Although there is little doubt in my mind that if I were to emulate President Hinckley’s life, I’d be doing much better on my “personal righteousness scale,” I think it’s a little… elementary to rank righteousness.

Do we expect that when we’re judged, we’ll all be lined up in order of most righteous to least righteous, and then divided into thirds to go to our separate kingdoms? Of course not. I got my problems, Hinckley’s got his, and I gotta work mine out, and he’s gotta work his out. Our mortal probation is not graded on a curve.
Joe | Email | Homepage | 06.09.05 - 8:41 am | #

Joe, I completely agree with you. Now that I read over this again it kinda sounds like I’m trying bring President Hinckley down to our level, which I’m not. I’m actually trying to suggest that there are a lot of people that I’d say are at his level (or above it). I think there are so many people that are so much like Christ that we can emulate them as well as the Prophet.
Rusty | Email | Homepage | 06.09.05 - 8:50 am | #

Rusty,

I agree with you completely. One thing I find is it is easier for me to emulate someone I know personally and admire, than it is Pres. Hinckley. Sure he’s a great example, but when the rubber meets the road I find it much easier to emulate my present Bishop’s humility. I see it first hand, I can relate to it, I know how I feel when I’m around him.

Second comment. It really doesn’t matter how Christlike I am compared to anyone else. The only thing that matters is whether I’m becoming more Christlike or not. It doesn’t matter where on the road to becoming Christlike I am now, only that I’m facing the right direction and progressing.

And by the way, I’ve got 1,000 years without Satan to mess with me to perfect myself and become Christlike!
Don | Email | Homepage | 06.09.05 - 1:33 pm | #

Don,
The way you keep talking about the millenium I wonder if you’re just trying to shoot barely high enough to stick around for it!>8p
Rusty,
I wouldn’t go as far as to say ranking things is a sin, a transgression, or even necessarily prideful. However, it can easily lead to those things, especially when we do it SO much! It’s one of the many things I’ve tried to keep myself from doing. (thankfully it’s easy in a lot of things like favorite prophet, scripture, etc)
Secondly, speaking of judgement and this blog idea, what about those that whose “calling and election” is made sure? Obviously we don’t normally know who these people are but they’re out there. I’d consider them as most like Christ. (and I wouldn’t be surprised if Pres. Hinckley was on that list or wasn’t)
Bret | Email | Homepage | 06.09.05 - 7:15 pm | #

Interestingly, President Hinckley has said in an interview not too long ago (Larry King ?) that he has not seen God in person. Perhaps he is just choosing not to disclose that in public. There are, however, “regular” members of the Church that have had personal visitations from Christ.

While these “regular” members are very Christlike, what is most important is that their relationship with Christ is very personal - they relate to Christ and follow his direction just like they would another family member. They talk with God just the way they would talk with their mother or children.

I think it is their attitude and approach that puts them in a place where they barely have any desire to sin, therefore they become “Christlike”. In other words, I don’t think the reverse happens where they “become Christlike” and THEN they are able to enjoy a close relationship with the Savior.
Brent | Email | Homepage | 06.10.05 - 12:47 pm | #

“President Hinckley has said in an interview not too long ago (Larry King ?) that he has not seen God in person.” - finally a breath of honesty from the leadership.
Rhonda | Email | Homepage | 06.10.05 - 9:57 pm | #

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