Gordon B. Hinckley

Gordon B. Hinckley
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Personal details
Born	Gordon Bitner Hinckley (1910-06-23) June 23, 1910

LDS Standard Works Gordon Bitner Hinckley (born June 23, 1910) has been President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since March 12, 1995. Additionally, at times when President Hinckley's predecessors were in poor health, Hinckley performed many of the duties of the Church's presidency in an acting capacity as established by precedent and revelation. He is also the oldest prophet the LDS church has ever had.

As president of the Church, he is considered by faithful members to be a prophet, seer, and revelator of God's will on behalf of humanity. Hinckley has served as Chairman of the Church Board of Education and Board of Trustees that govern the Church Educational System.

During his service as prophet, the Church has more than doubled the number of temples. He also initiated the Perpetual Education Fund, which provides loans to students in developing countries.

Life

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Gordon B. Hinckley in the Hall of the Prophets in the LDS Conference Center

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Hinckley completed high school there in 1928. After attending the University of Utah he became a missionary, an unusual occurrence for Depression-era Latter-day Saints. He served in the British mission headquartered in London in 1933. He started in Preston, but for most of his mission worked in the mission office. This circumstance placed him in constant contact with Joseph F. Merrill.

Hinckley returned to the United States in 1935 after having completed a short tour of the continent, including preaching the gospel in both Berlin and Paris. President Merrill had given him an assignment to meet with the First Presidency and request that better materials be made available to missionaries for proselyting purposes. Out of this meeting he received a job as executive secretary of the Radio, Publicity and Missionary Literature Committee (he had received schooling as a journalist in college). Hinckley's responsibilities included developing the Church's fledgling radio broadcasts and making use of the era's new communication technologies. Starting in 1937, he served on the Sunday School General Board. On April 29, 1937, he married Marjorie Pay (November 23, 1911 – April 6, 2004). They had been married for 67 years at the time of her death.

After service in a stake presidency, Elder Hinckley became a General Authority of the Church in the now-discontinued position of Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1958. In 1961 he himself became an Apostle and member of that Quorum, the youngest at that time.

On July 23, 1981, Hinckley was called as an additional member of the First Presidency. It was only the second time in the 20th century that this optional calling was filled. As the 1980s progressed, the health of both Church President Spencer W. Kimball and his aging Counselors N. Eldon Tanner and Marion G. Romney led to President Hinckley being the only healthy and visible member of the First Presidency. At the time of President Tanner's death in 1982, Romney succeeded him as First Counselor and Hinckley succeeded Romney as Second Counselor.

During this time period, there were a number of new and questionable Mormon historical documents that began to surface, and Hinckley oversaw the purchase of some of these documents. Later, the newly-surfaced documents turned out to be forgeries of Mark Hofmann, including the Salamander Letter. Because of his prominence in the Church and his responsibility to oversee the purchase of historical documents, Hinckley became a key figure in the investigation of Hofmann.

By this time, however, Hinckley was largely shouldering the burdens of the First Presidency himself. Though he officially remained Second Counselor, he was informally referred to in the press as "acting President of the Church." Kimball and Romney remained largely out of the public eye until President Kimball died in November of 1985.

Longtime President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Ezra Taft Benson became Church President and named Hinckley his first counselor. Romney succeeded Benson as President of the Twelve, though he never exercised the duties of this position due to his ill health, with the actual duties being filled by Howard W. Hunter. Thomas S. Monson became Second Counselor, and, for a while, all three members of the First Presidency were able to perform their duties.

In the early 1990s, however, Ezra Taft Benson developed serious health problems that removed him from the public's view, and Hinckley again carried out many of the duties of the President of the Church until Benson died in 1994. Howard W. Hunter, who had succeeded Romney as President of the Twelve, became Church President and set apart Hinckley and Monson as his Counselors, Hinckley additionally becoming President of the Twelve by seniority. When Hunter died after a presidency of only nine months, Hinckley was chosen to be president of the Church at the age of 84 (his two predecessors had both acceded at age 86) after being unanimously sustained by members of the Quorum of the Twelve.

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Church President Gordon B. Hinckley in an interview with his friend, broadcaster Larry King, c. 1998. Courtesy Larry King Live.

Remarkably vigorous for his age, Hinckley has led the Church since March 12, 1995. On November 2, 2006, he surpassed David O. McKay to become the oldest president in Church history. At the General Conference on October 1, 2006, he commented on the pending record, indicating that he expected to surpass it. He said, "I do not say this to be boastful but rather grateful." If he continues to live until May 22, 2008, he would then surpass David B. Haight to become the oldest man in church history to hold the office of apostle .

Hinckley is known for his aggressive building of temples. The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 197 dedicated temples (190 operating and 7 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation), 5 scheduled for dedication, 49 under construction, 1 scheduled for groundbreaking, and 115 others announced (not yet under construction).}. Before he became president there were 47 dedicated temples. In 2000 alone, more LDS temples opened (34) than had existed at the time of Hinckley's calling to the First Presidency. Over two-thirds of all LDS temples currently in operation were dedicated by Hinckley. Hinckley has also overseen other building projects like the LDS Conference Center.

On 23 September, 1995, Hinckley announced and read The Family: A Proclamation to the World, a statement of belief and counsel prepared by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.

On 31 March, 2001, he announced the Perpetual Education Fund, a large endowment that provides loans to students in developing nations. It is funded entirely by donations, with the assumption that students will pay back into the fund when they are able.

On March 12, 2005, along with counselors Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust, President Hinckley celebrated the 10th anniversary of their organization as the First Presidency, the first time in the organization of the church that body has lasted without a change in personnel.

On July 22, 2005, friends of Hinckley performed in a celebration commemorating his 95th birthday. In addition to the twenty-two thousand people who attended in person, the event was broadcast on BYU Television and to meetinghouses on the Church's closed-circuit satellite system. Mike Wallace, former host of 60 Minutes, narrated Hinckley's life and his accomplishments. Afterward, Hinckley spoke, thanking everyone for attending, and saying, "Let's have another such party five years from now."

On January 24, 2006, Hinckley underwent surgery to remove cancerous growths in his large intestine. According to Deseret News, the procedure went well and a rapid recovery was expected. He was released from the hospital on January 31, 2006.

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Gordon B. Hinckley at the Santiago Chile Temple dedication.

On March 10, 2006, Hinckley traveled to Santiago, Chile to rededicate a temple. There he told the people that it was likely he wouldn't get back to see them again. Less than a month later, he presided over General Conference. Some speculated he was in bad health because he did not give the opening address. These speculations were soon debunked when a stern, strong Hinckley gave the concluding talk of the Priesthood Session. He returned to his normal speaking pattern of an opening address during the Saturday Morning session, a closing address at the Sunday Afternoon session, and full discourses during the Priesthood and Sunday Morning sessions.

In June of 2006, Hinckley traveled to Iowa City, Iowa to speak at a fireside commemorating the 150th anniversary of the start of the handcart companies.

On June 23, 2006, on his 96th birthday, Hinckley participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at BYU for a new building to be named in his honor. The building is to be called the "Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center" and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2007.

In September 2006, Hinckley dedicated the Sacramento California Temple.

Hinckley has been described as the most-traveled Church leader, past or present, having traveled millions of miles over the years to fulfill assignments. In spite of his advanced age, he continues to travel the world over as he dedicates temples and meets with the Saints. Up until the age of 95 and his cancer surgery, he had spent only one night in a hospital in his life. In the following April Conference, using his trademark humor, he remarked: "It is the first time in my 95 years that I have been a patient in a hospital. I do not recommend it to anyone."

Hinckley has had long and extensive experience in public relations working for the church. His meetings with foreign diplomats and leaders has served to make the sometimes controversial religion more globally accepted and recognized. Late in his tenure as president, church membership from foreign countries surpassed that of the U.S. membership.

Awards

On June 23 2004 (Hinckley's 94th birthday), President George W. Bush awarded Hinckley the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the United States, in a ceremony at the White House. The press release put forth by the White House stated:

"Gordon B. Hinckley [...] has inspired millions and has led efforts to improve humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and education funding across the globe."

Hinckley has been the recipient of a number of educational honors, including the Distinguished Citizen Award from Southern Utah University, Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah, and honorary doctorates from Westminster College, Utah State University, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and Southern Utah University. He has received the Silver Buffalo Award of the Boy Scouts of America, and has been honored by the National Conference (formerly the National Conference of Christians and Jews) for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world.

Brigham Young University-Idaho constructed a building that it dedicated as the Gordon B. Hinckley building in 2002.

Brigham Young University is currently constructing a large gateway building named for President Hinckley. It will serve as an international alumni and visitors' center. The building's construction began in May 2006.

Further reading

• Dew, Sheri L. (1996). Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. ISBN 1-57345-165-7.
• 2004 Presidential Medal of Freedom Remarks by President George W. Bush
• President Gordon B. Hinckley: A Modern Prophet

Publications

• Hinckley, Gordon B. (1981). Be Thou An Example. Deseret Book. ISBN 0-87747-899-6.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (1943). A Brief Statement of Principles of the Gospel Based Largely Upon the Compendium (Richards/Little) with Excerpts from Other Writings: Including Also Church Chronology, Priesthood Ordinances, Selected Hymns.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (2005). Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley (2 vols. ed.). Deseret Book. ISBN 1-59038-431-8 (vol. 1), ISBN 1-59038-518-7 (vol. 2).
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (1989). Faith: The Essence of True Religion. Deseret Book. ISBN 0-87579-270-7.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (2001). Stand a Little Taller. Eagle Gate. ISBN 1-57008-767-9.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (2000). Standing for Something: Ten Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes. Times Books. ISBN 0-8129-3317-6.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (1997). Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley. Deseret Book. ISBN 1-57345-262-9.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (2002). Way to Be!: Nine Ways to Be Happy and Make Something of Your Life. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-3830-3.
• Hinckley, Gordon B. (1947). What of the Mormons? A Brief Study of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

References

• Biography of President Gordon B. Hinckley
• Official Church History - Basic Facts about Gordon B. Hinckley

External links

• Sermons and writings of Gordon B. Hinckley (ldslibrary.com)
• A biography of three recent LDS church presidents: Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter and Gordon B. Hinkley
• Larry King Live - Gordon Hinckley: Distinguished Religious Leader of the Mormons (Aired September 8, 1998)
• A 2002 Interview with President Hinckley by European Journalist (Streaming video and transcript)
• The 60 Minutes Interview of LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley (CBS TV, April 7, 1996)
• Transcript: National Press Club Q&A with President Gordon B. Hinckley (Questions from Jack Cushman, The New York Times)
• Road to Salvation: Interview with Gordon B. Hinckley by Richard Ostling