It isn't hard to imagine how history will remember President Gordon B. Hinckley. He was a builder, an architect, a mover and a visionary. His great push to build temples changed the face of the earth.

President Hinckley died in his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7 p.m. Sunday, with members of his family at his bedside, according to a news release.

There are many reasons church members will not soon forget President Hinckley. Not the least of those is the amazing growth of the church under his administration. And nowhere was that growth more evident than in the building of temples.

It took the Church 167 years to dedicate the first 50 temples. It took 40 months to the day to dedicate the next 50. This is a remarkable feat and will surely stand as a testament of him for others.

President Hinckley was born June 23, 1910, in Salt Lake City. He attended the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the church in Great Britain.

After his mission he was assigned to organize what has become the church's Public Affairs Department. President Hinckley married Marjorie Pay in the Salt Lake Temple in 1937. They have five children and 25 grandchildren.

President Hinckley has stressed the importance of families and helped create "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," which he read in 1995 at the General Relief Society meeting.

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued the document "The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles" in January 2000.

He has helped build and dedicate the Conference Center, traveled 250,000 miles, visited 60 countries, spoke to 2.2 million members, he's published works of spiritual and moral significance, he announced the Perpetual Education Fund and has constantly worked to aid those less fortunate through humanitarian efforts.

President Hinckley has been awarded honors by universities, the Boy Scouts of America and even given the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2004.

When receiving the medal it was said, "Gordon B. Hinckley has inspired millions and has led efforts to improve humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and education funding across the globe," according to a news release.

President Hinckley has met with influential government and spiritual leaders such as President Ronald Reagan, President George Bush and the Dalai Lama; he has brought the church into the media's eye multiple times during his years as prophet.

He's been on "Larry King Live" and "60 Minutes," he's been interviewed by the New York Times and Los Angeles Times and been profiled in many other news outlets. President Hinckley used the media to proclaim the gospel and reach hundreds of people that may not have been reached otherwise.

All these accomplishments should also be remembered by the world as a testament to the sort of man President Gordon B. Hinckley was.

As Elder Neal A. Maxwell put it, "President Hinckley is a special blend of the practical and the spiritual, possessing a keen mind furnished with fixed principles. When we rightly describe him as having good judgment, good humor, goodwill, and as being a good listener, the common adjective is good. Goodness is thus the key to so much of what makes up President Hinckley."

President Hinckley dealt with the challenges of old age and lost loved ones over the years yet never lost his sense of humor. His spirit and energy for serving the Lord never flagged but always was the best he could give.

Through many conference talks and messages he's given over his years of service, the main tenets of the Church were stressed -- the importance of the family and the role of the priesthood and motherhood in family life.

He warned members about the dangers of selfishness, pornography and pride. He urged them to read the Book of Mormon and benefit from its teachings.

When President Hinckley was called by President David O. McKay to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he showed shock and discomfort. President McKay assured him by saying, "Your grandfather was worthy of this, as was your father. And so are you."

President Hinckley came from great men and more than lived up to the expectations of his name and calling in the church.

During the LDS General Conference that succeeded the passing of his wife in 2004, President Hinckley took a few moments in the Sunday morning session to share his tender goodbye with the world.

"As I held her hand and saw mortal life drain from her fingers, I confess I was overcome," he said. "Before I married her, she had been the girl of my dreams ... she was my dear companion for more than two-thirds of a century, my equal before the Lord, really my superior. And now in my old age, she has again become the girl of my dreams."

Copyright Brigham Young University 29 Jan 2008