President Hinckley's Viewing

Feb 1 2008

I went with Juleen, Anna (Juleen's sister), and Adam to the Conference Center last night. We arrived close to 6 PM. We had to walk from the front of the conference center to the halfway down West Temple. There was a huge group of people in lines looping all over the Conference Center grounds. I don't know how long we stood outside at least an hour, before Juleen, Adam, and I walked to the Crown Burger a block and half away to warm up and get some food. We started back to the Conference Center shortly after 8 PM. By the time we arrived back the crowds out side the Conference Center had thinned significantly. We were inside the door of the Conference Center by about 9 PM after going through security. A guest service worker told us on Thursday he found two guns. The gun-toters had no intention of causing harm. The guest worker told us, any time a General Authority would be present, security would be required.
We spent the next hour weaving around the inside of the Conference Center as the workers worked to the us out of the cold at the request of the Presiding Bishopric. We made our way to the Conference Center seating. We sat for an hour or so, before find our way to another line. While seating we watched workers putting the many bouquets of flower, which had been sent. We made our way upstairs to the third floor where President Gordon Bitner Hinckley was laid in his casket. I don't if you remember the room with the busts of all of the Prophets, this is where he laid in state. The casket looked so small compared to what I remembered every seeing. Upon leaving a woman held a box of Kleenexes for those who need to dry their tears. We entered another line to depart, walking past a portrait of President Hinckley and his wife. Further on were group pictures of President Hinckley's family. We made our way down and exited the Conference Center at 11:30 PM. Like my last experience in line, we meet wonderful people, who made the wait enjoyable. Though the length of time and the cold were somewhat discouraging, the experience was well worth it.
President Gordon Bitner Hinckley's favorite scripture. D&C 112:10

"Be Thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."

May our lives be blessed because we knew him.