Thomas S. Monson

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Thomas Spencer Monson (born August 21 1927) is the 16th and current president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a role which he assumed on February 3 2008.^[1] Since March 12, 1995, Monson had served as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles up until the death of Gordon B. Hinckley in 2008, whom Monson succeeded as president of the church.^[1] Monson was ordained an apostle at the church at October 4, 1963 when he was 36 years old.^[2]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Navy and college 3 Business and marriage 4 Church 5 Apostleship 6 First Presidency 7 President of the Church 8 Temples dedicated 9 Volunteerism 10 Awards 11 Publications 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

Early life

Thomas S. Monson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to G. Spencer Monson and Gladys Condie.^[3] The second of six children, he grew up in a tight knit family, many of his mother's relatives lived on the same street and the extended families frequently went on trips together.^[4] Among other places Monson would often spend weekends with relatives on their farms in Granger (now part of West Valley City).^[5]

Monson indicated on several trips to Mexico as an LDS Church apostle that he had a special love for Mexicans, given that he grew up in a Salt Lake neighborhood with many Mexican residents.^[6]

As a teenager, Monson worked for the printing business of which his father was the general manager.^[4]

Navy and college

From 1940-1944, Monson attended West High School in Salt Lake City. In the fall of 1944, Monson began studies at the University of Utah. It was at this time that he met Frances Johnson, whose family came from the east side of Salt Lake City and were of a much different social class than the Monsons. However, when Monson met Franz Johnson, Frances's father, Johnson quickly came to feel close to Monson because Johnson had been baptized into the LDS Church in Sweden by Monson's great uncle, Elias Monson.^[5]

In 1945, at age 17, Monson joined the United States Naval Reserve and anticipated participating in World War II in the Pacific theater.^[2] He was sent to San Diego but was not moved overseas before the end of the war. His tour of duty lasted six months beyond the end of the war and after it was completed he returned to the University of Utah. Monson graduated cum laude in 1948 with a bachelor's degree in business management.^[7]

Business and marriage

Monson taught for a time at the University of Utah, then began his career in publishing. His first job was with the Deseret News, and he became an advertising executive there and later with the Newspaper Agency Corporation. On October 7, 1948, he married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple. The couple has three children: Thomas Lee, Ann Frances, and Clark Spencer.

Monson later transferred to the Deseret News Press, one of the largest presses in the western United States, beginning as sales manager and eventually becoming general manager. He continued his education and received his master of business administration degree from Brigham Young University in 1974.^[8]

While with Deseret News Press in the 1950s, Monson worked to publish LeGrand Richards's A Marvelous Work And A Wonder. He also worked with the LDS Church's representative on publications, Gordon B. Hinckley.

Church

Monson became an LDS bishop at age 22. He had previously served as ward clerk, ward YMMIA superintendent, and as a counselor in a bishopric.^[8]

At the time, Monson's Salt Lake City ward contained over 1,000 people, including 85 widows whom he visited regularly.^[9] After the church released him as bishop five years later, he continued his visits to these widows.^[10] During the Christmas season would bring them gifts, including poultry he had raised himself.^[10] Monson eventually spoke at the funerals of each of these women.^[1] There were also many immigrants in the ward who had recently moved from Germany and had very few material possessions, making the church welfare load of the ward high.^[11]

At age 27, Monson became a counselor to a stake president in Salt Lake City, and he became a mission president at age 32. As mission president, he presided over the Canadian Mission of the LDS Church from 1959 to 1962, supervising church missionaries who were not much younger than he was. The Canadian Mission consisted of Ontario and Quebec; it was under the leadership of Monson that missionary work began among the French-speaking population of Quebec.^[12]

Upon his return to Utah after his mission to Canada, Monson resumed his work with the Deseret News until he was called to be an apostle in 1963 at age 36; he was the youngest apostle in the church since Joseph Fielding Smith became an apostle in 1910 at age 33. Prior to being called as an apostle, Monson held a few positions on church committees, including the Priesthood Home Teaching Committee.^[8]

Apostleship

As an apostle of the LDS Church, Monson has worked in many areas of the world and in many capacities. With his business background, he helped oversee many operations of the church including KSL and Bonneville International. He was chair of the Scripture Publication Committee in the 1970s that oversaw publication of the LDS Church edition of the King James Bible and revised editions of LDS Church scriptures containing footnotes and guides. He has also overseen the church's Printing Advisory, Missionary Executive and General Welfare Committees.

Monson also oversaw church operations in Eastern Europe and helped the church gain access to its members in the Soviet bloc. In 1982, he organized the first stake in East Germany and was instrumental in obtaining permission for the church to build a temple in Freiberg, East Germany, in 1985.^[13]

First Presidency

Following the death of Church President Spencer W. Kimball in 1985, Monson was chosen as second counselor in the First Presidency to new church president Ezra Taft Benson. At age 58, he was the youngest member of a First Presidency since Rudger Clawson joined the First Presidency at age 44 in 1901. Serving as the second counselor to Benson and his successor Howard W. Hunter, Monson was named first counselor to church president Gordon B. Hinckley in 1995, simultaneously becoming President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by seniority. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency until Hinckley's death on January 27, 2008.

President of the Church

Monson became the 16th president of the LDS Church on February 3, 2008, succeeding Gordon B. Hinckley, who had died seven days earlier. Monson selected Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf as his first and second counselors, respectively.^[1] When Monson was born, there were less than 650,000 members of the church in the world, with most of them being based in the western United States. When he became president, there were over 13 million members based worldwide, with the majority of the membership living outside the United States and Canada.^[14]

Temples dedicated

As President of the Church, Monson dedicated the Rexburg Idaho Temple on February 10, 2008.^[15]

As a member of the First Presidency Monson dedicated the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple in 1986. In 2000, he dedicated the Louisville Kentucky Temple, the Reno Nevada Temple, the Tampico México Temple, the Villahermosa México Temple, the Mérida México Temple and the Veracruz México Temple.^[8] Monson also attended the dedication of many other church temples while a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and while in the First Presidency.

Volunteerism

Monson has continued to be active in community and civic affairs. He is past president of the Printing Industry of Utah and a former board member of the Printing Industries of America. Since 1969, he has served on the national executive board of the Boy Scouts of America. He served on the Utah State Board of Regents. In December 1981, U.S. President Ronald Reagan appointed Monson to the President's Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives. He remained with the initiative until it completed its work in December 1982.

Awards

• University of Utah distinguished alumnus award in 1966.^[16]
• The Boy Scouts of America has awarded him the Silver Beaver (1971), and the Silver Buffalo (1978), which is the highest honor bestowed by the BSA.
• In 1993 he received the Bronze Wolf, the highest honor bestowed by the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

Publications

Monson has written several books, some of which are compilations of speeches given by him, or of inspiring quotes. Others discuss particular gospel themes.

• Be Your Best Self (September 1979) (ISBN 978-0877477877)
• Inspiring Experiences That Build Faith: From the Life and Ministry of Thomas S. Monson (ISBN 978-0-87579-901-8)
• Favorite Quotations from the Collection of Thomas S. Monson (ISBN 978-0-87747-749-5), collection of his favorite poems and quotes.
• Live the Good Life (ISBN 978-0-87579-192-0)
• Faith Rewarded: A Personal Account of Prophetic Promises to the East German Saints (ISBN 978-1-57345-186-4)
• Christmas Gifts, Christmas Blessings(ISBN 978-0-87747-976-5)
• The Search for Jesus (ISBN 978-0-87579-669-7)
• Meeting your Goliath (ISBN 978-1-57345-357-8)
• A Christmas Dress for Ellen (ISBN 978-1-59038-386-5)
• Invitation to Exaltation (ISBN 978-1-57345-358-5)
• Pathways to Perfection (ISBN 978-0-87747-511-8)

See also

• Church Educational System
• Council on the Disposition of the Tithes

References

External links

• Leader biographies: Thomas S. Monson: Official LDS Church biography
• Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Thomas S. Monson
• President Thomas S. Monson: Official LDS Church webpage
• Thomas Monson: unofficial website

Preceded by Gordon B. Hinckley	President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 3 February 2008—	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Gordon B. Hinckley	President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles March 3, 1995—February 3, 2008	Succeeded by Boyd K. Packer
Preceded by N. Eldon Tanner	Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 4, 1963—February 3, 2008	Succeeded by Boyd K. Packer

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