Thomas S. Monson Biography Quotes 25 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Thomas Spencer Monson was born on August 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to G. Spencer Monson and Gladys Condie Monson. He grew up during the Great Depression in a close-knit neighborhood where thrift, hard work, and neighborly service were constant themes. As a teenager he entered the U.S. Naval Reserve near the end of World War II, an experience that shaped his sense of duty and appreciation for quiet, disciplined service. After the war he attended the University of Utah, studying business and communications, a course of preparation that would influence his early professional life and later administrative leadership.

Marriage and Family
In 1948 he married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple, beginning a partnership that became central to his identity and ministry. They had three children and maintained a home life marked by simplicity, humor, and loyalty to extended family. Frances Monson was a steady presence at his side for decades, accompanying him to assignments and offering a gracious, private support to his public responsibilities. Their daughter, Ann M. Dibb, later served in leadership in the Church's Young Women organization, reflecting the family's ongoing commitment to faith and service. Frances passed away in 2013, a loss Thomas Monson spoke of with tenderness and gratitude.

Professional Career
Monson's professional path unfolded in printing and publishing. He began at the Church-owned Deseret News Press, where his organizational abilities and personal style of management led to significant responsibilities, including general management. He served on boards associated with Church enterprises and remained attentive to ethical business practices and the development of employees. His long association with the Boy Scouts of America included service on the National Executive Board and recognition such as the Silver Buffalo Award, highlighting his advocacy for youth development and citizenship.

Early Church Service
At 22, Monson was called as a bishop in Salt Lake City, an unusually young age for such a responsibility. The ward he led included many widows, and he became known for personal visits, handwritten notes, and quiet acts of assistance. His ministry emphasized remembering individuals, especially those who might otherwise be overlooked. After service in stake leadership, in 1959 he was called as president of the Canadian Mission, headquartered in Toronto. There he traveled widely, strengthened local leaders, and emphasized the growth of congregations through personal ministering and sound administration.

Apostolic Ministry
In 1963, at age 36, he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by President David O. McKay, becoming one of the youngest men to join that governing body. Over the ensuing decades, Monson served under multiple Church presidents, including Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, and Gordon B. Hinckley. He took particular interest in members living under difficult political and economic circumstances. His steady outreach to Latter-day Saints in Eastern Europe, including the former German Democratic Republic, helped open avenues for worship, missionary work, and eventually temple worship behind the Iron Curtain. This patient, relationship-based approach illustrated his conviction that persistent kindness and trust can soften barriers that policy alone cannot.

Counselor in the First Presidency
Monson served as a counselor in the First Presidency to three Church presidents. He was a counselor to Ezra Taft Benson beginning in 1985, to Howard W. Hunter in 1994, and then to Gordon B. Hinckley from 1995 to 2008. Working closely with Hinckley, he supported the significant expansion of temples and a broadening global vision for the Church. In these roles he collaborated daily with senior leaders such as Gordon B. Hinckley and fellow counselor Henry B. Eyring, while maintaining deep collegial ties with apostles including Boyd K. Packer and Russell M. Nelson. Those years refined his administrative skills and deepened the pastoral tone that characterized his public addresses.

President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Following the death of President Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson became the 16th President of the Church on February 3, 2008. He selected Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf as his counselors, forming a presidency noted for harmony, warmth, and a global outlook. During his administration the Church continued building temples worldwide and expanded humanitarian relief efforts. In 2012 he announced an age change for full-time missionaries, lowering the age for young men to 18 and for young women to 19, a decision that accelerated missionary service and broadened opportunities for young adults. Throughout his tenure he emphasized caring for the poor and needy and strengthening faith in Jesus Christ through simple, consistent acts of discipleship.

Ministry Style and Teachings
Monson's public ministry was distinguished by stories of everyday people. He favored narratives of a hospital visit, a timely phone call, or a remembered birthday, using them to teach about compassion, repentance, gratitude, and moral courage. His general conference addresses often underscored the value of listening to spiritual impressions and acting without delay. He urged members to reach out to the lonely and the forgotten, a theme rooted in his early experiences as a bishop and sustained in his later global ministry. Even as he led large institutions, he prized the one-on-one moment, believing that the worth of a soul was the foundation of any enduring program.

Public Service and Community Involvement
Beyond ecclesiastical duties, Monson served on community and education boards, including the Utah State Board of Regents, reflecting his interest in civic responsibility and higher education. He worked collaboratively with civic leaders and faith communities, maintaining cordial relationships across public life. His support for Scouting, charities, and education projects earned him respect well beyond his own religious community. Associates often noted his ability to remember names and details, traits that strengthened partnerships and fostered goodwill.

Final Years and Death
In later years Monson experienced health challenges that limited travel and public appearances, prompting him to delegate more responsibilities to fellow leaders, including Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles such as Russell M. Nelson. He died on January 2, 2018, in Salt Lake City at age 90. Following his passing, Russell M. Nelson became President of the Church, continuing the work of leading a global membership and expanding temple access. Monson was interred beside Frances, closing a partnership that had shaped his life and service.

Legacy
Thomas S. Monson's legacy rests on the union of institutional leadership with personal ministry. He inherited and advanced a worldwide church, yet consistently highlighted the power of a single visit, a written note, a compassionate glance. Leaders who worked closest with him, including Gordon B. Hinckley, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and Russell M. Nelson, observed a style that preferred lifting individuals over spotlighting self. For many, his name evokes stories of widows remembered, doors knocked on at the right hour, and courage shown in quiet, private places. That legacy of rescue and remembrance stands as the defining portrait of his life.

Our collection contains 25 quotes who is written by Thomas, under the main topics: Love - Faith - Mortality - Honesty & Integrity - Work Ethic.