The Landmarks of Thomas S. Monson’s Presidency
By: Anna Bowers
The recently deceased Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for just under ten years, and the first general authority to serve over fifty years within the last century, has made both figurative and literal groundbreaking moments during his presidency.
When asked what are the great landmarks of President Monson’s Presidency, students mention “read the Book of Mormon,” “service,” and “to the rescue” as the most memorable achievements. Monson is remembered for his charity, his adamance for following spiritual promptings, and for his ability to communicate with others.
These historically significant events, along with his character and love for God and his fellow men, are hallmarks of what he may be remembered by.
Recognizing diversity and demonstrating respect
Monson’s first speech to the public as new President of the LDS church was focused on religious diversity and mutual respect. Monson stated, “We can and should demonstrate respect toward those whose beliefs differ from ours.”
True to this statement, between 2008 and 2017 the church has been involved or spoken up about many different movements, accompanied by other Faiths. In 2014, President Henry B. Eyering, along with Elder Perry and Bishop Casseu, attended a gathering at the Vatican with over “hundreds of religious leaders and scholars from 14 faith traditions and 23 countries” according to Mormon Newsroom, in order to discuss the importance of marriage.
In 2011 the church worked with El Minuto de Dios, a catholic organization, in order to provide relief to victims of floods and landslides in Colombia. In 2010 the church also collaborated with Islamic Relief USA by providing medical supplies and food to those in Haiti who were affected by an earthquake.
Overall, the church has hosted 10 interfaith events and has participated in 20 interfaith events since 2008 when President Monson took over.
Another example of the LDS church further supporting diversity, and a significant occurrence during Monson’s presidency, is the website “Mormon and Gay,” which was published in 2012. According to Mormon Newsroom,
“‘Mormon and Gay,’ reflects the reality that a person doesn’t need to choose between these two identities — one can, in fact, be gay and live faithful to the teachings of Christ.”
In pursuit of demonstrating respect and encouraging love for all mankind, the site shares a quote from Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy, spoken to all Latter-Day Saints who “experience same-sex attraction or identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual,” according to Mormon Newsroom.
“We want you to know we love you. You are welcome. We want you to be part of our congregations. You have great talents and abilities to offer God’s kingdom on earth, and we recognize the many valuable contributions you make.”
-Whitney L Clayton
Change in missionary age
On the morning of October 6, 2012, missionary work and many young men and women’s lives changed. President Monson announced that men and women were now able to begin full-time missionary service at a younger age. For men the age changed from nineteen years to eighteen, and for women it changed from twenty-one to nineteen.
Jessica Bird, freshman, recalls the moment she received news of the age change when she was sixteen years old. “I started crying because I had always wanted to serve a mission but everyone in my family got married at twenty years old. There was no way I was going to make it to twenty-one. I called my mom and I was crying and was like “guess what I’m going on a mission!”” Jessica went on to serve a mission in the Washington Everett mission.
The age change resulted in a surge of young men and women serving full-time missions, going from 58,500 missionaries in October to 82,000 by the end of 2012. Within one year, over 58 new missions were created in order to better utilize the sheer quantity of incoming missionaries. The Provo Missionary Training Center was also expanded in 2017 to further accommodate the growth.
Not only did this age change result in new missionaries, but it created new experiences for the young men and women. “When my brother served his mission there were maybe six sisters,” explained Jessica.
She shared that the now larger number of sisters in each mission provided them with more comparable experiences to those of the Elders, such as new leadership opportunities. “I think sisters were able to have a more full part in the missionary program, preparing them to be greater leaders in the church in general.”
First Temple Built in Former Soviet Union
Among the landmarks of Monson’s Presidency is the dedication of the Kiev, Ukraine temple in 2010, the first built in a nation of the former Soviet Union.
Brad Pinkston, an Admissions Director here at Southern Virginia, was serving a full-time mission in Kiev during the time the temple was completed and dedicated. “As a missionary, I was shocked to be going to the former Soviet Union. To have a temple [there] was an even greater anomaly –something that nobody really expected to happen” Pinkston explained.
Pinkston was even able to witness a ceremony where he watched them place a statue of the angel Moroni on the almost completed temple.
“To watch it go from ground zero to complete was an awesome experience,” Pinkston explained. With no reputable Ukrainian companies competent enough to build the structure, a German company was hired to complete the task. “When people saw it being built, they saw this amazing steel structure with rebar, concrete, [and] everything that needed to go into a building to keep it from shaking or moving. The church spared no expense on it which in Ukraine is not customary for building.”
Another significance of the Kiev temple is that it served a part of the world that had very little access to LDS temples. One of Pinkston’s missionary companions was from Kazakhstan and the nearest temple to his family was over 2000 miles away in Helsinki, Finland. The new temple in Ukraine provided a much closer alternative, along with room and board on the temple grounds to provide an inexpensive place to stay for traveling families.
“[President Monson] was the one that pulled the trigger to get the temple done” told Pinkston. “It had been in the works for quite some time before he became the president, but he was the one who got it finished.” Monson also approved the opening of areas to new missionary work during the time Pinkston was serving in Ukraine. The cities included remote areas such as Ternopol and Zhitomir where there were many people who had never even heard of the LDS church.
Pinkston was in the Missionary Training Center when the previous LDS church president, Gordon B. Hinckley passed away. “President Monson spoke shortly after that and it was evident that the mantle had been shifted.” According to Pinkston, the persona of Monson was memorable. “He was the prophet that we had as a missionary. Testifying of him was easy and evident –it was very easy for people to accept we had a modern prophet.”
New Temples
While previous LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley may be remembered by most for significantly contributing to the large number of temples in the world today, President Monson continued the progress at a steady pace. During Monson’s Presidency 32 temples have been dedicated, with 20 under construction, 11 announced, and 2 publicly proposed.
The last temples announced during Monson’s presidency were in Brasília, Brazil; the greater Manila, Philippines, area; Nairobi, Kenya; Pocatello, Idaho; and Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Church Growth
During Monson’s presidency, Church membership increased by 2,373,908 members. This included new members in countries newly opened to missionary work such as the Turks and Caicos Islands, Burundi, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Boznia, and Herzegovina, according to ldschurchnewsarchive.org.
Emphasis on institute
In 2009, Monson urged young adults to make Institute, one of the church’s programs that provides deeper religious education for adults, a priority.
“I promise you that as you participate in institute and study the scriptures diligently, your power to avoid temptation and to receive direction of the Holy Ghost in all you do will be increased. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it. That is a promise which I leave with you.”
-Thomas S. Monson
Bishop Matthew Rasmussen, Instructor at the Buena Vista, VA Institute of Religion believes that “President Monson’s influence within the Church Educational System cannot be overstated.”
Within the last year Rasmussen conducted a survey of a large group of institute students at Southern Virginia, asking why they enrolled in institute. Almost half responded that they chose to enroll because of the encouragement and invitation of Monson. “He may have been the best recruiter of new students we’ve ever seen.”
Continuing with the mark President Monson has made, Rasmussen feels that “one of the major contributions of his ministry often gets overlooked. For decades the Church had a three-fold mission derived from the revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants: perfect the Saints, proclaim the gospel, redeem the dead. Not long after he became the prophet, President Monson contributed a fourth mission: care for the poor and needy.”
Rasmussen remarks on the timeliness of this fourth mission, as within the last decade there have been many natural disasters and humanitarian crises, where aid has been provided by church members with enthusiasm and compassion.
“I think the response of the members of the Church to these disasters has been influenced significantly by the tone President Monson set early in his ministry,” stated Rasmussen. “It would not surprise me if a greater compassion for human suffering among Church members proves to be the dominant legacy of his administration.”
Further Change
Among these landmarks, during Monson’s presidency, the church also “published essays that confront and explain some of the stickiest theological and historical issues surrounding Mormonism… it unveiled new standardized interview questions for prospective missionaries, and widened temple service opportunities for older single men, recently divorced members and teenage boys and girls,” according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
Although Monson was a strong advocate for the Boy Scouts of America, in May 2017 the church also withdrew from participating in scout programs for boys 14–18 years old, choosing to develop its own program that can include both boys and girls, and include participants from all over the world.
“President Monson was a consummate teacher. He made the gospel of Jesus Christ accessible and understandable.
Anyone who listened to President Monson realized that the teachings of the Savior were not an abstraction to him. The gospel was not theory, it was practice.
His passing reminds me of the profound blessing it is to be led by prophets, seers, and revelators.”
-Bishop Matthew Rassmussen
