Salt Lake's Late & Greats

At the end of January this year, the beloved, long-time prophet & president of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka, the Mormons or LDS) passed away from causes incident to old age. As a life-long member of the LDS church, President Hinckley was something of a mainstay in my life: he has been one of the 12 apostles since before I was born, and a member of the First Presidency since I was 5. On top of that, he was the actual president since 1995. I learned to love his frank, but optimistic expressions of love and counsel from the pulpit and appreciate his consistent approval that people are making good choices and the work "is moving forward". He seemed to me to be a fair, empathetic, but lovingly firm man. He condemned abuse and selfishness, and promoted the family. Under his leadership, our church's program of temple building greatly expanded, a new HUGE conference center was built, and a Proclamation on the Family was issued. He recieved inspiration to start the Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) a sort of micro-loan program that was based on the old Perpetual Emigration Fund during the Utah pioneer days. Finally, he celebrated some sweet moments as he supervised the rebuilding and dedication of the Nauvoo Temple in Nauvoo, Illinois. This temple was one of the first built under Joseph Smith's leadership (and later destroyed by mobs, fire, and tornados) and we were lucky enough to tour through the open house before it was blessed and dedicated. (It's interior is decorated in a colonial/federal style with strong, deep colors and woodgrains--just beautiful!)
President Hinckley weathered the loss of counselors and friends and the "sweetheart of his youth", his beloved wife, Marjorie Pay Hinckley in2004. I think it was at that time that I started praying for him to finish whatever it was he needed to do and pass on to be reunited with his wife and other loved ones. I cannot imagine life without your spouse after so many DECADES of marriage. So when word came through a phone call from my sis that he had died on Jan 27, 2008, there was a mixture of relief mixed with the sorrow and shock of his sudden passing. My father-in-law, who works in SLC w/PEF, said they had a meeting with him on Thurs morning and he was a hale and hearty as ever, waving that cane around, and then on Sunday he had passed. Such is mortality.
And such is my ramblings--to read a far sweeter and more personal eulogy, see our current prophet and president of the church, Thomas Monson's talk at his funeral. Anyway, the point of all this was that we had the opportunity to visit the Salt Lake City Cemetary in August when in the area. I wanted to see his grave and pay my last respects, as it were. Even so many months later, it's obvious that we weren't the only ones. There were flowers, silk and real, notes, cards, and other memoribilia strewn along the perimeter of the grave.
The headstone itself was hewn from the same granite as the SL temple and the SL Conference Center. It was so peaceful and I felt the Spirit affirm that life does continue after death and that there is hope for a better world.
We also visited several other notable graves: Presidents Woodruff, Taylor, Kimball, Hunter, Joseph Fielding & Joseph F. Smith, as well as Elder Neil Maxwell & Orrin Porter Rockwell. There was so much more, but the sun was getting hot and we wanted to drop by the tiny cemetary that held Brigham Young & wives bodies and get home for lunch, so said adieu for the time being.
When we were preparing to visit the cemetary, I looked all over online to try and find a copy of the map you can pick up from the main cemetary office that lists where a lot of the notable graves are without success. So I scanned my copy for your viewing pleasure if you ever want to make a trip of it yourselves. It makes for a great family home evening lesson at the least... :)

Salt Lake City Cemetary Maps