Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was an American religious leader, author, and the 16th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, he was considered by adherents of the religion to be a prophet, seer, and revelator. Monson's early career was as a manager at the Deseret News, a Utah newspaper owned by the LDS Church. He spent most of his life engaged in various church leadership positions and public service.
Monson was ordained an LDS apostle at age 36, served in the First Presidency under three church presidents, and was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from March 12, 1995, until he became President of the Church on February 3, 2008. He succeeded Gordon B. Hinckley as church president.As the church's president, he is recognized as the most senior apostle.
Monson received four honorary doctorate degrees, as well as Scouting America's Silver Buffalo and the World Organization of the Scout Movement's Bronze Wolf—the highest awards in each organization. He was a member of the National Executive Board of Scouting America, the organization's governing body.
Monson was chairman of the Boards of Trustees/Education of the Church Educational System, and Ronald Reagan appointed him to the U.S. President's Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives. He married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple in 1948, and together they raised their three children. Frances died on May 17, 2013.
Biography
Early life Monson was born on August 21, 1927, at St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of George Spencer Monson and Gladys Condie Monson.2006 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Morning News, 2005). The second of six children, Monson grew up in a "tight-knit" family, with many of his mother's relatives living on the same street and the extended family frequently vacationing together. The family's neighborhood included several residents of Mexican descent, an environment in which Monson said he developed a love for the Mexican people and culture. Monson often spent weekends with relatives on their farms in Granger (now part of West Valley City), and as a teenager, he worked at a printing business his father managed.
From 1940 to 1944, Monson attended West High School in Salt Lake City. In the fall of 1944, he enrolled at the University of Utah. Around this time he met his future wife, Frances, whose family came from a higher social class on the east side of the city. Her father, Franz Johnson, saw an immediate connection because Monson's great uncle, Elias Monson, had baptized him into the LDS Church in Sweden.
Early career In 1945, Monson joined the United States Naval Reserve and anticipated participating in World War II in the Pacific theater. He was sent to San Diego, California, for training, but was not stationed overseas before the end of the war. His tour of duty lasted six months beyond the end of the war, then he returned to the University of Utah. Monson graduated in 1948 with a bachelor's degree cum laude in business management. Monson did not serve a mission as a youth. At age 21, on October 7, 1948, he married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple. The couple eventually had three children: Thomas Lee, Ann Frances, and Clark Spencer.
After college he rejoined the Naval Reserve with the aim of becoming an officer. Shortly after receiving his commission acceptance letter, his local bishop asked him to serve as a counselor in the bishopric. Time conflicts with bishopric meetings would have made Navy service impossible. After discussion with church apostle Harold B. Lee (his former stake president), Monson declined the commission and applied for a discharge. The Navy granted his discharge in the last group processed before the Korean War. Lee set him apart six months later as a bishop—mentioning in the blessing that he likely would not have been called if he had accepted the commission.
Monson briefly taught at the University of Utah, then began a career in publishing. His first job was with the Deseret News, where he became an advertising executive. He joined the advertising operations at the Newspaper Agency Corporation at its formation in 1952. One year later, Monson transferred to the Deseret News Press, beginning as sales manager and eventually becoming general manager. While at Deseret News Press, Monson worked to publish LeGrand Richards's A Marvelous Work And A Wonder. He also worked with Gordon B. Hinckley, the LDS Church's representative on publications, with whom he would later serve in the First Presidency. In addition to serving as a counselor to President Hinckley, President Monson also served alongside two other church presidents.
Local church leadership On May 7, 1950, Monson became an LDS bishop at age 22, serving for five years in two wards. He had previously served as ward clerk, ward Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association superintendent. At the time, Monson's Salt Lake City ward contained over 1,000 people, including 85 widows whom he visited regularly, and he continued visiting these widows after completing his service as bishop. He brought them gifts during the Christmas season, including poultry he had raised himself. Monson eventually spoke at the funerals of each of these women. Also during his time as bishop, 23 men from his ward served in the Korean War. He wrote weekly personal letters to each serviceman.Heidi S. Swinton, To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2010) p. 156 During his service as bishop of the 6th-7th Ward, sacrament meeting attendance in the ward quadrupled.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 136
On June 16, 1955, at age 27, Monson became a counselor to Percy K. Fetzer in the presidency of the Salt Lake Temple View Stake.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 162 He was replaced as bishop of the 6th-7th ward the following month. In the stake presidency, Monson oversaw the stake's Primary, Sunday School, MIA, athletics and budget, until he was moved to Holladay, Utah, in June 1957.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 167 In Holladay, Monson was assigned to a ward building committee, to coordinate ward members' volunteer service to build a meetinghouse.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 167–68
Mission president in Canada In April 1959, at age 31, Monson became president of the church's Canadian Mission (consisting of Ontario and Quebec), and served until January 1962. Monson's third child, Clark, was born during his mission presidency.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 174
As there were no local stakes in Ontario or Quebec at the time, Monson was responsible for both the missionaries and all LDS Church operations in the area. When he became mission president, he oversaw 130 missionaries and 55 church branches divided into nine districts.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 182 During his tenure, the number of missionaries peaked at 180.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 176 Historically, most districts and branches in the area had been presided over by full-time missionaries, but Monson placed local members as presidents of branches and districts soon after arriving.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 190
Monson initiated French-speaking proselytizing efforts in Quebec. He directed increased missionary work to immigrants from the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Italy, Soviet Union and Hungary.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 184 Jacob de Jager, a future LDS general authority, was among the immigrant converts. Monson encouraged members to remain in eastern Canada, instead of migrating to Utah or Alberta as many members had done before, to help build the church's presence.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 177 To help encourage members to stay in Canada, increase the perception of permanence, and better reach potential converts, he started a major construction program for new meetinghouses. Until then, most branches had used rented halls.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 188
Efforts made during Monson's service came to fruition when a stake was organized in Toronto on August 14, 1960. However, most of the mission's area remained in districts. A more complete presence in Ontario would not come until the dedication of the Toronto Ontario Temple in 1990, which Monson attended as a member of the First Presidency.
Return to Utah Immediately after returning from Canada, Monson was called to the high council of the Valley View Stake in Holladay. Two months later he was made area supervisor over nine stake missions (Winder, Wilford, Monument Park, Monument Park West, Hillside, Highland, Parleys, Sugarhouse, and Wasatch). Eight of these stakes were in Salt Lake City or its east-side suburbs, with the Wasatch Stake based in Heber City.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 203 He also joined the church's Priesthood Genealogy Committee, and later the Priesthood Home Teaching Committee.
Monson resumed his work with the Deseret News as assistant general manager of the Deseret News Press, mainly doing non-newspaper printing. A month later he was made the general manager of the Deseret News Press. At the time, it was the largest printing plant in the United States west of the Mississippi River.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 197 Monson remained in this position until 1963, when he was called as apostle.
Apostleship Monson was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles at general conference on October 4, 1963. He was the youngest man called to the Quorum of the Twelve in 53 years, and was 17 years younger than the next youngest member, Gordon B. Hinckley.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 218 He was ordained and set apart on October 10, 1963, by Joseph Fielding Smith.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 226
From 1965 to 1968, Monson oversaw church operations in the South Pacific and Australia.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 262 During this time he organized the first LDS stake in Tonga.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 273
With his business background, he helped oversee many church operations, including KSL Newsradio and Bonneville International. He was chairman 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 church scriptures containing footnotes and guides. He also oversaw the church's Printing Advisory, Missionary Executive, and General Welfare committees. While an apostle, he continued his education and received a master of business administration degree from Brigham Young University in 1974.
Monson later oversaw church operations in Eastern Europe and helped the church gain access in the Soviet bloc. On August 29, 1982, he organized the first stake in East Germany and was instrumental in obtaining permission for the LDS Church to build a temple in Freiberg, East Germany, which was completed in 1985.
Other organizations In the mid-1950s Monson was the secretary of the Utah State Roller Club, a group of pigeon breeders.Swinton, To the Rescue, p. 168 Monson was a member of the National Executive Board of Scouting America (then called the Boy Scouts of America) starting in 1969. From 1969 to 1988 Monson was on the Mountain Bell Board of Advisors. From 1971 to 1977, he served on the Utah State Board of Higher Education and the Utah State Board of Regents. He was a member of the board of directors of Commercial Security Bank, chairing the bank's audit committee for 20 years. In 1993, when the bank was purchased by Key Bank, Monson joined the Board of Directors of Key Bank. In 1981, Ronald Reagan appointed him to the President's Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives,Swinton. To the Rescue, pp. 531–32 serving until its completion in December 1982.