march november american business civic religious leader twelfth president grandson early day saint born salt_lake_city utah territory spent early life arizona father farmed served area stake president served mission worked banks arizona clerk bank later founded business selling bonds insurance great depression highly successful served stake president hometown called serve member like traveled extensively fulfill wide variety administrative ecclesiastical duties early time directed church president spend extra time religious humanitarian work native americans life late following sudden death church president twelfth president position held death presidency noted announcement ending restriction church members black african descent ordained receiving temple presidency saw large growth terms membership number temples large increase number time missionaries church president publicly state church expected able bodied male members serve missions young adulthood ancestry paternal grandfather original day saint called organized february later served counselor church presidency death maternal grandfather prominent bishop salt_lake_city years aunt nephew early life born march salt_lake_city utah territory olive sister pioneer eventual years old father called president joseph arizona stake family relocated town southeastern arizona childhood experienced number medical problems including fever facial likely bell nearly drowned sisters died childhood mother died short stature stood adult avid basketball player star leading scorer school recreational teams summer holidays worked dairy globe arizona cows cleaning stalls washing bottles month plus room board graduated high school week later called serve missionary swiss german mission months later mission halted assassination subsequent outbreak world war reassigned spent mission towns rural settlements missouri finishing marriage early career hoping spent semester spring received army draft notice later year time courted modern attended high school began dating august exchanged letters regularly left semester month month notified army imminent leave university return hometown returned home arizona notices army group actually called duty world war ended signing armistice november relationship deepened quickly late october decided marry employment commitments lack money couple afford travel nearest temple utah married civil ceremony home arizona november seven months later couple day journey train salt_lake_city sealed june eventually children olive bobby began employment branch eventually promoted assistant month high salary time bank failed aftermath depression investments bank stock forcing lower paying job bank addition regular employment performed variety local jobs earn extra income wife children including playing piano singing local events local newspapers distributing company clerical work local stores shortly marriage father called serve clerk 1920s local stake performed extensive record keeping reporting duties centrally headquarters salt_lake_city consequently position stake clerk essentially time job called position received month salary father died having served president years president came stake year old called 2nd counselor stake presidency career stake presidency day saint businessman served bishop local began small business making purchasing loans local businesses individuals business independent investing money business began running time arizona dealing local insurance real estate debt collection bonds business suffered greatly great depression lost capital continued work investment profits survived great depression increasingly successful late 1930s early 1940s initial investment agency worth nearly actively involved civic organizations including parent teacher association city council red_cross elected leader achieved record success organizing new chapters arizona membership voted pay wife travel club international convention nice france went train chicago montreal oldest son serving missionary week long passage ocean liner visited paris genoa rome florence venice vienna swiss alps belgium netherlands london february sent divide growing newly created covered eastern half old stake called stake president smaller previous stake newly formed stake covered large area extended east far texas visit ward congregation stake required travelling total miles mount stake conference september unusually heavy rains caused overflow banks flooding towns stake causing damage farms buildings day saints area stake president coordinated humanitarian response quickly mobilized funds materials manpower care displaced residents begin recovery following japanese attack pearl harbor december subsequent entry united_states world war number young men stake left join military point men stake served war ensured received copy monthly stake bulletin wrote personal notes copy recipient widely known respected community constantly stopped streets acquaintances friends asking advice called serve stake president non residents travelers asked perform marriages demanding schedule managing serving civic organizations serving leadership positions making time wife children took mental physical tolls body journals 1930s early 1940s mention exhaustion days spent working hours tension till single minute day know working hard place stop called deaths created july having lunch home received telephone counselor church president called fill initially shocked asked clark permission days coming salt_lake_city meet person previously scheduled family trip phone desire accept calling overwhelmed feelings self doubt incompetence recounted prone tears afterward lay floor home tried comfort following week wife went planned boulder colorado visit oldest son family unable sleep having begun fast midnight began climbing nearby mountain seek intense emotional struggle feelings doubt later wrote experience prayed suffered struggled falling asleep mountain shortly sunrise recorded dreaming grandfather life found brought peace worries later wrote tears dry soul peace calm feeling assurance came doubt subdued felt nearer lord time life traveled salt_lake_city met second counselor grant assured formally accepted news released immediately sustained membership october general conference ordained grant added october grant chosen fill vacancy ordained day years older ordained ahead ministry accordance church requirements tradition immediately began transition arizona salt_lake_city sold share sold home property arizona particularly leave local chapter professional associations worked worried leaving elderly parents arizona relocating second son andrew elected senior class president world war years dominated world war encouraged american church members purchase war bonds support war effort able cash war use accumulated interest send returned soldiers missions lamented global destruction world war writing journal outraged lord feel children fighting like wild speaker service publicly criticized members allied nations concentrating nations time remaining individually sin world war neared conclusion leaders constantly responded needs friends families war casualties eldest son nearly killed serving aboard aircraft carrier bombs dropped japanese damaged ship ignited tanks aviation fuel attempt comfort families killed combat drafted known letter wrote sin premature death true tragedy life compared death young servicemen early death jesus christ stating death heartbreaking eternal perspective god knowing purposes seen circumstances native americans shortly church president instructed want look indians neglected charge watch indians world saw assignment prophecy given blessing received year old stated preach gospel people especially term describes people book day saints believe ancestors modern native americans october general authorities toured nation effort improve relations people dismayed poverty distrust government time average person ate day single served entire population government appointed nation covered acres km2 percent area encouraged local leaders care people breakthrough leader utah heard year old girl working sugar farm desperate stay utah attend school wrote idea children families live local families receive proper nutrition receive supported idea asked family willing girl foster daughter begin program family agreed began program students nearly students placed families western united_states canada particularly distressed racism native americans widespread white church members 1940s 1950s april general conference openly denounced prevalent non whites comparing church members jesus christ priest good subsequently repeated warning campus stating white students faculty pull robes pass disdain individual counseling touring missions presiding weekend stake conferences spent answering correspondence home working office headquarters salt_lake_city noted willingness meet church members struggling personal problems particularly married couples considering divorce individuals wishing confess violations law prohibits sexual relations outside marriage time met thousands church members time missionaries reasons felt local church leaders help patience sin infinite patience spent long hours individuals greatest distress fellow assigned counsel church members dealing homosexuality believed like problems overcome consistent exercise self restraint experiences writing miracle forgiveness published dealt frankly nature church standards sexual morality church members avoidance problems health challenges beginning began suffering infectious plagued advent drugs world war holding church meetings communities arizona suffered severe chest pain heart attack spending afternoon struggling lift automobile deep sand physically sluggish rest trip returning salt_lake_city undergoing physician prescribed month rest church duties years old considered generally healthy fit persuaded physician tell presidency assignment idaho experienced chest pains escalated heart attack days return early episodes passed time discussing wishes family finances investments event survive receiving blessing church president spent months bed rest followed weeks resting physician urging spent additional weeks wife near california visited california believed heart weakened case fever childhood instructed avoid gaining unnecessary weight chest pains occasionally years particularly times greatest stress fatigue early smoked tobacco began experiencing persistent physical examination underwent white spot throat caused brief voice indicated throat infection cancer late returned coupled occasional bleeding throat physician sent new_york_city meet expert head neck martin performed indicated borderline early martin recommended immediate surgery neglected seek approval church president procedure 1950s cause permanent vocal damage felt sought approval undergoing surgical procedures render incapable fulfilling duties stated believed serve underwent complete advised forward procedure martin subsequently removed vocal half leaving barely able speak weeks enforced silence slowly recovered november allowed physician resume speaking public voice remained rest life usually wore ear mounted microphone help voice speaking normal microphone equipped age began experiencing difficulty breathing excessive fatigue medical examinations discovered disease time experienced earlier throat cancer heart surgery postponed undergo radiation therapy throat successful immediately following conclusion april general conference received blessing entire presidency april underwent hour open heart surgery performed surgeon future surgery successful spent months recovering church presidency given history health problems people including anticipated living long president december years younger historically better health unexpectedly died leaving senior new church president ordained church president december day lee funeral choosing second recalled shortly afterward discovering sitting church president office quietly saying little man big responsibility missionary work prior church general conference april delivered landmark address general authorities vision missionary work growing globally 21st century address envisioned moving sending american missionaries nations nations able missionaries countries extras send india china soviet_union large nations unable challenged attendees stride phrase later define presidency attendance recorded address wrote speaking hair began stand end realized president opening spiritual windows come gaze plans earliest church president clearly state able bodied young men serve time mission president time missionaries years church built dedicated missionary training center utah mile north new missionaries receiving training scripture teaching methods necessary new language revelation beginning late 1840s individuals black african descent prohibited normally held male members meet church standards spiritual receiving temple marriage sealing origins policy unclear 20th century church members leaders believed policy originated founding prophet time church research 1960s 1970s found evidence prohibition presidency presidents known privately stated restriction temporary lifted future date divine revelation church president years prior presidency kept notes related issue years presidency recorded frequently making issue investigation prayer june asked general authorities submit basis prohibition change affect church wrote long treatise concluding change obtained personal key entering evenings temple closed spent hours upper rooms praying divine guidance possible change presented statement written removing racial restrictions stating good warm feeling june following monthly meeting general authorities asked members present remain special meeting began describing studies thoughts prayers removing restriction growing assurance time come change asked men present share views spoke favor changing policy present shared views led gathered prayer circle seek final divine approval change prayed group recorded feeling powerful spiritual confirmation later said words describe sensation simultaneously members presidency holy ghost descend knew god manifested remarkable spiritual experiences magnitude described felt like rushing wind feeling came group president got visibly relieved later said felt opened heavenly throne kneeling pleading prophet god joined church formally announced change june story led national news broadcasts page american newspapers largely day saint communities utah idaho telephone networks completely jammed excited announcement formally approved church october general conference included edition official declaration equal rights amendment passed equal rights amendment era introduced amendment constitution equal rights denied federal government state basis gender church president late initially indicated media outlets official stand amendment comment july general president women organization oldest largest women organizations world gave public talk new_york_city expressed view amendment objectives better achieved legislation constitutional amendment feared broad vague successor echoed sentiments later year talk church followed supporting editorial women comments combined editorial greatly increased opposition era utah populace voted ratification february defeated wide margin presidency release formal statement era october amendment states away passing statement indicated presidency recognized legal women suffered history warned amendment help women bring far restraints repression august presidency issued second statement stated era simple language constitutes encouragement seek society increase practice homosexual lesbian activities contemporary media coverage church opposition era frequently negative october general conference marched outside salt lake presented congregation customary sustaining church officers women stood shouted era policy dedication church new temple seattle washington november dozen protesters demonstrated minor protests continued united_states major church events june ratification period expired amendment reaching threshold needed ratification physical decline death march birthday said believe eighty years old don feel eighty don think terms suffered minor health issues ranging blurred vision spine july suffered series minor strokes caused small fibers shed artificial heart valve briefly little lasting effect september suddenly experienced loss strength entire body affecting mental clarity cat scan indicated developed cause quickly small hole skull right ear nearly cup blood fluid drained left hospital days operation insisted participating october general conference november underwent similar operation severe summer health began decline rapidly began suffering bouts confusion difficulty speaking realizing deteriorating capacity poor health church presidency called additional counselor assist church daily administration shortly following selection developed greater seriousness previous subsequent surgery left intermittent difficulty speaking activity damaged vision hearing rarely appear public leadership church president largely limited giving final approval denial important church matters brought sunday afternoon session church april general conference unexpectedly took pulpit deliver short closing message proved final public address beloved brothers sisters great experience waited day hoped believed great love people church gratitude love expressed people valleys express love memory great experiences bear testimony work divine lord helm church true god brothers sisters pray lord jesus christ subsequent years occasionally attend meetings able direction matters significance calling mentally alert birthday march attended week meeting presidency november suffered previous bleeding family decided surgical action died shortly november age final repeated times days death life end happy happy asked meant indicated meant mother olive died years old teachings course study classes works miracle forgiveness inc isbn faith miracle based book company isbn silent night president book company proclaiming gospel president missionary work inc teachings inc isbn teachings presidents church
Spencer W. Kimball