDS church after serving as counsel to several of his predecessors.His major accomplishments as president include an aggressive effort to build more temples. Temples in the LDS faith are not the churches that you see all over town. They are special places where certain ceremonies, such as being baptized for one's geneological ancestors and eternalizing marriages are exclusively performed. This, of course, has been a great service to Mormons who have often had to travel far to get to the nearest temple.Gordon Hinckley was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President G.W. Bush for his support of soldiers at home and overseas among many other rewards for various accomplishments. But he is best known for his godly example and his call to holy living in an unrighteous age. He believed that what we do here has eternal consequence and lived his life according to this principle.It's sometimes appropriate to set our differences aside and acknowledge this great and godly man who showed true leadership in his respective faith. I set about this eulogy as the Lord impressed upon my heart that great men of God ought to be honored.Lord, thank you for this wonderful man who inspired Mormons to become more than they thought they could be and to live lives of purpose and principle. May You raise up many more like him. Amen.Now, be faithful, be true, go forward, be ambitious. Don't short-circuit yourself. Don't stop now. Keep growing. Keep going. Educate your minds and your spirits and never lose sight of the fact that you are a child of God with a divine destiny and capability of doing great and good and wonderful things. Don't sell yourselves short. Don't cheapen yourselves. You know who you are. Each of you knows that you are a child of God and that your Heavenly Father expects something great and noble and good of you. --Gordon B. HinckleyLink to eulogy:Gordon B. Hinckley, Man of God Edited January 7, 2011 by Saintmichaeldefendthem1 added link to eulogy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elphaba Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Best. Prophet. Ever. I miss him. Elphaba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroads Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Thanks for sharing this and welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Best. Prophet. Ever.I miss him.ElphabaIt's always weird to see you say things like that. But thanks. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahlia Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I just finished reading 'Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes' by President Hinckley. I loved his stories about times when he was less than virtuous. Sometimes he realized his mistakes on his own, but often it was his mother who had to reel him in. It cemented with me how important it is to have a loving and virtuous mother who is willing to give discipline when needed. It was also interesting to see that a regular young man can overcome his faults and wind up in such an exalted position in the Church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Oh man... yeah, this makes me miss him all over again. Saintmichael, another person I really miss as well is Pope John Paul II. I had the opportunity to see him and attend mass when he visited Cebu, Philippines. I was small then and I couldn't see the pope from waaaay back in the crowd, so I stood on a stool the entire time on my tippy toes. He continues to provide inspiration to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintmichaeldefendthem1 Posted January 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Oh man... yeah, this makes me miss him all over again.Saintmichael, another person I really miss as well is Pope John Paul II. I had the opportunity to see him and attend mass when he visited Cebu, Philippines. I was small then and I couldn't see the pope from waaaay back in the crowd, so I stood on a stool the entire time on my tippy toes. He continues to provide inspiration to me.Newt Gingrich, a recent Catholic convert, and his wife Callista just recently created a documentary called "Nine Days That Changed The World" with previously unseen footage of the Pope's historic visit to Poland. The more I learn about this 1979 event, the more I'm amazed at the victory that was achieved in the heavenlies. The communists asked, "How many brigades does the Pope command?" and yet they were in stark terror of this man. Pope JPII didn't go to Poland to protest communism, he went to declare victory; a victory that would become obvious 10 years later. "Be not afraid" was a death knell to communism and a harbinger of its great fall. It was a call for the faithful to look to the skies from whence comes our deliverance. Like the unarmed Israelites marching around Jericho struck terror into the defenders of the well fortified city, the nonviolent resistance of Polish Christians had the communists with their tanks, planes, missiles, and infantry quaking in their government made boots. It was a sign that marching armies and rolling tanks prevail not against our God.Alleluia!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Newt Gingrich, a recent Catholic convert, and his wife Callista just recently created a documentary called "Nine Days That Changed The World" with previously unseen footage of the Pope's historic visit to Poland. The more I learn about this 1979 event, the more I'm amazed at the victory that was achieved in the heavenlies. The communists asked, "How many brigades does the Pope command?" and yet they were in stark terror of this man. Pope JPII didn't go to Poland to protest communism, he went to declare victory; a victory that would become obvious 10 years later. "Be not afraid" was a death knell to communism and a harbinger of its great fall. It was a call for the faithful to look to the skies from whence comes our deliverance. Like the unarmed Israelites marching around Jericho struck terror into the defenders of the well fortified city, the nonviolent resistance of Polish Christians had the communists with their tanks, planes, missiles, and infantry quaking in their government made boots. It was a sign that marching armies and rolling tanks prevail not against our God.Alleluia!!Saintmichael... have you read about the Edsa Revolution (the original) that happened in the Philippines that caused Marcos to get ousted? It's kinda the same. On one side there were the protesters with their rocks and sticks, on the other side there were the tanks and soldiers and in between them are the Catholic nuns in their penguin clothes handing pandesal and water across both sides. For the tanks and guns or the rocks and sticks to work, they had to go through the nuns and neither side wanted any of that. Because, even in their most merciless moments, the people knew that God is where all glory can be found and the nuns were a stark reminder of that. It was great. Marcos got ousted in a peaceful revolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elphaba Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 It's always weird to see you say things like that. But thanks. :)I can imagine. :)I probably should have said Best.President.Ever, to better reflect my atheism, but that felt a bit disrespectful to me.I thought he was a marvelous human being, and loved his efforts at inclusiveness. He truly moved me.Elph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobi Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 May G-d bless him and his followers and bring forth another man to take his place who will follow his example. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 May G-d bless him and his followers and bring forth another man to take his place who will follow his example. Amen. There has been another man to take his place. His name is Thomas S. Monson. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobi Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Oh. Well, forgive my ignorance, then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Awesome thread is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintmichaeldefendthem1 Posted January 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Saintmichael... have you read about the Edsa Revolution (the original) that happened in the Philippines that caused Marcos to get ousted? It's kinda the same. On one side there were the protesters with their rocks and sticks, on the other side there were the tanks and soldiers and in between them are the Catholic nuns in their penguin clothes handing pandesal and water across both sides. For the tanks and guns or the rocks and sticks to work, they had to go through the nuns and neither side wanted any of that. Because, even in their most merciless moments, the people knew that God is where all glory can be found and the nuns were a stark reminder of that. It was great. Marcos got ousted in a peaceful revolution.That's a great story. I never heard about that and I just started reading about it online because I was like 7 when that happened. Our God is truly awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobi Posted January 9, 2011 Report Share Posted January 9, 2011 Reminds me of when the Rebbe died... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintmichaeldefendthem1 Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Rebbe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobi Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Aye, this guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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