A biographical overview of the life of Gordon B. Hinckley,
the fifteenth President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ
Following is a brief
summary of some major events in the life of Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Gordon Bitner Hinckley was
born June 23, 1910 in Salt
Lake City to Bryant Stringham Hinckley and Ada
Bitner Hinckley.
- He was baptized on April 28, 1919 by his father at
age 8.
- He graduated from the University
of Utah in 1932, having
studied English and journalism.
- He served a full-time mission
in the British Isles from 1933 to 1935, age 23 to
25.
- In 1935, he was called as the
secretary of the Radio, Publicity, and Mission Literature Committee of the
Church.
- He married Marjorie Pay on April 29, 1937 in the Salt
Lake Temple.
- In 1937 he as called to serve
on the Sunday School Union General board. He served in this capacity until
1946.
- In 1946 he was called as a
counselor in the East Mill Creek Stake presidency, and in 1956 he was
called to serve as the president of that stake. President Hinckley was a
3rd-generation stake president, his father and grandfather having served
as stake presidents. During his presidency, a new stake center was built
and a large welfare farm was developed.
- He was called to serve as the
general secretary of the Church Missionary Committee in 1951.
- In 1954 he was asked to
prepare materials in various languages for use in the temples throughout
the Church.
- On April 6, 1958 he was called to serve as an
Assistant to the Council of the Twelve (age 47).
- On October 5, 1961 he was sustained as a member
of the Quorum of the Twelve (age 51).
- On July 23, 1981 he was sustained as an
additional counselor in the First Presidency, serving with Presidents
Kimball, Romney, and Tanner (age 71).
- President Hinckley was called
as 2nd counselor to President Kimball on December 2, 1982.
- He served as 1st counselor to
President Ezra Taft Benson from November
10, 1985 to May 30,
1994.
- He served as 1st counselor to
President Howard W. Hunter from June
5, 1994 to March 3,
1995.
- President Hinckley was
ordained and set apart as the 15th president of the Church on March 12,
1995 (age 84), after serving 14 years as a counselor in the First
Presidency and 20 years in the Quorum of the Twelve. Except for a short
period during World War II, he has worked as an employee or General
Authority of the Church on a full-time basis since completing his mission
in 1935.
- In addition to his church
duties, President Hinckley has been active in community and business
affairs, serving as chairman and board member of a number of business
corporations. He has been the recipient of 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.
- He and his wife Marjorie were
blessed with 5 children, 2 sons and 3 daughters.
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