![]() ![]() No group was too far away or too small for his attention. While a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Hinckley traveled to some of the most remote areas of the world, including war zones, to minister to individuals. “… We speak in terms of numbers, but all of our efforts must be dedicated to the development of the individual.” 9 He then shifted to emphasize this essential principle: “Our interest and concern must always be with the individual. … “We are becoming a great global society,” he said. Hinckley spoke extensively about the Church’s growth. In his first general conference address as President of the Church, Gordon B. During stake conference the next day, he quipped, “I slept on a great many occasions in classrooms before-but never in a bed.” 8 “Our Concern Must Always Be with the Individual” That night, a classroom served as President Hinckley’s bedroom. One time he stayed with a stake president whose family lived in an old schoolhouse that they had converted into a home. President Hinckley’s optimism also influenced his sense of humor-an upbeat, congenial wit that built affinity with others. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen.” 7 You can’t, you don’t, build out of pessimism or cynicism. On that foundation this church has grown into a great worldwide organization affecting for good the lives of people in more than 140 nations. But what did they do? Did they lie down and die? No! They went to work! They moved halfway across this continent and turned the soil of a desert and made it blossom as the rose. ![]() Look at what they built here in seven years and then left. “We have every reason to be optimistic. … Look at Nauvoo. I have a simple and solemn faith that right will triumph and that truth will prevail.” 6ĭuring an interview with a New York Times reporter in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA, President Hinckley acknowledged the prevalence of tragedies and problems, and then he drew on his love of Church history to teach about optimism: ![]() I have seen the appalling poverty that hovers over many lands. … I have watched with alarm the crumbling morals of our society. He explained: “I have seen a good deal of this earth. … I have been in areas where war rages and hate smolders in the hearts of people. In his optimism, President Hinckley did not minimize problems. And he stood by his conviction that “things will work out” even when he experienced setbacks and disappointments, heartache and loneliness. President Hinckley’s optimism sustained him through trials, feelings of inadequacy, and overwhelming pressures. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. “If you do your best, it will all work out. “I say that to myself every morning,” President Hinckley told a congregation. This message wasn’t only for others, however. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “may well be President Hinckley’s most repeated assurance to family, friends, and associates. One manifestation of President Hinckley’s optimism was his firm belief that “things will work out.” 3 That phrase, said Elder Jeffrey R. The ultimate source of his optimism-the source that made it a power-was his faith in God and his testimony of God’s plan for the happiness and salvation of His children. “My plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.” 2 His optimism went much deeper than having a positive outlook, although he cultivated that. “I am an optimist!” President Hinckley often declared. And he looked far into the future, seeing what the trees would become-just as he saw the eternal potential of each person and the grand future of God’s work. He nurtured each tree, just as he did each person. When he planted, it was an expression of optimism, a characteristic that also infused his teachings and his interactions with others. In many ways, his love for planting was reflected in his ministry as an Apostle and as President of the Church. President Hinckley continued planting trees into his 90s. It carries on the remarkable process of photosynthesis. … A tree is one of the remarkable creations of the Almighty.” 1 It affords shade from the hot summer sun. It starts ever so small and grows through the seasons. “I think I have done so for at least the last 50 years. … There is something wonderful about a tree. Hinckley recorded in his journal at age 82. “I have to plant some trees each spring,” President Gordon B. ![]()
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