“Called to Serve,” New Era, Jan. 1986, 9
Called to Serve
First Presidency
Serving with President Benson in the First Presidency will be Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor, and Thomas S. Monson, second counselor.
President Hinckley had been a counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball since July 23, 1981. Prior to that, he served 20 years as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and 3 1/2 years as an Assistant to the Twelve.
Born June 23, 1910, in Salt Lake City, he is the son of Bryant S. and Ada Bitner Hinckley. He graduated from the University of Utah, then served a mission in the British Isles.
When he returned from his mission, he served as secretary to the Church Radio, Publicity, and Mission Literature Committee, which evolved into today’s Public Communications Department. He has also been a stake president, a Sunday School General Board member, and executive secretary of the Missionary Committee. He became a General Authority in 1958 and has since traveled throughout the world. He has dedicated more temples than any other leader in the history of the Church in this dispensation.
President Hinckley is known for his writing and speaking skills and his background in the communications industry. He and his wife, Marjorie Pay, are parents of five children and have 23 grandchildren.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Ezra Taft Benson, President Thomas S. Monson (Photo by Eldon K. Linschoten.)
President Monson was serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve at the time of his call. He was called to the Twelve on October 4, 1963, and was serving as vice-chairman of the Priesthood Executive Committee and chairman of the Scripture Publication Committee.
The son of G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson, he was born in Salt Lake City on August 21, 1927. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he graduated from the University of Utah. He later earned a master’s degree at Brigham Young University.
He has served as a ward clerk, a bishop’s counselor, a bishop, counselor to a stake president, and president of the Canadian Mission.
He is a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America and a recipient of the Silver Buffalo Award. At the time he became a General Authority, he was general manager of the Deseret Press (now the Salt Lake Printing Center). He later became president and chairman of the board of the Deseret News Publishing Company and vice-president of Newspaper Agency Corporation.
He and his wife, Frances Beverly Johnson, are the parents of three children, and they have five grandchildren.
Quorum of the Twelve
Marion G. Romney has been named president of the Quorum of the Twelve. He was called as second counselor to President Harold B. Lee, on July 7, 1972, then served as second counselor to President Harold B. Lee, then as second counselor and later as first counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball.
President Romney, 88, was called as an Assistant to the Twelve on April 6, 1941. He became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in October 1951. He is a noted scriptorian and has been a guiding influence in the Welfare Services program of the Church.
President Marion G. Romney
Because of President Romney’s poor health, Howard W. Hunter, 78, has been named Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve. He has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve since October 10, 1959. He has been associated with the Church’s genealogy, temple, correlation and welfare activities.
President Howard W. Hunter