I’m a bit of an e-mail junkie, but I don’t generally do a lot of forwards or participate in chain e-mails and things of that nature. However, today I got an e-mail that touched me, and I jumped right on the bandwagon.
With the recent passing of our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, many of us are taking the time to ponder his life, his messages, the impact he had on us, and the legacy he left. He is remembered for temples, for his positive media interaction, for his forward thinking. He brought about the Conference Center, which has a live garden on the roof, something which is architecturally flabbergasting. And, not long ago, he gave us all a challenge to read the Book of Mormon again.
Those who participated said they found great peace from the Book. Even though they might have read it several times previously, there was something powerful about doing it specifically at the prophet’s behest, and knowing that millions of other Saints were doing it as well.
The e-mail I received directed me to a remarkable site, “The Hinckley Challenge.” The owners of this site wanted to find a way to honor the legacy of Gordon B. Hinckley and could think of no better way to show respect for his passing than to do something they know he would love – to read the Book of Mormon. He died in his 97th year, and so the challenge is to read the entire Book of Mormon in 97 days.
If you go to the site and sign up, you will be given a widget to go on your blog that will chart your progress. If you don’t have a blog, you can still sign up and record your daily progress. It’s simple to sign up—it only took me about a minute, and I’m thrilled to be doing something meaningful to commemorate this remarkable man. It also means something to know that so many other people are joining in this endeavor as well—right now, 7,989 people have signed up, which is up from the 7,453 I saw when I was on the site before.
If you would like to join in this wonderful tribute, go check out the site. You certainly don’t have to register in order to participate—you can read along without making it official. You might also have found another way to mark the prophet’s passing in your own life. Whatever you choose, I know he feels our love for him and knows that we truly do appreciate the years of hard work he put into this church.
*note: the “Hinckley Challenge” website is free and is not being used to market any merchandise or to promote any type of service.
Related Blogs:
In Honor of President Gordon B. Hinckley