Goodbye, Hello

To be completely honest, it's been a struggle learning to love President Monson as much as I did President Hinckley.

I love President Hinckley so much. He is one of my greatest inspirations to do good. I have a picture of him hanging in my room and whenever I don't feel like reading my scriptures or saying my prayers I look over at his picture and feel as if I'm disappointing him. I feel like I have this close relationship with him and I've never even met him! When I was going through the refiner's fire, I felt like he was there guiding me forward. I feel like my conversion process started because of him. It was when he gave his challenge to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover that I felt like I was truly converted. I love this man. He is like the grandpa I never had. At his funeral, I sobbed and sobbed wondering what I was going to do without him! I wanted so badly for him to be back to his wife, but I also wanted to be selfish and keep him longer. I want to live my life in such a way that I can meet and marry a man like Gordon B. Hinckley.

So, here is this man who is taking his spot. Called of God and trusted to lead His children. Why am I struggling so much? I'm not sure. But today I had a break through. I was reading in the scriptures about Lehi's dream and how Nephi desired to know the things of his fathers dream. Even though Lehi was a prophet and received revelation that he shared with his family, Nephi desired to know for himself. Although I knew President Monson was called of God simply because he was next in line, I had to know for myself. I need to love this man in order to follow him like I should. So, here I am now. I testify that Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet today. He is a mouthpiece of our Heavenly Father. He is to lead and direct us today, back home.

"The Lord revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)