Monson Named New Mormon Church President
By JENNIFER DOBNER
The Associated Press
February 4, 2008
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Thomas S. Monson, a leader who became known for
his folksy storytelling as he ascended through church ranks, was
introduced Monday as the 16th president of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.
Monson, 80, succeeds Gordon B. Hinckley, who died last month at age
97. Out of respect for the deceased president, the Mormon church never
names a successor until after funeral services. Hinckley was buried
Saturday.
The church relies on a pattern of apostolic succession in selecting a
new president. Since the early part of the 20th century, the position
has always passed to the most-senior member of its Council of Twelve
Apostles, the second-tier of church leadership. Monson was formally
chosen Sunday.
Monson said he was prepared to follow Hinckley.
"It's not difficult because he blazed the trail," Monson said at a
news conference. "I worked with him for so long -- 44 years. We knew
each other so well. I knew and testify afresh that he was the Lord's
prophet."
Monson named as his two top advisers First Counselor Henry B. Eyring,
74, and Second Counselor Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
Latter-day Saints know Monson as a compassionate storyteller whose
parables recount the stories of individuals resolving their struggles
through faith.
As a senior church leader, Monson has served as an international envoy
for the church and supervised the expansion of humanitarian programs.
He's also known for forming ecumenical partnership with other faiths.
Monson was named to the Council of Twelve Apostles in October 1963 at
the age of 36, after serving as a local church bishop and as director
of the church's Canadian missionary activities in Toronto.
He went on to serve as counselor to Hinckley and two previous
presidents in the church's highest leadership circle, the First
Presidency.
He is the youngest man to hold the presidency since Spencer W.
Kimball, who was 78 when named president in 1973. Mormon presidents
serve for life.
As president, Monson will shepherd a growing church with 13 million
members in 160 countries. Of those, about 5.7 million are in the
United States. One-third of church members live in Utah.
Monson, a Navy World War II veteran, is a graduate of the University
of Utah and holds a master's degree in business administration from
the church-owned Brigham Young University in Provo.
Professionally, he worked for the church's secular businesses,
including the Deseret Morning News and the Deseret News Press. He was
also the representative who served on the boards of other church-owned
businesses, including KSL-TV and Beneficial Life Insurance Co.
He has been married to Frances Beverly Johnson since 1948. The couple
has three children. eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
http://www.truthandgrace.com/Mormon.htm
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