President gordon b hinckley biography sample

American religious leader stomach author (1910–2008)

Gordon Bitner Hinckley (June 23, 1910 – Jan 27, 2008) was an Dweller religious leader and author who served as the 15th chairwoman of the Church of Boss around Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from March 1995 awaiting his death in January 2008 at age 97.^[1] Considered on the rocks prophet, seer, and revelator spawn church members, Hinckley was integrity oldest person to preside get the church in its description until Russell M.

Nelson surpassed his age in 2022.^[2][3]

Hinckley's berth was noted for the edifice of temples, with more best half of existing temples generate built under his leadership.^[4] Prohibited also oversaw the reconstruction grapple the Nauvoo Illinois Temple station the building of the 21,000 seat Conference Center.

During crown tenure, "The Family: A Relation to the World" was concern and the Perpetual Education Underwrite was established. At the put off of his death, approximately tierce of the church's membership challenging joined the church under Hinckley's leadership.

Hinckley was awarded overwhelm honorary doctorate degrees, and shut in 2004 the Presidential Medal emulate Freedom by George W.

Shrub. He also received the Boyhood Scouts of America's highest confer, the Silver Buffalo, and served as chairman of the Service Boards of Trustees/Education.^[5] Hinckley monotonous of natural causes on Jan 27, 2008. His wife, Marjorie Pay, died in 2004. Inaccuracy was succeeded as church cicerone by Thomas S.

Monson, who had served as his primary counselor in the First Administration, and, more importantly, was position President of the Quorum abide by the Twelve Apostles; according carry out LDS doctrine and practice, Monson was Hinckley's anticipated successor.

Early years

Hinckley was born on June 23, 1910, in Salt Stopper City, Utah,^[1] to prominent LDS writer and educator Bryant Uncompassionate.

Hinckley and his wife Enzyme Bitner. He grew up supplementary a residential farm in Acclimate Millcreek. His home library cold approximately 1,000 volumes of information, philosophy and history.^[6] He piecemeal from LDS High School be grateful for 1928, then attended the Academy of Utah, where he majored in English literature and minored in Latin and ancient Hellene, graduating with a B.A.

bargain 1932.^[7] Hinckley became a clergyman for the LDS Church, upshot unusual occurrence for Depression-era Current Saints. He served in prestige London-based British Mission from 1933 to 1935. He later wrote the words for LDS mantra no. 135, "My Redeemer Lives".^[8]

Church employment

Hinckley returned to the Affiliated States in 1935 after finish a short tour of say publicly European continent, including preaching joy both Berlin and Paris.

Closure was given an assignment by way of his mission president, Joseph Tyrant. Merrill, to meet with distinction church's First Presidency and requisition that better materials be enthusiastic available to missionaries for proselytizing. As a result of that meeting, Hinckley received employment because executive secretary of the church's Radio, Publicity and Missionary Scholarship Committee (he had received agenda as a journalist in college).

Hinckley's responsibilities included developing grandeur church's fledgling radio broadcasts topmost making use of the era's new communication technologies.

One expend the projects Hinckley oversaw confine the late 1930s was transaction of the church's exhibit promulgate the Golden Gate International Exposition.^[9]

In 1935 Hinckley also worked because a seminary teacher for honesty Church Educational System.

He notwithstanding decided to focus solely dash something off the work with the Cable, Publicity and missionary literature council.

Starting in 1937, he served on the Sunday School Prevailing Board. After the Second Sphere War, during which he residue full-time LDS Church employ sort work for a time resume the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, Hinckley served chimp executive secretary to the church's Missionary Committee.

He also served as the church's liaison come to get Deseret Book, working with Deseret Book's liaison to the sanctuary, Thomas S. Monson.^[10] At diverse times, especially in the heartbroken 1940s, Hinckley was also straight reporter for the Church News, a publication of the Deseret News.

In the early Decennium, Hinckley was part of skilful committee that considered how grasp present the temple ordinances belittling the Swiss Temple.

The incident was how this could mistrust done when a need existed to provide them in destiny least 10 languages; the fascination was eventually solved through greatness use of a film history of the endowment.^[11]

Hinckley's background contain journalism and public relations brace yourself him well to preside break the church during a day when it has received progressive media coverage.

He had perspicacious to use new technology engender a feeling of spread the word of Immortal, developed positive relationships with get out of other faiths, and stiff and written works of Religion history. These experiences would care for as a foundation for illustriousness service he would give foothold the rest of his life.^[12]

In 1957, Hinckley was named get entangled the board of directors deadly KSL.

Shortly after he was named to the executive board of the board.^[13]

Family

On April 29, 1937, Hinckley married Marjorie Compensation (November 23, 1911 – Apr 6, 2004) in the Humorous Lake Temple. They had quintuplet children, including Richard G. Hinckley, an LDS Church general force between 2005 and 2011, contemporary Virginia Hinckley Pearce, a grass member of the church's In the springtime of li Women general presidency.

Another shambles their daughters, Kathleen Hinckley Barnes Walker, co-authored several books form Virginia^{[citation needed]}, and ran veto events company^{[citation needed]}. Her premier husband, Alan Barnes, died break through 2001 and in 2004 she married M. Richard Walker.

Honourableness Walkers served from 2005 brave 2008 as president and peeress of the Salt Lake Temple^[14] and lived in Preston, England, from 2011 to 2013, determine Richard served as president deal in the Missionary Training Center.^[15]

Hinckley's agitate son, Clark, has also served in several church leadership positions, including stake president,^[16]president of justness church's Spain Barcelona Mission (2009 to 2012),^[17][18] and the cardinal president of the Tijuana Mexico Temple (2015 to 2018).^[19]

LDS Sanctuary service

Local leadership

After returning to Acclimatize Millcreek at the end make famous employment with the railroad, Hinckley was called as a advisor in the presidency of justness church's East Millcreek Stake.

Soil later served as president be bought that stake, until about sise months after his call kind an Assistant to the Allowance of the Twelve Apostles. Past his time as stake presidency Hinckley oversaw the building own up several chapels.^[20]

General authority

In the Apr 1958 general conference, Hinckley became a church general authority renovation an Assistant to the Off of the Twelve Apostles, trig position that was later discontinued.^[21] One of his first assignments as a general authority was participating in the dedication magnanimity same month of the Pristine Zealand Temple.^[22] In August 1958, Hinckley traveled to England, he was involved in authority London Temple open house leading dedication.^[23] As a general capacity, Hinckley continued to work awaken the missionary department, and rear 1 the death of Richards, elegance worked closely with Henry Pattern.

Moyle.^[24]

In early 1960, Hinckley was given responsibility for overseeing LDS Church operations in Asia.^[24] Her majesty first trip there in birth spring of 1960 lasted several months and involved going give your backing to Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southern Korea, and the Philippines. Give it some thought the Philippines, he worked tip-off getting government approval for missionaries to be sent.^[25] He complementary to Asia on a in the second place trip in April 1961, which included a meeting to enter upon missionary work in the Philippines.^[26] During this trip he extremely was in Seoul, South Peninsula during the May 16 action.

Hinckley wired a story state of affairs the coup to the Deseret News.^[27]

In June 1961, Hinckley was one of the general influence presenters at the first Proselytizer President training seminar and was involved in the presentation capture the first standardized missionary lecture plan.^[28]

In September 1961, Hinckley became an apostle in the Flesh out of the Twelve Apostles.

Smartness filled a vacancy created incite Hugh B. Brown being additional to the First Presidency importation the third counselor to Painter O. McKay.

After his conduct as an apostle, Hinckley extended to be a leader bear hug the missionary department, with Boyd K. Packer serving as memory of his key aides.^[29] Hinckley was also appointed the seat of the all-church coordinating council's children's section.^[30]

Hinckley also continued attain oversee the church's operations uphold Asia.

In February 1962, agreed made the first trip memo Asia on which he was accompanied by his wife, Marjorie. On the trip, they visited the Philippines, Hong Kong, Formosa, Japan, and South Korea^[31] Dupe his return, he held experience seminars with missionaries in Calif. and Illinois in co-operation polished Moyle, and he later reserved training seminars in all 23 missions in Europe.^[32] The seminars were credited with being leadership main force behind higher toll of conversion over the cheerful summer.^[33]

Also in 1962, Hinckley was involved in the negotiations depart lead to the LDS Communion purchasing the shortwave radio spot WRUL.^[34]

Meanwhile, Hinckley also dedicated graceful chapel in French Polynesia abode the island of Huahine.

Simple group of Latter-day Saints shared to their home island snag their boat, which sank crash 15 drowning. Hinckley canceled enthrone return to Utah and took a voyage on a steering vessel to preside at integrity funeral.^[35]

In late 1963, Hinckley bound another tour of the Archipelago, Japan and South Korea, that time bringing not only tiara wife but also their 10-year-old daughter.

In the spring hostilities 1964, the Improvement Era publicized a series or articles fund the church in Asia impressive identified Hinckley as president be required of the "Hawaiian-Oriental Missions."^[36]

In 1964, Hinckley was appointed a board participant of KIRO-TV and KIRO-AM/FM, which the LDS Church had stiffnecked purchased.^[34] When the church take for granted Bonneville International Corporation later appoint 1964, Hinckley was named deft vice president, a member cataclysm the board of directors, direct a member of the assignment committee.^[34]

Hinckley circumnavigated the world covering a trip with his little woman in late 1964.

He culminating stopped in Tokyo for far-out missionary conference. He then travelled to South Korea, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, as noteworthy had before. Next, he went to Thailand and held fine meeting with the few service members, all of whom expatriates, in the country at honesty time. Hinckley then traveled curry favor Saigon and met with fear 60 church members, mostly Land military personnel.

There were link Vietnamese citizens who had married the LDS Church at rectitude meeting in Saigon. Finally, put your feet up visited Singapore and then went to India.^[37]

In India, he went to Madras and then Coimbatore, where Hinckley met Paul Thirithuvodoss, who had written to high-mindedness church headquarters to ask call baptism.

Hinckley went to Medukerai to see a school jog by Thirithuvodoss. Hinckley decided beg for to baptize Thirithuvodoss at description time.^[38]

The Hinckleys then traveled clobber Beirut, where they met mount a small group of communion members, and then on direct to Jerusalem.^[39] From there, they journey to Greece, where they fall down with another small group style church members.^[39] They then proceeded to Frankfurt, where they stayed in the home of Copyist Taft Benson, who presided high-mindedness European Mission, and his better half, Flora.

The Hinckleys then went to Brussels before they shared to Utah.^[40]

In July 1965, Hinckley went to Hawaii, where no problem was involved with the culminating LDS temple services in Japanese.^[41]

Also in 1965, Hinckley was join in in negotiations with United States Selective Service officials that alone to the establishment of spiffy tidy up quota of one LDS proselytizer, who would otherwise be drafted, being able to leave depart from a ward or branch the whole number six months, with the allotment transferable within any given LDS district or stake.^[42]

In the put across 1960s, Hinckley was a muffled person in formulating official LDS Church statements, such as picture 1968 statement on the move to an earlier time of liquor by the drink.^[43]

In the early 1970s, Hinckley served as chair of the salaried committee of the Church Bench of Education.^[44]

In 1972, Hinckley became the initial head of ethics LDS Church's public affairs department.^[45] In September 1972, Hinckley dispatch his wife traveled with religion president Harold B.

Lee deed his wife, Joan, on unmixed tour of the United Principality, Greece, Israel, and Italy. Loftiness visit included meetings with service members in Rome; a grade of LDS youth at proposal event at the Santa Severa resort on the coast loom the Tyrrhenian Sea; and meetings with Church members in Town, Pisa and Milan. In Milano, they held a press advice, which was attended by one one journalist, Michele Straniero.

Unquestionable interviewed Lee and Hinckley fit in an hour and not sui generis incomparabl published work in La Stampa from the interview but as well used it as the primitive point to a book branch Mormonism that he later wrote.^[46]

Also in the 1970s, Hinckley esoteric supervisory assignments for the religion in South America and succeeding in Europe.

He served convert the church's executive committees undertake temples, missionary work, welfare putting into play, priesthood, and the military.^[47]

Hinckley was the chair of the nonmanual committee over the 1980 remembrance of the 150th anniversary invoke the organization of the LDS Church.^[48]

On July 23, 1981, Sociologist W.

Kimball appointed Hinckley tempt a counselor in the Primary Presidency.^[49] After first counselor Imaginary. Eldon Tanner died in 1982, Kimball did not appoint unmixed new counselor. As the Decennary progressed, more of the prosaic affairs of the First Driver\'s seat fell to the healthier Hinckley.^[10] By 1984, Hinckley was picture only publicly-active member of blue blood the gentry First Presidency.

In 1984, position church formed Area Presidencies. Till then, church headquarters administered formal and multinational areas. The Substitute Presidencies decentralized administration with presidencies living in locations around high-mindedness world.^[50]

During his time in Kimball's presidency, Hinckley presided over authority dedication of 16 LDS temples.^[51] Among them was the Manilla Philippines Temple.

Hinckley dedicated trample 18 years after he esoteric dedicated the first Philippine LDS chapel. At the time trip Kimball's death, Hinckley had over-enthusiastic nearly half of the expand 36 temples.^[52]

After Kimball's death hobble November 1985, Ezra Taft Benson became President of the Creed. Benson named Hinckley as cheeriness counselor and Thomas S.

Monson as second counselor. In primacy early 1990s, Benson developed gargantuan health problems, which removed him from public view. Hinckley nearby Monson carried out many rigidity the duties of the Have control over Presidency until Benson died gravel 1994.

During the presidencies assault Kimball and Benson, most stand for the new temples dedicated were dedicated by Hinckley.

When Benson died in 1994, about one-half of all operating temples abstruse been dedicated by Hinckley.^{[citation needed]}

Meanwhile, the Mark Hofmann document forgeries, bombings, and investigation occurred. "The news interest was global" lecture "the whole episode achieved large proportions."^[53] Several books^[54] describe primacy acquisition of supposed historical instrument by Hinckley and others specified as the secret sale signify the Stowell document describing Carpenter Smith's "money-digging pursuits."^{[55][56][57][58]} Using $15,000 of church funds, Hinckley greedy the document from Hofmann.^{[59][60][61][62]} Combine years later, Hofmann leaked wellfitting existence to the Mormon legend community.^[63][64] Upon press inquiries, Hinckley acknowledged the document and at large it.^{[65][66][67][68]} Later, bombing investigators estimable that Hofmann had forged picture document.

In 1992, Hinckley straightforward an official visit to Malady and he presented a falsify of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism to the Vatican.^[69]

After Benson's infect, Howard W. Hunter became administrator and retained Hinckley and Monson as counselors in the Important Presidency. With Hunter as Leader of the Church, the inscription of President of the Off of the Twelve Apostles skin to Hinckley because he was the second-most senior Apostle subsequently Hunter.

When Hunter died tail end a presidency of nine months, Hinckley succeeded to the chairmanship of the church at nobleness age of 84 on Go on foot 12, 1995. Hinckley immediately showed a change in approach deed tone from his predecessors tough making the meeting with authority press. There, his call was announced at an actual overcome conference, and reporters were hail to ask questions, which extract the reporters scrambling to derive out what they would in fact ask.^[70] On November 2, 2006, Hinckley surpassed David O.

McKay to become the oldest LDS Church president in history.^[2]

Hinckley was known for accelerating the effects of temples. When he became president, there were 47 start temples in the church. Irate the time of his pull off, there were 124, over twosome thirds of which had back number dedicated or rededicated under Hinckley, with 14 others announced if not under construction.^[4] Hinckley oversaw on significant building projects, including character construction of the Conference Inside and extensive renovations of primacy Salt Lake Tabernacle.

On Sep 23, 1995, Hinckley released "The Family: A Proclamation to righteousness World," a statement of sense and counsel regarding the saintliness of the family and marriage; it was prepared by class First Presidency and Quorum make out the Twelve.^[71] In February 1996, there were more church components outside than inside the Banded together States.^[72] Also in 1996, 60 Minutes aired an interview incline Hinckley by Mike Wallace fabric a segment on the LDS Church.

In 1998, Hinckley was a guest on CNN's Larry King Live. Until his kill, Hinckley maintained a friendship best both Wallace and Larry Laborious.

In November 2000, Hinckley strut to the youth of decency church and gave them scandalize traits to work on, first name the "Six Be's" (Be Obliged, Be Smart, Be Clean, Background True, Be Humble, Be Prayerful), which were first introduced hit his New York Times BestsellerStanding for Something^[73] and later catholic on in Way to Be.

On March 31, 2001, Hinckley announced the creation of depiction Perpetual Education Fund, an aptitude that provides loans to course group in developing nations.^[74] On Oct 22, 2002, Hinckley participated alter the dedication of the Gordon B. Hinckley Building at Brigham Young University–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho.

That was the first belongings at BYU–Idaho to be name for a living church president.^[75]

In April 2003, Hinckley gave topping sermon that addressed the now War in Afghanistan and position Iraq War, which had in progress just two weeks earlier. Bankruptcy said that "as citizens amazement are all under the address of our respective national marvellous.

They have access to better political and military intelligence prior to do the people generally. Subside added, "Furthermore, we are systematic freedom-loving people, committed to rank defense of liberty wherever soupзon is in jeopardy." He further noted, "It may even distrust that [the Lord] will cutoff point us responsible if we invasion to impede or hedge supreme the way of those who are involved in a meet with forces of evil gain repression."^[76]

In March 2005, Hinckley, ad as a group with Thomas S.

Monson status James E. Faust, celebrated their tenth anniversary as the Eminent Presidency, the second time engage the history of the creed that a First Presidency abstruse continued for such a soothe of time without personnel unsteadiness (the first time occurring betwixt October 1934 and May 1945, when J. Reuben Clark last David O. McKay served since counselors to Heber J.

Grant).

On January 24, 2006, Hinckley underwent surgery to remove cankerous growths from his large intestine.^[77] He was also then diagnosed with diabetes.^[78] In June 2006, Hinckley traveled to Iowa Flexibility, Iowa, to speak at regular commemoration of the 150th commemoration of the start of greatness Mormon handcart companies.

On June 23, 2006, his 96th banquet, Hinckley participated in a ceremony ceremony at Brigham Young Institute (BYU) in Provo, Utah, inflame a new building that was to be named in honor. The building was forename the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center and was completed and dedicated on Hinckley's 97th birthday.^[5]

On March 31, 2007, Hinckley rededicated the Salt Point Tabernacle after extensive renovation.^[79] Singular of Hinckley's last public conventions was on January 4, 2008, when he offered the petition at the rededication of authority Utah State Capitol.^[80] His finishing public appearance was a hebdomad before his death, the faithfulness of the Garden Park Formerly building on January 20, 2008.^[81]

During his tenure as president, Hinckley gave over 2,000 speeches.^[82] No problem traveled nearly a million miles over a lifetime to many than 160 countries, as agreed met with church members existing dedicated meetinghouses and temples.^[83]

Hinckley's yearly speeches at BYU were rendering subject of a study gross the National Center for Tone and Speech at the Establishing of Utah to analyze agricultural show the human voice changes letter age.

The 36 speeches exceed Hinckley that were analyzed obstinate from 1958, when he was 47–48, to 2007, the crop prior to his death. Description study showed how his articulation started dropping in pitch unplanned his 50s and continued in the offing he was 70, when oversight began to develop a improved, thinner "old person" voice.

Unused his 80s, his voice became increasingly wavery and the mushroom of his speech began regard slow, and by his 90s, he would slur words. Hinckley was a good subject get as far as the study, as the per annum addresses were meticulously recorded charge transcribed; in addition, he plain-spoken not smoke, drink, sing, thwart engage in other activities range would put unnatural strain private detective his voice.^[84]

Temple dedications

When Hinckley became president, he had dedicated 23 of the church's 47 temples and had rededicated four help the remaining 24.^[4] As vice-president, Hinckley presided at the doggedness of 65 additional temples.^[4][85] Hinckley also rededicated five temples make your mind up president of the church, two of which he had flattering initially.

In all, Hinckley confirmed or rededicated 92 different temples, 70 of which as superintendent of the church, at 97 different dedicatory services.^{[citation needed]}

Awards

On June 23, 2004 (Hinckley's 94th birthday), U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush awarded Hinckley the Presidential Medal company Freedom in a ceremony fall back the White House.

The measure release put forth by integrity White House stated: "Gordon Shamefaced. Hinckley ... has inspired billions and has led efforts halt improve humanitarian aid, disaster abatement, and education funding across rank globe."^[86]

Hinckley received many educational honors, including the Distinguished Citizen Premium from Southern Utah University, Notable Alumni Award from the Dogma of Utah, and 10 optional doctorates from schools including Dialogue College, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Brigham Immature University–Idaho, Weber State University, pole Southern Utah University.

He normal the Silver Buffalo Award, which is the highest honor conferred by the Boy Scouts longedfor America, and was honored shy the National Conference for Grouping and Justice for his assistance to tolerance and understanding hamper the world. In 1996, Hinckley received the Golden Plate Furnish of the American Academy be worthwhile for Achievement presented by Awards Senate member and philanthropist Jon Huntress Sr.^[87]

Death and legacy

On January 27, 2008, Hinckley died at nobility age of 97 while bordered by family in his Brackish Lake City apartment.^[83][88] According stopper a church spokesman, the fixate was due to "causes hit to age." The Deseret Dawn News reported that Hinckley difficult to understand just gone through a management of chemotherapy a few date earlier, and had "worked in the balance the very end."^[89] The time following Hinckley's death, thousands acquire LDS youth in six states organized a social network getupandgo to dress in "Sunday Best" to honor Hinckley.^[90] Funeral putting into play were held on February 2, 2008, at the Conference Sentiment in Salt Lake City, which was attended by tens deserve thousands.^[91] Hinckley was buried outside layer the Salt Lake City Necropolis next to his wife, who had died almost four life earlier.

Some of the spot that was used to inter him was imported from say publicly grounds of the Preston England Temple in Lancashire; this was done because Hinckley had archaic a missionary in this corner of England.^[92] Hinckley was succeeded as president by Thomas Mean. Monson on February 3, 2008.^[93]

In 2012, a 50-year longitudinal interpret of the development of Hinckley's voice, based on addresses unquestionable gave at BYU, was accessible in the Journal of position American Geriatrics Society.

The recite gave insight into the swing in the voices of nit-picking adults.^[94]

Hinckley's teachings as an proselytizer were the 2017 course be required of study in the LDS Church's Sunday Relief Society and Melchizedek priesthood classes.

Publications

See also

Notes