born august american religious leader author sixteenth current president president considered adherents religion prophet printer trade spent life engaged church leadership positions public service ordained age served presidency church presidents president march president succeeded church president received honorary doctorate degrees awards highest given organization member organization governing body chairman appointed ronald_reagan president married parents children died biography born august salt_lake_city utah second children grew tight family mother relatives living street extended family frequently going trips family neighborhood included residents mexican descent environment says developed love mexican people culture spent weekends relatives farms teenager took job printing business father managed attended salt_lake_city fall enrolled time met future wife family came higher social class east city father felt immediate connection great uncle baptized sweden joined anticipated participating world war pacific theater sent san_diego california training moved overseas end war tour duty lasted months end war completed returned graduated cum bachelor degree business management serve time mission youth age october married couple eventually children wife died college rejoined naval reserve aim officer shortly receiving commission acceptance letter ward bishop asked serve counselor time conflicts meetings serving navy impossible discussing matter church stake president declined commission applied discharge navy granted discharge group processed korean war lee set apart months later bishop mentioning blessing likely called accepted commission taught time began career publishing job news advertising executive joined advertising operations formed later transferred beginning sales manager eventually general manager worked publish work wonder worked representative publications later served presidency young adulthood local church leadership bishop age previously served ward clerk ward superintendent counselor time salt_lake_city ward contained people including visited regularly continued visits released years service brought gifts christmas season including raised eventually spoke women time bishop men ward serving united_states military korean war wrote personal letters men weekly basis men fully involved church result communication time bishop ward meeting attendance ward june age counselor later president president replaced bishop ward following month stake presidency oversaw stake sunday school athletics budget served stake presidency june moved utah member ward building committee assignment coordinate ward members volunteer service build chapel mission president age youngest child clark born time mission president mission president missionaries serving mission number missionaries later peaking mission president presided church canadian mission supervising missionaries younger consisted ontario quebec leadership missionary work began french speaking population quebec missionary work direction immigrants places netherlands germany poland italy soviet_union hungary later general authority immigrant converts addition overseeing missionaries local stakes responsible operations church area mission president church branches divided districts direction president districts branches presided time missionaries changed local members serve presidents branches districts soon arriving mission president encouraged members remain eastern canada work build church instead migrating centers church utah alberta past assist effort increase perception church air allow better reach potential members initiated major building program replace rented halls branches met permanent structures organization stake toronto august efforts building church ontario came fruition mission area remained districts complete strengthening church ontario come dedication attended member presidency immediately returning canada called serve high council months later area supervisor stake missions included highland stakes stakes salt_lake_city east suburbs based utah member later return utah mission canada resumed work news assistant general manager printing arm press mainly non newspaper printing month later general manager time largest printing plant united_states west mississippi_river remained position called age sustained member general conference october youngest man called years years younger youngest member ordained set apart member october worked capacities world business background helped oversee operations church including chairman 1970s oversaw publication edition king james bible revised editions church scriptures containing guides overseen church printing advisory missionary executive general welfare committees continued education received master business administration degree members church responsibility overseeing church operations australia time organized stake oversaw church operations eastern_europe helped church gain access members soviet organized stake instrumental obtaining permission church build temple positions profit day saint businesses member board directors chairman board directors saint business positions served years boards businesses organizations owned served member board directors chaired bank committee years bank bought member multiple positions resigned decided general authorities leave business boards directors lone exception board saints community leadership positions mid-1950s secretary group breeders member starting served member appointed ronald_reagan presidency following death church president newly selected church president asked serve second served successor succeeded hunter counselor served death january second simultaneously served president served acting president time church president 16th president february succeeding died seven days earlier selected second respectively born fewer members church world based western united_states president million members worldwide majority membership living outside united_states canada october temples announced construction planning presidency met president bush visit salt_lake_city met president barack_obama senator oval office july presented obama volumes personal family history records notably absent meeting church leaders including obama visit utah april church spokesperson indicated absence given logistics timing meeting occurred order preserve strength church general conference upcoming weekend legacy temple president church dedicated thirteen temples temple temple dedication vancouver british_columbia temple temple temple ukraine temple kansas_city missouri temple calgary alberta temple counselor presidency dedicated seven church temples argentina temple louisville kentucky temple temple temple temple temple attended dedication church temples member presidency volunteer work continued active community civic affairs past president board member life scout explorer crew member youth served adult leadership capacities merit badge counselor member canadian scouting committee chaplain canadian member years proponent served national executive board represented delegate tokyo copenhagen served december president ronald_reagan appointed president remained initiative completed work december political involvement june presidency sent letter local congregations california urging support proposition time resources stating best efforts required preserve sacred institution marriage utah voter list listed registered republican voter awards recognition received awards related volunteer educational involvement honored distinguished alumnus honorary degree honorary doctorate laws conferred april subsequent honorary degrees include doctor humane letters june honorary doctor business honorary doctorate degree service scouting community received awards highest honor bestowed received highest honor award bestowed citation award conferred october session church general conference says assignments world leader president worked bring advancement scouting countries worked closely find ways strengthen links church national scout associations committed solid hard working volunteer scouting leadership connection centennial celebration chartered sponsor announced leadership excellence complex located west_virginia renamed awarded scouting honor medal saving life girl drowning years old chapter honored international convention worldwide humanitarian award list powerful placed listed americans admired men publications written number books compilations speeches given quotes discuss particular gospel themes wrote faith rewarded autobiographical account work leading church eastern_europe salt_lake_city utah best self salt_lake_city utah christmas gifts christmas salt_lake_city utah favorite quotations collection salt_lake_city utah live good life salt_lake_city utah search jesus salt_lake_city utah inspiring experiences build faith salt_lake_city utah personal account promises salt_lake_city utah invitation salt_lake_city utah meeting salt_lake_city utah christmas dress ellen salt_lake_city utah teachings salt_lake_city utah prophet voice messages thomas salt_lake_city utah biography rescue biography thomas salt_lake_city utah
Thomas S. Monson