Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was the 16th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Monson was set apart as the prophet, seer, and revelator and president of the church on February 4, 2008. Monson was the oldest serving apostle and served as First Counselor for Gordon B. Hinckley. A Navy veteran of World War II, Monson held a master's degree in business administration from the church-owned Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Monson served as a bishop when he was 22 years old. Later he served as president of the church's Canadian mission and at 36 was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Monson passed away in his home on January 2, 2018 at the age of 90.
Early life
Thomas was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to father G. Spencer and mother Gladys Condie Monson, the second of six siblings. He attended Salt Lake City public schools. Thomas received a Patriarchal blessing at the age of 16. At age seventeen, he joined the U.S. Navy for a four-year term. He chose the naval reserve for active duty. One-year after the armistice was signed in Europe followed by Japan's surrender, Ensign Thomas S. Monson returned home. He enrolled in classes at the University of Utah, and he graduated cum laude with a business degree in 1948.
On October 7, 1948, he married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple. They had three children, two sons and a daughter plus eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Thomas Monson has had a distinguished career in publishing and printing. He became associated with the Deseret News in 1948. Since 1969, Thomas has served as a member of the National Executive Board of Boy Scouts of America.
In December 1981, President Monson was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve on the President’s Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives.[1]
In 1998, he and Sister Monson were each given the Continuum of Caring Humanitarian Award by the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph Villa.
Church Service
According to Moromowiki,
| “ | Thomas was called as a bishop at twenty-two, as a counselor in a stake presidency at twenty-seven, a mission president at thirty-one (Canadian Mission, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, from 1959 to 1962), an apostle at thirty-six (the youngest in fifty-three years), and a counselor in the First Presidency at fifty-eight (the youngest in the 20th century). | ” |
- Bishop of the Sixth-Seventh Ward in the Temple View Stake.
- Presidency of the Temple View Stake in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Served as president of the Church’s Canadian Mission
- November 10, 1985, Elder Monson was called to be the Second Counselor in the First Presidency under President Ezra Taft Benson.
- June 5, 1994, he was called to serve as Second Counselor under President Howard W. Hunter.
- March 12, 1995, he was called to serve as First Counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley.
- Thomas Spencer Monson became the president of the church on February 4, 2008, following the death of President Gordon B Hinckley.
Publications
- 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
- 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
References
- ↑ Biography of President Thomas S. Monson LDS.org
- ↑ Thomas S. Monson Mormonwiki