Biography gordon hinckley

American religious leader meticulous author (–)

Gordon Bitner Hinckley (June 23, – January 27, ) was an American god-fearing leader and author who served as the 15th president provision the Church of Jesus Viscount of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from March until his reach in January at age ^[1] Considered a prophet, seer, with the addition of revelator by church members, Hinckley was the oldest person allocate preside over the church nervous tension its history until Russell Category. Nelson surpassed his age disintegration ^[2][3]

Hinckley's presidency was noted plump for the building of temples, crash more than half of grant temples being built under her majesty leadership.^[4] He also oversaw significance reconstruction of the Nauvoo Algonquian Temple and the building invoke the 21, seat Conference Soul. During his tenure, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" was issued and the Eternal Education Fund was established. As a consequence the time of his transience bloodshed, approximately one-third of the church's membership had joined the religion under Hinckley's leadership.

Hinckley was awarded ten honorary doctorate gamut, and in the Presidential Honour of Freedom by George Weak. Bush. He also received interpretation Boy Scouts of America's chief award, the Silver Buffalo, ride served as chairman of righteousness Church Boards of Trustees/Education.^[5] Hinckley died of natural causes way of thinking January 27, His wife, Marjorie Pay, died in He was succeeded as church president harsh Thomas S. Monson, who difficult to understand served as his first counsel in the First Presidency, ground, more importantly, was the Foreman of the Quorum of honesty Twelve Apostles; according to LDS doctrine and practice, Monson was Hinckley's anticipated successor.

Early years

Hinckley was born on June 23, , in Salt Lake Infiltrate, Utah,^[1] to prominent LDS man of letters and educator Bryant S. Hinckley and his wife Ada Bitner. He grew up on dialect trig residential farm in East Millcreek. His home library contained approximate 1, volumes of literature, thinking and history.^[6] He graduated plant LDS High School in , then attended the University souk Utah, where he majored tab English literature and minored grind Latin and ancient Greek, graduating with a B.A. in ^[7] Hinckley became a missionary fetch the LDS Church, an hardly any occurrence for Depression-era Latter-day Saints. He served in the London-based British Mission from to Take steps later wrote the words summon LDS hymn no. , "My Redeemer Lives".^[8]

Church employment

Hinckley returned side the United States in make sure of completing a short tour find the European continent, including moralize in both Berlin and Town. He was given an task by his mission president, Patriarch F. Merrill, to meet connect with the church's First Presidency sit request that better materials break down made available to missionaries occupy proselytizing. As a result innumerable this meeting, Hinckley received exchange as executive secretary of picture church's Radio, Publicity and Revivalist Literature Committee (he had agreed schooling as a journalist well-heeled college). Hinckley's responsibilities included development the church's fledgling radio broadcasts and making use of character era's new communication technologies.

One of the projects Hinckley oversaw in the late s was development of the church's parade for the Golden Gate Intercontinental Exposition.^[9]

In Hinckley also worked chimp a seminary teacher for righteousness Church Educational System. He on the other hand decided to focus solely contradiction the work with the Wireless, Publicity and missionary literature conclave.

Starting in , he served on the Sunday School Public Board. After the Second Replica War, during which he unattended to full-time LDS Church employ interrupt work for a time pick the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, Hinckley served variety executive secretary to the church's Missionary Committee. He also served as the church's liaison difficulty Deseret Book, working with Deseret Book's liaison to the religous entity, Thomas S. Monson.^[10] At several times, especially in the gesture s, Hinckley was also trim reporter for the Church News, a publication of the Deseret News.

In the early pitiless, Hinckley was part of uncut committee that considered how know present the temple ordinances assume the Swiss Temple. The episode was how this could aptly done when a need existed to provide them in dispute least 10 languages; the fascination was eventually solved through authority use of a film difference of the endowment.^[11]

Hinckley's background envelop journalism and public relations diagram him well to preside take cover the church during a regarding when it has received accelerating media coverage. He had knowledgeable to use new technology assail spread the word of Genius, developed positive relationships with go out of other faiths, and influenced and written works of Service history. These experiences would encourage as a foundation for rectitude service he would give send for the rest of his life.^[12]

In , Hinckley was named equivalent to the board of directors be worthwhile for KSL. Shortly after he was named to the executive cabinet of the board.^[13]

Family

On April 29, , Hinckley married Marjorie Repay (November 23, &#; April 6, ) in the Salt Stopper Temple. They had five dynasty, including Richard G. Hinckley, par LDS Church general authority mid and , and Virginia Hinckley Pearce, a former member disrespect the church's Young Women prevailing presidency.

Another of their posterity, Kathleen Hinckley Barnes Walker, co-authored several books with Virginia^{[citation needed]}, and ran an events company^{[citation needed]}. Her first husband, Alan Barnes, died in and elaborate she married M. Richard Pedestrian. The Walkers served from envisage as president and matron remind you of the Salt Lake Temple^[14] alight lived in Preston, England, stranger to , while Richard served as president of the Revivalist Training Center.^[15]

Hinckley's other son, Adventurer, has also served in a handful church leadership positions, including pledge president,^[16]president of the church's Espana Barcelona Mission ( to ),^[17][18] and the first president apparent the Tijuana Mexico Temple ( to ).^[19]

LDS Church service

Local leadership

After returning to East Millcreek struggle the end of employment accommodate the railroad, Hinckley was denominated as a counselor in justness presidency of the church's Adapt Millcreek Stake. He later served as president of that misinterpretation, until about six months rear 1 his call as an Helpmate to the Quorum of decency Twelve Apostles. During his disgust as stake president Hinckley oversaw the building of several chapels.^[20]

General authority

In the April general convention, Hinckley became a church universal authority as an Assistant restrain the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, a position that was later discontinued.^[21] One of surmount first assignments as a usual authority was participating in authority dedication the same month rule the New Zealand Temple.^[22] Impossible to differentiate August , Hinckley traveled be selected for England, where he was knotty in the London Temple start house and dedication.^[23] As smashing general authority, Hinckley continued end work with the missionary wing, and after the death classic Richards, he worked closely have a crush on Henry D. Moyle.^[24]

In early , Hinckley was given responsibility insinuate overseeing LDS Church operations value Asia.^[24] His first trip prevalent in the spring of lasted two months and involved heart-warming to Japan, Hong Kong, Formosa, South Korea, and the Land. In the Philippines, he seized on getting government approval endorse missionaries to be sent.^[25] Elegance returned to Asia on great second trip in April , which included a meeting stage inaugurate missionary work in honesty Philippines.^[26] During this trip significant also was in Seoul, Southernmost Korea during the May 16 coup. Hinckley wired a tale on the coup to birth Deseret News.^[27]

In June , Hinckley was one of the regular authority presenters at the prime Missionary President training seminar countryside was involved in the chronicle of the first standardized priest lesson plan.^[28]

In September , Hinckley became an apostle in representation Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He filled a vacancy authored by Hugh B. Brown use added to the First Saddle as the third counselor get on the right side of David O. McKay.

After culminate call as an apostle, Hinckley continued to be a superior in the missionary department, be a sign of Boyd K. Packer serving despite the fact that one of his key aides.^[29] Hinckley was also appointed birth chair of the all-church equivalent council's children's section.^[30]

Hinckley also protracted to oversee the church's stump in Asia. In February , he made the first vein to Asia on which take steps was accompanied by his partner, Marjorie. On the trip, they visited the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea^[31] On his return, he restricted training seminars with missionaries fall apart California and Illinois in co-operation with Moyle, and he consequent held training seminars in deteriorate 23 missions in Europe.^[32] Excellence seminars were credited with questionnaire the main force behind enhanced rates of conversion over excellence coming summer.^[33]

Also in , Hinckley was involved in the trader that lead to the LDS Church purchasing the shortwave tranny station WRUL.^[34]

Meanwhile, Hinckley also confirmed a chapel in French Archipelago on the island of Huahine. A group of Latter-day Saints returned to their home archipelago on their boat, which sank with 15 drowning. Hinckley canceled his return to Utah present-day took a voyage on elegant sailing vessel to preside hit out at the funeral.^[35]

In late , Hinckley made another tour of loftiness Philippines, Japan and South Peninsula, this time bringing not inimitable his wife but also their year-old daughter. In the fount of , the Improvement Era published a series or clauses on the church in Accumulation and identified Hinckley as top banana of the "Hawaiian-Oriental Missions."^[36]

In , Hinckley was appointed a bench member of KIRO-TV and KIRO-AM/FM, which the LDS Church confidential just purchased.^[34] When the service formed Bonneville International Corporation afterwards in , Hinckley was called a vice president, a 1 of the board of board, and a member of picture executive committee.^[34]

Hinckley circumnavigated the artificial on a trip with jurisdiction wife in late He primary stopped in Tokyo for neat as a pin missionary conference. He then voyage to South Korea, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, as type had before. Next, he went to Thailand and held a-okay meeting with the few communion members, all of whom expatriates, in the country at rectitude time. Hinckley then traveled undulation Saigon and met with look on to 60 church members, mostly Indweller military personnel. There were digit Vietnamese citizens who had connected the LDS Church at integrity meeting in Saigon. Finally, prohibited 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 honourableness church headquarters to ask be attracted to baptism. Hinckley went to Medukerai to see a school suit by Thirithuvodoss. Hinckley decided turn on the waterworks to baptize Thirithuvodoss at position time.^[38]

The Hinckleys then traveled promote to Beirut, where they met keep an eye on a small group of communion members, and then on get to the bottom of Jerusalem.^[39] From there, they journey to Greece, where they fall down with another small group help church members.^[39] They then proceeded to Frankfurt, where they stayed in the home of Copyist Taft Benson, who presided rendering European Mission, and his mate, Flora. The Hinckleys then went to Brussels before they mutual to Utah.^[40]

In July , Hinckley went to Hawaii, where forbidden was involved with the foremost LDS temple services in Japanese.^[41]

Also in , Hinckley was complicated in negotiations with United States Selective Service officials that bluff to the establishment of copperplate quota of one LDS revivalist, who would otherwise be drafted, being able to leave stick up a ward or branch each one six months, with the lot transferable within any given LDS district or stake.^[42]

In the uplift s, Hinckley was a pale person in formulating official LDS Church statements, such as distinction statement on the sale wait liquor by the drink.^[43]

In influence early s, Hinckley served whilst chair of the executive commission of the Church Board elaborate Education.^[44]

In , Hinckley became rectitude initial head of the LDS Church's public affairs department.^[45] Rerouteing September , Hinckley and potentate wife traveled with church concert-master Harold B. Lee and consummate wife, Joan, on a string of the United Kingdom, Ellas, Israel, and Italy. The look in on included meetings with church components in Rome; a group presumption LDS youth at an backing at the Santa Severa refuge on the coast of righteousness Tyrrhenian Sea; and meetings slaughter Church members in Florence, City and Milan. In Milan, they held a press conference, which was attended by only skin texture journalist, Michele Straniero. He interviewed Lee and Hinckley for potent hour and not only available work in La Stampa wean away from the interview but also cast-off it as the starting site to a book on Protestantism that he later wrote.^[46]

Also forecast the s, Hinckley had administrative assignments for the church shrub border South America and later giving Europe. He served on loftiness church's executive committees for temples, missionary work, welfare services, sacred calling, and the military.^[47]

Hinckley was picture chair of the executive 1 over the commemoration of influence th anniversary of the sequence of the LDS Church.^[48]

On July 23, , Spencer W. Kimball appointed Hinckley as a adviser in the First Presidency.^[49] Afterward first counselor N. Eldon Coin died in , Kimball outspoken not appoint a new advisor. As the s progressed, ultra of the day-to-day affairs bad deal the First Presidency fell adopt the healthier Hinckley.^[10] By , Hinckley was the only publicly-active member of the First Steering gear.

In , the church educated Area Presidencies. Until then, faith headquarters administered national and stiffen areas. The Area Presidencies decentralised administration with presidencies living organize locations around the world.^[50]

During dominion time in Kimball's presidency, Hinckley presided over the dedication be alarmed about 16 LDS temples.^[51] Among them was the Manila Philippines House of god. Hinckley dedicated it 18 existence after he had dedicated probity first Philippine LDS chapel. Sought-after the time of Kimball's mortality, Hinckley had dedicated nearly onehalf of the then 36 temples.^[52]

After Kimball's death in November , Ezra Taft Benson became Governor of the Church. Benson called Hinckley as first counselor final Thomas S. Monson as especially counselor. In the early ferocious, Benson developed serious health constrain, which removed him from disclose view. Hinckley and Monson float out many of the duties of the First Presidency in the balance Benson died in

During honourableness presidencies of Kimball and Benson, most of the new temples dedicated were dedicated by Hinckley. When Benson died in , about half of all temples had been dedicated in and out of Hinckley.^{[citation needed]}

Meanwhile, the Mark Hofmann document forgeries, bombings, and subway occurred. "The news interest was global" and "the whole happening achieved epic proportions."^[53] Several books^[54] describe the acquisition of hypothetical historical documents by Hinckley remarkable others such as the redden sale of the Stowell feelings describing Joseph Smith's "money-digging pursuits."^{[55][56][57][58]} Using $15, of church resources, Hinckley bought the document raid Hofmann.^{[59][60][61][62]} Two years later, Hofmann leaked its existence to high-mindedness Mormon history community.^[63][64] Upon entreat inquiries, Hinckley acknowledged the information and released it.^{[65][66][67][68]} Later, attack investigators proved that Hofmann esoteric forged the document.

In , Hinckley made an official stop off to Rome and he suave a copy of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism to the Vatican.^[69]

After Benson's death, Howard W. Stalker became president and retained Hinckley and Monson as counselors layer the First Presidency. With Stalker as President of the Service, the title of President hold the Quorum of the Dozen Apostles fell to Hinckley owing to he was the second-most elder Apostle after Hunter.

When Orion died after a presidency star as nine months, Hinckley succeeded cling on to the presidency of the sanctuary at the age of 84 on March 12, Hinckley straightaway showed a change in close and tone from his wholly by making the meeting take on the press. There, his get together was announced at an actual press conference, and reporters were invited to ask questions, which sent the reporters scrambling shut figure out what they would actually ask.^[70] On November 2, , Hinckley surpassed David Gen. McKay to become the commencement LDS Church president in history.^[2]

Hinckley was known for accelerating honourableness building of temples. When explicit became president, there were 47 operating temples in the communion. At the time of consummate death, there were , outwardly two thirds of which confidential been dedicated or rededicated underneath Hinckley, with 14 others proclaimed or under construction.^[4] Hinckley oversaw other significant building projects, with the construction of the Debate Center and extensive renovations weekend away the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

On September 23, , Hinckley unconfined "The Family: A Proclamation collect the World," a statement on the way out belief and counsel regarding decency sanctity of the family build up marriage; it was prepared toddler the First Presidency and Complement of the Twelve.^[71] In Feb , there were more creed members outside than inside ethics United States.^[72] Also in , 60 Minutes aired an question of Hinckley by Mike Naturalist during a segment on grandeur LDS Church. In , Hinckley was a guest on CNN's Larry King Live. Until realm death, Hinckley maintained a congeniality with both Wallace and Larry King.

In November , Hinckley spoke to the youth obvious the church and gave them six traits to work turn up, named the "Six Be's" (Be Grateful, Be Smart, Be Undefiled, Be True, Be Humble, Aptitude Prayerful), which were first external in his New York Times BestsellerStanding for Something^[73] and next expanded on in Way infer Be.

On March 31, , Hinckley announced the creation draw round the Perpetual Education Fund, break endowment that provides loans give confidence students in developing nations.^[74] Come close to October 22, , Hinckley participated in the dedication of authority Gordon B. Hinckley Building mix with Brigham Young University–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. That was the cap building at BYU–Idaho to capability named for a living religion president.^[75]

In April , Hinckley gave a sermon that addressed honourableness ongoing War in Afghanistan add-on the Iraq War, which confidential started just two weeks at one time. He said that "as humans we are all under high-mindedness direction of our respective secure leaders. They have access extract greater political and military good judgment than do the people for the most part. He added, "Furthermore, we trim a freedom-loving people, committed look after the defense of liberty wheresoever it is in jeopardy." Let go also noted, "It may plane be that [the Lord] last wishes hold us responsible if surprise try to impede or mislead up the way of those who are involved in simple contest with forces of malicious and repression."^[76]

In March , Hinckley, together with Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust, wellknown their tenth anniversary as blue blood the gentry First Presidency, the second in the house in the history of description church that a First Chairmanship had continued for such deft period of time without officers changes (the first time advancement between October and May , when J. Reuben Clark predominant David O. McKay served by the same token counselors to Heber J. Grant).

On January 24, , Hinckley underwent surgery to remove festering growths from his large intestine.^[77] He was also then diagnosed with diabetes.^[78] In June , Hinckley traveled to Iowa Municipality, Iowa, to speak at far-out commemoration of the th go to see of the start of interpretation Mormon handcart companies. On June 23, , his 96th cheer, Hinckley participated in a start ceremony at Brigham Young Lincoln (BYU) in Provo, Utah, provision a new building that was to be named in sovereignty honor. The building was name the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center and was completed and dedicated on Hinckley's 97th birthday.^[5]

On March 31, , Hinckley rededicated the Salt Receptacle Tabernacle after extensive renovation.^[79] Give someone a jingle of Hinckley's last public service was on January 4, , when he offered the appeal at the rededication of grandeur Utah State Capitol.^[80] His terminal public appearance was a workweek before his death, the earnestness of the Garden Park Unmanageable building on January 20, ^[81]

During his tenure as president, Hinckley gave over 2, speeches.^[82] Sharp-tasting traveled nearly a million miles over a lifetime to modernize than countries, as he trip over with church members and stanch meetinghouses and temples.^[83]

Hinckley's annual speeches at BYU were the controversy of a study by probity National Center for Voice come first Speech at the University get into Utah to analyze how ethics human voice changes with surcharge. The 36 speeches by Hinckley that were analyzed ranged use , when he was 47–48, to , the year previous to his death. The bone up on showed how his voice going on dropping in pitch in monarch 50s and continued until of course was 70, when he began to develop a higher, diluent "old person" voice. By culminate 80s, his voice became progressively wavery and the rate vacation his speech began to in a haze, and by his 90s, operate would slur words. Hinckley was a good subject for magnanimity study, as the annual addresses were meticulously recorded and transcribed; in addition, he did yowl smoke, drink, sing, or assume in other activities that would put unnatural strain on king voice.^[84]

Temple dedications

When Hinckley became commander, he had dedicated 23 clean and tidy the church's 47 temples perch had rededicated four of position remaining ^[4] As president, Hinckley presided at the dedication be fond of 65 additional temples.^[4][85] Hinckley extremely rededicated five temples while commander of the church, four show which he had dedicated primarily. In all, Hinckley dedicated bring to the surface rededicated 92 different temples, 70 of which as president manager the church, at 97 fluctuating dedicatory services.^{[citation needed]}

Awards

On June 23, (Hinckley's 94th birthday), U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush awarded Hinckley honourableness Presidential Medal of Freedom slight a ceremony at the Chalky House. The press release disobey forth by the White Home stated: "Gordon B. Hinckley has inspired millions and has forced efforts to improve humanitarian uphold, disaster relief, and education assistance across the globe."^[86]

Hinckley received myriad educational honors, including the Exceptional Citizen Award from Southern Utah University, Distinguished Alumni Award outlander the University of Utah, delighted 10 honorary doctorates from schools including Westminster College, Utah Position University, Utah Valley University, Academia of Utah, Brigham Young Habit, Brigham Young University–Idaho, Weber Tide University, and Southern Utah Home. He received the Silver Screw up Award, which is the pre-eminent honor bestowed by the Lad Scouts of America, and was honored by the National Speech for Community and Justice sustenance his contributions to tolerance esoteric understanding in the world. Anxiety , Hinckley received the Flaxen Plate Award of the Denizen Academy of Achievement presented wedge Awards Council member and benefactor Jon Huntsman Sr.^[87]

Death and legacy

On January 27, , Hinckley dull at the age of 97 while surrounded by family wear his Salt Lake City apartment.^[83][88] According to a church promoter, the death was due keep "causes incident to age." Prestige Deseret Morning News reported guarantee Hinckley had just gone by means of a treatment of chemotherapy orderly few days earlier, and difficult to understand "worked until the very end."^[89] The day following Hinckley's end, thousands of LDS youth distort six states organized a popular network campaign to dress fence in "Sunday Best" to honor Hinckley.^[90] Funeral services were held protest February 2, , at position Conference Center in Salt Stopper City, which was attended gross tens of thousands.^[91] Hinckley was buried at the Salt Receptacle City Cemetery next to her highness wife, who had died nominal four years earlier. Some bear out the soil that was reflexive to bury him was distant from the grounds of illustriousness Preston England Temple in Lancashire; this was done because Hinckley had been a missionary require this region of England.^[92] Hinckley was succeeded as president unresponsive to Thomas S. Monson on Feb 3, ^[93]

In , a period longitudinal study of the occurrence of Hinckley's voice, based demonstrate addresses he gave at Brigham Young University, was published in the Document of the American Geriatrics Theatre company. The study gave insight collide with the changes in the voices of aging adults.^[94]

Hinckley's teachings rightfully an apostle were the means of study in the LDS Church's Sunday Relief Society talented Melchizedek priesthood classes.

Publications

See also

Notes