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There's something about the office of President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called "the Mormons") that invites a higher level of public interest and scrutiny regarding his life. President Thomas S. Monson, who was recently named as the new prophet and president of the Church following the recent passing of Gordon B. Hinckley, has been in the First Presidency of the Church since 1985 and was called into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1963. Both of these are considered to be prominent callings.

Yet with his new position as prophet and president of the Church, there is a renewed public interest in who President Monson is and what his life has been like. There is also an increased interest in his wife Frances. Many women in particular look to the wife of the current prophet as an example for them to follow.

The Monsons' daughter Ann Dibb, who is also a member of the Young Women General Board of the Church, has recently spoken about her parents. The following remarks come from a devotional address that she gave at BYU-Idaho on February 19, summarized in a news release at byui.edu, and an article in the Salt Lake Tribune published on February 8 following an interview with her.

At BYU-Idaho, Sister Dibb quoted True to the Faith regarding the role of a prophet: "Like the prophets of old, prophets today testify of Jesus Christ and teach His gospel. They make known God's will and true character. They speak boldly and clearly, denouncing sin and warning of its consequences."

One of the significant events of her father's young adult life was his service in the military. Military service can be difficult for many people, particularly those striving to live with high moral values. But, said Sister Dibb, President Monson "made the choice to keep the Lord's commandments. Because he did so, he qualified for the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and he received the promised blessings."

President and Sister Monson met in 1944 and married four years later. The first year of marriage requires lots of adjustments for any couple, but President Monson (or "Tom") was called to serve as a bishop (the leader of a local congregation) within a year of their marriage. Only a few years later, with two young children and a third on the way, he was called to serve as the president of the Toronto mission. This is typically a calling that spans a few years and necessitates the temporary relocation of the new mission president and his whole family. The Monsons only had three weeks to pack up and execute the move. When they arrived, the mission home was greatly in need of renovation. Meanwhile, the young Sister Monson was thrust into the role of "mission mom" for over 100 young missionaries. However, according to Sister Dibb, she loved it. She was "grateful she was to be part of something important (and)...enjoyed serving them all."

Sister Dibb described how her parents used prayer in their family, and their pattern continues today. "My father has always prayed with and for our family morning and night. His prayers are prayers of gratitude for the many blessings we receive. As the family has grown, my father and mother still pray for each family member in their daily prayers."

Meanwhile, President Monson loved to work with and help the people around him. His responsibilities often took him away from the home for days or weeks at a time when he traveled to other areas. Sister Monson would shoulder the load of caring for the family and taking care of things at home. But even when he was home, he labored among the people. As Peggy Fletcher Stack, the author of the **Tribune article, put it, "(President Monson) was the last one out at church every week, had to shake every hand and greet every missionary. Once he went to Primary Children's Medical Center to give a healing blessing to one child and ended up visiting nearly every sickbed on the floor, while Frances waited patiently in the lobby."

But, according to Sister Dibb, her mother never complained. "My father was bigger than life and she appreciated him," she said. "She was all right with waiting. She has done so with grace and dignity all her life."

Sister Dibb ended her talk at BYU-Idaho with her own testimony. "The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth, through revelation, by the Prophet Joseph Smith. We have scriptures to bless us and strengthen us in our day. Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God, and it is through His Atonement and Resurrection that we can return to our Heavenly Father after this mortal probation is complete and receive our eternal exaltation."

We are grateful to have a prophet today who has been prepared throughout his life to lead the Church at this time.

I am grateful that we have a living prophet on the earth today. I'm grateful for the life and service of President Gordon B. Hinckley, who had served as the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as "the Mormons") from 1995 up until his recent passing. And I'm grateful that even though we love and miss him, the Lord has provided us with another prophet who has been raised up to this position.

President Thomas S. Monson has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since the young age of 36. (By comparison, the youngest currently serving member of the Twelve, David A. Bednar, is 56. The Quorum of the Twelve is the highest leadership body in the Church, under the prophet and First Presidency. Apostles stand as special witnesses of Jesus Christ.) Serving as an apostle is a huge responsibility, but Brother Monson had served in other Church leadership capacities prior to his call and was prepared for the challenge.

And so it is today. Forty-four years later, including years of service as a counselor in the First Presidency, he has been trained and gained experience that can be had in no other way. Of succeeding President Hinckley, President Monson said, "(It's) not difficult because he blazed the trail. I worked with him for so long, 44 years, that we knew each other so well. I knew and I testify afresh that he was the Lord's prophet." (News conference, 4 February 2008, quoted in the LDS Church News, 9 February 2008.)

Still, the call to serve as the Lord's prophet on earth is not an easy one to step into. President Monson said, "I found that most helpful to me was going to my knees and thanking my Heavenly Father for life, for experience, my family, and then directly asking Him to go before my face, to be on my right hand, to be on my left hand, and His spirit in my heart and His angels round about me to bear me up." (News conference, 4 February 2008.)

That's a lesson we can all learn from. Perhaps Nephi said it most memorably in the Book of Mormon. When faced with a difficult task from the Lord that his brothers declared was impossible, Nephi replied: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7)

Like Nephi, President Monson understands that when the Lord asks us to do something -even something that seems impossible to our limited understanding - He will provide a way for us to accomplish it. With the help of the Lord, we can succeed in all He would have us do. I am grateful to have a prophet today who deeply understands this principle and will rely on the Lord to help him to do the work He has given him.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called “the Mormons”), passed away on Sunday evening of this week. Since that time, tributes and condolences from many individuals and organizations have poured in to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City. Following are selections from just a few of those that they have posted on the Church website at the Newsroom on www.lds.org:

President George W. Bush: “Gordon demonstrated the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader. He was a tireless worker and a talented communicator who was respected in his community and beloved by his congregation.”

Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut: “President Hinckley was known and beloved throughout the world for his spiritual guidance and good works. His life story was quintessentially an American one - and he tirelessly dedicated his life to building his Church and promoting our nation's ideals of understanding and tolerance.”

Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish, Episcopal Diocese of Utah: “Like so many others, I have been deeply touched by his generous wisdom, kindly voice and delicate humor. In my youth and when I returned to Utah to lead another church, he has always been the quintessential ‘good neighbor.’ …His journey here was long and his faith so strong, that his very presence made us all want to embrace life as fully and well as he did.”

Paul Cobb, Publisher, Post News Group; Publisher, El Mundo : “I was scheduled for a brief 20 minute interview that turned into a 1 and 1/2 hour long engaging discussion on the reasons for the church's phenomenal growth in Africa and Latin America. We talked about race relations and the incredible developments with Freedman's Bank records that will help one third of all African Americans find their roots and have the Alex Haley experience. He invited me to join him on his next visits to Africa and Brazil.

I later met him in Manhattan and Harlem on his unannounced trip. He remembered me and engaged in the follow-up small talk from the stage while thousands watched. What a mind. What a memory and what an engaging genuine personality.”

Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple of Utah: “President Hinckley was a giant among men. He guided the Church through times of change in our world while preserving the core values of kindness and respect for fellow man. Leading by example, he upheld family values, tolerance, patience and service to God in daily life. He also had immense respect for other religions and was supportive of the diversity of current day Utah.”

There are many more tributes and expressions of admiration and sympathy than I can post here in this forum. But I am impressed that those who made these tributes can point to specific qualities that President Hinckley exhibited, and even specific occasions where he touched their lives.

It was said of the great military leader Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon: “If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.” (Alma 48:17.)

I believe the same could be said of President Gordon B. Hinckley. Yes, he and Captain Moroni and other great men who have walked the face of the earth are humans and had weaknesses to deal with. (Jesus Christ is the exception to that.) But they strove to overcome their weaknesses and became great forces for good. Just according to these tributes alone, President Hinckley was a tireless worker, faithful, tolerant, promoted tolerance, a great communicator, and so much more. If we would all work to overcome our weaknesses and reach out to others in tolerance and love, working tirelessly for the good of others, how much better the world would be for it!

First, let's clarify some terminology. A stake is a group of several local congregations (wards or branches; branches are usually smaller than wards) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Stakes are generally assigned by geographic location; for instance, the stake centered in Norman, Oklahoma, has wards and branches in Norman as well as surrounding communities such as Noble, Blanchard, and Chickasha.

Twice a year, members of the stake gather for what is called "stake conference." Several meetings may be held during this time, but perhaps the most important is the one held on Sunday morning that all members travel to instead of their local meetinghouses.

At these Sunday morning meetings we are instructed and inspired by our local leaders, and traditionally there may be a member of the higher Church leadership visiting from Salt Lake City. As the Church has grown, these visits from the General Authorities have become less and less frequent; the growth of the Church has created more and more places for them to visit.

One thing the Church has been doing in recent years is to broadcast stake conferences to stakes in different areas, allowing the General Authorities to address many stakes at once. One of these broadcasts, taking place on October 21, 2007, addressed 107 stakes in the Salt Lake City area. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the president of the Church, was among those who spoke.

While the meeting was specifically for members of those stakes, members of the Church are always interested in what the prophet has to say. As reported in the Deseret Morning News, here are some of the things President Hinckley said to the members of those stakes.

• Marriage is "a joint venture" that can bring great blessings. He challenged husbands and wives to respect each other and work to communicate effectively.
• He called on the members to hold regular family prayer.
• He also spoke of financial honesty. He warned against extravagant lifestyles that can compromise family stability.

President Boyd K. Packer, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, was also among the speakers. Even with the great problems in the world today, he said, people can live full and rewarding lives free from fear if they exercise faith. "Don't be afraid. Be happy," he said.

He added that some problems are not solved in mortality, but "no blessing will be denied the righteous who are striving to do good."

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Sister Inis Egan Hunter, wife of late Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Howard W. Hunter. She passed away on Sunday, October 14, 2007 in Laguna Hills, California due to causes incident to age. She was 93 years old.

Her husband served only briefly as our prophet, but we have many fond memories of him and his service. I was particularly touched by the quiet but steady guidance that he showed the members of the Church. During the general conference of the Church over which he presided in October 1994, he said, "Live with ever more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ ... Look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership." (Ensign, November 1994, p. 8) The simple yet powerful words touched the hearts of many.

Sister Hunter, in the meantime, was not at the front of the stage as her husband was. Yet she was there for him at all times, quietly there to support and sustain and help him. This was made more difficult by the fact that President Hunter's health had been poor for quite some time. "I have wondered on occasion why my life has been spared," President Hunter said during the same general conference. "But now I have set that question aside and ask only for the faith and prayers of the members of the Church so we can work together, I laboring with you, to fulfill God's purpose in this season of our lives." (Ensign, November 1994, p. 7)

Clearly the Lord had a work for President Hunter to do, and Sister Hunter was there with him throughout that time. He worked and traveled vigorously following his sustaining as prophet in June of 1994, but after the dedication of the Bountiful Temple in January 1995 he was hospitalized for exhaustion. After his release he continued his work from his apartment. When he died on March 3, Sister Hunter was at his side.

President and Sister Hunter were married in 1990, just four years before he became the prophet of the LDS Church. His first wife, Clara Jeffs, had died in 1983. Sister Hunter, herself a divorcee, was remembered at her funeral as someone who radiated happiness and always made others feel comfortable. Clearly she was as Esther of old who was sent to the kingdom "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14) to carry out a noble purpose.

As members of the Church we give our deepest thanks to this remarkable woman who stood by and strengthened our beloved prophet.

When the name of Henry B. Eyring was read in the October 2007 general conference as the new counselor in the First Presidency, I had to smile. While we love all of our general authorities, and would have sustained any of them in this new calling, I'm sure many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide did just the same thing.

Elder Eyring's messages have impressed me repeatedly through the years that he has served as an apostle. I love the way that he is able to explain principles in a clear and logical way, while still relying on faith and the Spirit for guidance. His example in his talk that he gave in the April 2006 general conference is one that has remained with me for quite some time.

In his talk, Elder Eyring spoke of becoming as a little child--meek, humble, and submissive to those things that our Heavenly Father would have us experience and do. He shared a personal experience that certainly struck a chord with me. I believe it gives us great insight into his character as well.

Once . . . I prayed through the night to know what I was to choose to do in the morning. I knew that no other choice could have had a greater effect on the lives of others and on my own. I knew what choice looked most comfortable to me. I knew what outcome I wanted. But I could not see the future. I could not see which choice would lead to which outcome. So the risk of being wrong seemed too great to me.

I prayed, but for hours there seemed to be no answer. Just before dawn, a feeling came over me. More than at any time since I had been a child, I felt like one. My heart and my mind seemed to grow very quiet. There was a peace in that inner stillness.

Somewhat to my surprise, I found myself praying, "Heavenly Father, it doesn't matter what I want. I don't care anymore what I want. I only want that Thy will be done. That is all that I want. Please tell me what to do."

In that moment I felt as quiet inside as I had ever felt. And the message came, and I was sure who it was from. It was clear what I was to do. I received no promise of the outcome. There was only the assurance that I was a child who had been told what path led to whatever He wanted for me.

I learned from that experience and countless repetitions that the description of the Holy Ghost as a still, small voice is real . . . Only when my heart has been still and quiet, in submission like a little child, has the Spirit been clearly audible to my heart and mind. (Elder Henry B. Eyring, "As a Child," April 2006 General Conference)

That example has stayed with me repeatedly. It has taught me that it isn't enough to pray for help; we need to seek earnestly for what the Lord would have us do. And it isn't enough to seek for answers until we have something else we'd like to do, such as sleeping. Truly seeking to follow the Lord can require sacrifice. We can't expect to hear the whisperings of the Spirit when we're too preoccupied to listen to them. Moreover, following the Lord's will doesn't always guarantee the outcomes we personally want. But we can trust that it will always ultimately be for the best. As we truly, humbly, seek to do the will of the Lord, our own desires will matter less to us.

I look forward to continuing to learn from this great leader and teacher. May the Lord continue to bless and protect him. There is much we can learn from him and his example.