H.C.R. 6

1

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING THE
2 LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF PRESIDENT
3 GORDON B. HINCKLEY
4 2008 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Michael T. Morley
7 Senate Sponsor: ____________
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor honors Gordon Bitner
12 Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for his life of
13 service and dedication.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This resolution:
16 . honors Gordon B. Hinckley for his many years of service as a leader in the Church
17 of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including nearly 13 years as the church's
18 president.
19 Special Clauses:
20 None
21
22 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
23 WHEREAS, Gordon Bitner Hinckley was born in Salt Lake City on June 23, 1910 to
24 Bryant S. and Ada Bitner Hinckley;
25 WHEREAS, the loving influence of his parents sustained Gordon throughout his life
26 and played a key role in developing his personal character;
27 WHEREAS, at age 2, Gordon contracted whooping cough and, taking the advice of

28 physicians to get Gordon out of the city into fresher air, his parents acquired five acres in East
29 Millcreek and built a small residence on the property;
30 WHEREAS, this became a summer home and farm for the Hinckleys, where Gordon
31 learned how to work;
32 WHEREAS, Gordon grew up in a home where study and deep, thoughtful pondering
33 were highly prized;
34 WHEREAS, Gordon frequently lost himself in his father's library studying the great
35 literature of the world, and was fascinated with words and how to use them;
36 WHEREAS, Gordon graduated from LDS High School in 1928, and from the
37 University of Utah in 1932;
38 WHEREAS, Gordon's family weathered the Great Depression with determination and
39 tremendous generosity toward those less fortunate;
40 WHEREAS, in 1933, Gordon began his service as a missionary for the Church of Jesus
41 Christ of Latter-day Saints in England;
42 WHEREAS, Gordon's faith, character, work ethic, and determination were solidified as
43 he overcame feelings of inadequacy and self doubt and served an outstanding mission;
44 WHEREAS, shortly after Gordon's return from missionary service, David O. McKay, a
45 member of the church's First Presidency, organized the Radio, Publicity, and Mission
46 Literature Committee and designated Gordon as the committee's secretary;
47 WHEREAS, Gordon's work responsibilities gradually intensified in scope and became
48 the forerunner to the church's Public Communications Department;
49 WHEREAS, on April 29, 1937, Gordon married Marjorie Pay, a neighbor he had grown
50 to adore, in the church's Salt Lake Temple, and together they raised five children;
51 WHEREAS, the children remember him as a father who did not teach by lecture, but by
52 example;
53 WHEREAS, Gordon's example taught the children many skills that prepared them for
54 success in life, including to "just say your prayers and go to work," and to never care who gets
55 credit for a project or a job;
56 WHEREAS, in 1956 Gordon was named the President of East Mill Creek Stake, was
57 called to be an assistant to the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles just two years later,
58 and in 1961 was called as an apostle in that quorum;

59 WHEREAS, Gordon's depth of service was marked by his intense desire to see church
60 members throughout the world, to understand their conditions, and to do what he could to
61 improve their lives and the resources the church provided to them;
62 WHEREAS, through decades of faithful service, Gordon became a master
63 communicator and utilized the media tools at his disposal to bring clear and simple
64 understanding of the church to many people throughout the world;
65 WHEREAS, in 1981, Elder Hinckley was appointed a counselor in the church's First
66 Presidency where he was an anchoring, strengthening influence;
67 WHEREAS, during his years of service as a counselor in the First Presidency, members
68 of the church increasingly marveled at President Hinckley's skills in communicating with
69 power and humility the future breadth of the church and its potential for good;
70 WHEREAS, President Hinckley served as a counselor to three church presidents, and
71 was named President and Prophet of the Church in 1995;
72 WHEREAS, later that same year, President Hinckley presented a landmark statement,
73 "A Proclamation on the Family," which reaffirmed the time-tested importance of the family as
74 the unit of society that brings the best chance for happiness to each individual and to the world;
75 WHEREAS, in 1996, President Hinckley brought incomparably positive national
76 attention to the church when he agreed to be interviewed by reporter Mike Wallace on the CBS
77 program, "60 Minutes";
78 WHEREAS, later President Hinckley appeared several times on the Larry King Live
79 cable television program, where he spoke positively of people of other faiths and lifestyles, and
80 of the limitless worth of the individual;
81 WHEREAS, in 2001 President Hinckley announced the creation of the Perpetual
82 Education Fund, a loan program to help young members of the church in Third World
83 countries to obtain education and training to enter the workforce;
84 WHEREAS, among many honors bestowed upon him, President Hinckley was awarded
85 the Presidential Medal of Honor, the highest award a civilian can receive, in 2004;
86 WHEREAS, that same year President Hinckley's dear wife passed away, and he
87 occasionally spoke publicly of how much he missed her;
88 WHEREAS, President Hinckley sought to build bridges and dispel misunderstandings,
89 frequently reassuring members of other faiths that "we never speak negatively of other

90 churches. We say to people, you bring all the good that you have and let us see if we can add
91 to it";
92 WHEREAS, President Hinckley urged members to befriend those of other faiths, to
93 "mingle with them in the promulgation of good causes";
94 WHEREAS, during President Hinckley's service, he directed an unprecedented
95 explosion in the number of temples throughout the world, including the historic Nauvoo
96 Temple, so that church members would not have to travel so far and spend so much money to
97 get to a temple;
98 WHEREAS, President Hinckley presided over major strides in the church's missionary
99 and welfare services programs, in priesthood and church government, and brought great
100 improvements to services for church members serving in the military;
101 WHEREAS, during President Hinckley's presidency, the church grew from 9 million to
102 13 million members;
103 WHEREAS, President Hinckley's refreshing, sometimes unexpected wit lifted people's
104 spirits;
105 WHEREAS, President Hinckley gained from his father the skill to convey the wide
106 canvass of an idea, to help listeners see their role in bringing about grand endeavors, and to
107 inspire them with a glimpse of their limitless potential;
108 WHEREAS, President Hinckley's many other talents ranged from being enthusiastic,
109 optimistic, and sharply intelligent to deeply faithful, prayerful, and humble to the core;
110 WHEREAS, in this brief reflection on President Hinckley's life, something of the true
111 nature of the man has inevitably been lost; and
112 WHEREAS, it is hoped that this recognition will bring some measure of comfort to
113 those who grieve most at his passing:
114 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
115 Governor concurring therein, honor the life and contributions of Gordon B. Hinckley, President
116 of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a respected world religious leader, a prophet
117 to millions, a beloved father, and a most devoted husband.
118 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the family of
119 Gordon B. Hinckley.

Legislative Review Note
as of 1-30-08 12:36 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel