Thomas S. Monson
Born: 21 August 1927
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 4 October 1963
Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency: 10 November 1985 (Ezra Taft Benson)
Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency: 5 June 1994 (Howard W. Hunter)
Called as First Counselor in the First Presidency: 12 March 1995 (Gordon B. Hinckley)
Became President of the Twelve: 12 March 1995
Sustained as President of the Church: 3 February 2008
Died: 2 January 2018
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 4 October 1963
Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency: 10 November 1985 (Ezra Taft Benson)
Called as Second Counselor in the First Presidency: 5 June 1994 (Howard W. Hunter)
Called as First Counselor in the First Presidency: 12 March 1995 (Gordon B. Hinckley)
Became President of the Twelve: 12 March 1995
Sustained as President of the Church: 3 February 2008
Died: 2 January 2018
Biographical Articles
Relief Society Magazine, December 1963, Elder Thomas Spencer Monson Appointed to Council of the Twelve
Ensign, February 1986, President Thomas S. Monson: Man of Action, Man of Faith, Always "on the Lord's Errand"
Ensign, September 1994, President Thomas S. Monson: Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith
Ensign, March 1995, President Monson Honored for Service
Ensign, July 1995, President Thomas S. Monson
Ensign, July 1998, President Monson Honors George Romney, Receives Award
Ensign, August 2012, Thomas S. Monson: Answering the Call of Duty
Ensign, January 2013, President Thomas S. Monson Visits Germany
Ensign, In Memoriam: February 2018, President Thomas S. Monson: Prophet and Friend
Ensign, February 1986, President Thomas S. Monson: Man of Action, Man of Faith, Always "on the Lord's Errand"
Ensign, September 1994, President Thomas S. Monson: Finishing the Course, Keeping the Faith
Ensign, March 1995, President Monson Honored for Service
Ensign, July 1995, President Thomas S. Monson
Ensign, July 1998, President Monson Honors George Romney, Receives Award
Ensign, August 2012, Thomas S. Monson: Answering the Call of Duty
Ensign, January 2013, President Thomas S. Monson Visits Germany
Ensign, In Memoriam: February 2018, President Thomas S. Monson: Prophet and Friend
"Elder Thomas Spencer Monson Appointed to Council of the Twelve." Relief Society Magazine. December 1963. pg. 890-892.
Elder Thomas Spencer Monson Elder Thomas Spencer Monson was appointed and sustained a member of the Council of the Twelve at the Friday morning session of the Semi-Annual Conference of the Church. October 4, 1963. This high position of responsibility and leadership has come to one of the youngest men to be so called in many years. Elder Monson is thirty-six years old. He is a humble man of much experience in Church work and in business and civic affairs. He radiates spirituality, humility, kindness, and a deep and pervading solicitude for all the Heavenly Father's children upon the earth. Elder Monson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, a son of G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson. He is a graduate of West High School, and received his B.S. Degree in business at the University of Utah, and is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, honorary business fraternity. He began his career at the Deseret News Press at an early age, and has held many positions of responsibility, including manager of the classified advertising department, sales manager of the Deseret News Press, assistant classified advertising manager of the Newspaper Agency Corporation, and was manager of the Deseret News Press at the time of his call to the apostleship. A former member of the Utah Association of Sales Executives and the Salt Lake Advertising Club, he is a past president of the Printing Industry of Utah. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Printing Industry of America. Since boyhood Elder Monson has been active in the Church, and his service in all of these callings has been marked by inspiration, devotion, and a strong and steadfast testimony of the gospel. He has been a ward clerk, counselor in a ward bishopric, and, at the age of twenty-two, he became bishop of the Sixth-Seventh Ward of Temple View Stake. After five years in this calling, he was appointed second counselor in the Temple View Stake presidency. In March 1959 he was called to preside over the Canadian Mission. In this calling he was instrumental in bringing many new members into the Church and was an enthusiastic leader of missionaries and converts. His lovely wife, Frances Johnson Monson, directed the Relief Society organizations of the Canadian Mission with enthusiasm, and wisdom. The strength of her own strong testimony and understanding of the gospel greatly advanced the work of the Society. Elder and Sister Monson are the parents of three children: Thomas Lee, Ann Frances, and Clark Spencer. Upon his return from the Canadian Mission, Elder Monson became a member of the High Council of the Valley View Stake, and later was appointed an area supervisor of nine stake missions. His positions of leadership and responsibility at the time of his call to the apostleship included serving as a member of the Adult Task Committee of the Church Correlation Committee and as a member of the Priesthood Home Teaching Committee. Earlier in 1963 he served as a member of the Genealogical Conference Staff, with the duties of attending stake conferences and presenting the genealogical program of the Church. Relief Society sisters who have had the privilege of being associated with Elder Monson both in his work at the Deseret News Press, and in his Church assignments rejoice at the appointment of this helpful, kind, and spiritually minded leader. He is very approachable and inspires respect, confidence, and loyalty. The sisters who have served on the editorial and business staff of The Relief Society Magazine are grateful for the helpful counsel Elder Monson has given them through his position as an executive at the Deseret News Press. The General Board of Relief Society join with the world-wide sisterhood in expressing gratitude and joy for Elder Monson's call to the apostleship. At the time of his appointment to the apostleship. Elder Monson expressed his feelings with deep humility. "Whether in Church or business," he said, "the sweetest blessing in all life is to feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit." He said that he had felt these promptings especially while serving as a bishop and as a mission president, being led to the doors of people who needed assistance. In pledging his loyalty and support of President McKay, Elder Monson said: "My prayer is that I may always obey you and these my brethren. I will strive to be what you want me to be." |
ELDER THOMAS S. MONSON AND HIS FAMILY
Left to right: Ann, age nine; Thomas Lee, age twelve; Elder Thomas S. Monson; Sister Frances J. Monson. Front, center: Clark Spencer, age four. |