It’s truly unfortunate that I find myself writing about death for two blogs in a row, but I cannot let this pass without paying my respects to a truly great and remarkable man. Gordon B. Hinckley, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints died Sunday night. Aside from being a revered and wonderful leader of such a large international religion, he was a truly humble, kind, and generous man. He was always someone that, regardless of your beliefs, you could look up to him for who he was as a person and for the profound respect he had for others.

    On a more personal note, I always felt that it was his sense of humor that really set him apart from the rest. It’s so common for church leaders of any faith to be so serious, to always treat everything with a stern upper lip. But President Hinckley had a way of reminding us that religion is supposed to be uplifting, that if anything, it should make us smile. That above all else, God wants us to be truly happy. Even with the most serious of topics, he made you think, and more often than not, he did it through laughter.

    As the leader of the Mormon church – as it’s more commonly known – he took great interest in service on a truly global scale. He put so much effort into improving the response time and effectiveness of all Latter-Day Saint humanitarian efforts. Most often, those church-organized relief efforts were among the first on the scene after the Asian tsunami, hurricane katrina, and so many other horrific and disastrous events. But President Hinckley never once considered these humanitarian efforts as public relations campaigns, and he made sure that no proselytizing would be done while offering humanitarian aid. No one ever had to sit through a sermon to receive a blanket, no one had to read a pamphlet in order to eat, and no one was treated any differently based on their race or religion. All people were accepted, loved, and cared for equally, and he never expected anything in return. He served not for any earthly praise or reward, but simply for the sake of serving. Hinckley truly understood and exemplified the ideals of true Christ-like living, of what it meant to be a great and honest person, and to sincerely strive to do good for your fellow man.

    President Hinckley led by example, and he has left an eternal legacy behind. One of kindness, openness, honesty, and love. It is truly unfortunate to see a man of such great caliber leave us. But everything that he accomplished in his long life has been a true testament to his humility, his kind and gracious heart, and his faith in God. He was a man of strength and kindness, compassion and devotion; the embodiment of what I think so many of us strive to be, no matter what we believe in. He will be truly missed, I hope not just by the Latter-Day Saint faithful, but by all who celebrate the true divinity that human beings can achieve if they dedicate their lives to their God, and in so doing change the world through their selfless service.