We will Miss you President Hinkley

Last night I had very mixed emotions about the passing of our dear Prophet President Hinkley. At first I felt very sad and unexpectedly surprised at the news. He was very old and I thought I would be prepared to hear of his passing, but I think that I somehow felt he was invincible because he was still so incredibly sharp. He truly was an amazing man and I feel privileged to be able to say that I met he and his wife personally on several occasions. As many of you know President Hinkley was my great uncle. I was able to see him each year at our annual family reunion but I am sad to say that we missed his last one this year because we were out in D.C.
I have had two very special experiences with him that I will always remember though...the first was when we lived out in Indiana and the Prophet and his wife came to Chicago to speak. Everyone from our ward drove the 3 hours to be there. My parents and I were invited to go to President Hinkley's hotel room that morning to eat breakfast with the family. This was the first time I actually got to speak with the prophet. I remember giving Sis. Hinkley a hug and feeling like if I squeezed too tight I might crush her. They were so sweet. They mostly spoke to my parents but he did ask me how I liked living in Indiana. I think he felt partly responsible for my parents decision to move us across the country. When my parents first got the offer to move to Indiana they counseled with him about their decision and the prophet enthusiastically said "Go, we need good members in Indiana!" He could always make you laugh with his boldness. My second memory was at the last family reunion that I attended. My mother prepared a program about President Hinkley's father Bryant S. Hinkley and I was asked to sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in the program. I have sung for audiences many times but I remember seeing him walk in and being more nervous than ever. When it was time for me to sing I walk up on the stage, he was sitting in the front row, I looked down at him and he gave me a warm, comforting smile that put me right at ease. It was a very special moment in my life to be able to sing for the Prophet, I will never forget it.
I am so sad that he is gone and I will miss him terribly, but I am so happy that he is in a better place. He once said speaking of Sister Hinkley after her death that before he met her she was the woman of his dreams and that now after she had passed that she was again the woman of his dreams. I am so happy and comforted to know that he doesn't have to just dream of her any longer and that they are now reunited together in heaven.
We will be attending the viewing and the funeral service as a family, I am sure it will be beautiful and I post our experience after the services. Now our cute aunt Ramona is the only living member of the prophets family. We love her and she is in our prayers as well as the rest of the immediate Hinkley family.