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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor honors the life and
11 service of Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of
12 Latter-day Saints.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 ▸ recognizes Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of
16 Latter-day Saints, for his exemplary life of leadership and service; and
17 ▸ expresses sympathy for his loss and gratitude for President Monson's service.
18 Special Clauses:
19 None
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21 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
22 WHEREAS, Thomas Spencer Monson, 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of
23 Latter-day Saints and one of the most prominent public figures in the state of Utah over the
24 past 50 years died January 2, 2018, at 90 years of age;
25 WHEREAS, President Monson's significant influence in the state of Utah and abroad
26 through his decades-long service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints merits
27 recognition;
28 WHEREAS, President Monson was born August 21, 1927, to G. Spencer and Gladys
29 Condie Monson, in Salt Lake City, Utah;
30 WHEREAS, President Monson grew up in Salt Lake City, attended Salt Lake City
31 public schools, and began his higher education in 1944 at the University of Utah;
32 WHEREAS, President Monson briefly served in the United States Navy Reserve during
33 World War II;
34 WHEREAS, after his World War II service, President Monson returned to the
35 University of Utah and, in 1948, graduated cum laude with a business degree and married
36 Frances Beverly Johnson;
37 WHEREAS, soon after graduating from the university, President Monson joined the
38 Deseret News, where he worked as an advertising executive and eventually became general
39 manager of the Deseret News Press;
40 WHEREAS, President Monson graduated from Brigham Young University with a
41 Masters of Business Administration and received several honorary degrees;
42 WHEREAS, at age 22, President Monson was called to serve as a bishop for The
43 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presiding over a large congregation that consisted
44 of hundreds of people, including many widows;
45 WHEREAS, after five years of service as a bishop, President Monson was called as a
46 counselor in a stake presidency, followed by a call to serve as president of The Church of Jesus
47 Christ of Latter-day Saints' mission headquartered in Toronto, Canada;
48 WHEREAS, in 1963, President Monson was called as a member of the Quorum of the
49 Twelve Apostles, making him one of the youngest men in the 20th century appointed to that
50 position;
51 WHEREAS, President Monson counseled with government leaders and served on a
52 variety of boards, including appointment by President Ronald Reagan to the President's Task
53 Force for Private Sector Initiatives in 1981 and membership on the Utah State Board of
54 Regents for several years;
55 WHEREAS, among his many services abroad, President Monson first entered East
56 Germany in 1968, decades before the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, he met with East German
57 government officials and paved the way for a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of
58 Latter-day Saints to be built in Freiberg, Germany, which was first dedicated in 1985;
59 WHEREAS, President Monson was a prominent, long-time leader in the Boy Scouts of
60 America, serving as a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America
61 and earning the Silver Beaver, Silver Buffalo, Silver Fox, and Bronze Wolf honors, which are
62 the highest awards in scouting;
63 WHEREAS, before becoming prophet, President Monson served as counselor for three
64 of the presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;
65 WHEREAS, President Monson was set apart as president of The Church of Jesus Christ
66 of Latter-day Saints on February 3, 2008;
67 WHEREAS, membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grew to
68 more than 16 million at the time of his passing;
69 WHEREAS, under President Monson's leadership, The Church of Jesus Christ of
70 Latter-day Saints collaborated with other faiths and organizations in the United States and
71 abroad on causes such as homelessness, hunger, disaster-relief, and aid to refugees;
72 WHEREAS, in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, only four
73 men have served longer in church leadership;
74 WHEREAS, President Monson's wife Frances preceded him in death in 2013, and his
75 posterity includes 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren;
76 WHEREAS, tributes to President Monson have been offered from state, national, and
77 international government leaders, religious leaders, and even the Utah Jazz; and
78 WHEREAS, President Monson was known and beloved for his many qualities
79 particularly compassionate focus on the individual and humanitarian service to those in need:
80 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
81 Governor concurring therein, recognizes the lifelong dedication and service of Thomas S.
82 Monson, 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to his God, his
83 church, his family, and those in need.
84 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor express deep
85 sympathy for his loss and gratitude for President Monson's life and example of service.
86 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to his children
87 Ann Monson Dibb, Thomas Lee Monson, and Clark Spencer Monson.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel