I love President Hinckley. I must admit when he was first made prophet - I was like, Hinckley who? I was all about President Monson. Through the years, I have come to appreciate him so much and I will miss him at the pulpit at Conference and other times. His cute little cane and sly sense of humor - I'm sad we won't see any more of him in this life.
I don't know why I've always had such a soft spot in my heart for President Monson, maybe it's his smooth, calming voice or his tall unintimidating stature, I don't know. Our family has had a couple of brushes with him -
My Oma (German Grandma) got sick and went into a coma, we thought we would lose her. Her stuborn german genes eventually won out and she came back to us! While at the hospital, 2 of my aunts saw President Monson get off the elevator on my Oma's floor. He walked down a hallway and not too much longer, came back. He was about to get back on the elevator, when one of my aunts summoned the courage to ask him if he would see my Oma. My Oma loves President Monson. He's done a lot of Church work in Germany and tells a lot of German stories and visits the German Ward occasionally. President Monson agreed and came to my Oma's room. He also gave her a blessing. She told him the story of her conversion to the LDS Church. Just before he left he said he had come to visit a friend, but when he arrived to his room, he found out his friend had already left. He realized now that he actually was supposed to meet my Oma that day. I really believe that his visit boosted her spirits and helped her to recover.
The next time President Monson touched my life, I met him in the flesh! My Grandpa Skousen passed away in January of 2006. My Grandpa being who he was, A member of the first presidency was asked to speak and President Monson came! I shook his hand as he came into the viewing. Later, he pulled my husband, Christian, my brother-in-law, Chad and I can't remember who else (I think one of the Funeral director guys) and he said to them, "You know what they say about men with dimples in their chins?" (All of them have one, including President Monson.) "They are good looking men."
Hahaha - I can't wait to hear his counsel as he takes on the mantle of our prophet!!
