BOUNTIFUL -- As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prepare for President Gordon B. Hinckley's funeral, church leaders commented on the life of the beloved church president. President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor to Hinckley and a Bountiful resident, said: "President Hinckley had the gift to make people want to do better and to feel that they could.

"Last Tuesday I sat in a meeting with him as he considered and then decided matters of great importance, some about individuals and some affecting the entire church. He was pleasant, incisive and clearly inspired. For me, he raised the standard of what it is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, giving all."

Other remarks were offered by President Thomas S. Monson, who served as Hinckley's first counselor and from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

"It was my privilege to know and love President Hinckley long before either of us was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or the First Presidency," Monson said.

"Through the years I have sat next to him, have served with him and have learned from him. I am a witness to his prophetic calling.

"President Hinckley was prodigious in his work ethic and was totally dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"He was a friend to one and all and a leader who inspired spirituality. His outreach on an international scale was unprecedented. He was truly a prophet for our time. Like the Master, he devoted his life to doing good, and God was surely with him. His life was a gift to the world."

"The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles unitedly expresses its heartfelt love and admiration for President Gordon B. Hinckley and the singular life of service he lived. He was our prophet, our leader, our brother and our friend. We feel a deep, personal loss at his passing.

"President Hinckley served as an apostle for more than 46 years, the last 13 of which were as the senior apostle during his time as prophet and president of the Church. From those earliest days to these most recent ones, he unfailingly demonstrated his devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, whose witness he was at home and abroad.

"We will miss his wit and his wisdom, his leadership and his love. However, we cannot but rejoice in his reunion with his beloved Marjorie, with his parents and other family members who have gone before, and with the prophets of God, both ancient and modern, among whose eternal ranks he now stands. As the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles we echo the voice of the Master, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Ö Enter into the joy of thy Lord.' "

Hinckley's funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in the LDS Conference Center. Tickets will be needed, but the public may also pay its respects during public viewings scheduled Thursday and Friday, also at the Conference Center.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com