History of Mormonism: Latter-day Prophets, Part IV (final)

The history of Mormonism is a unique and interesting one, and one that has been touched by the hands of many amazing men and women. Since the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially organized in 1830, there has been a total sixteen Prophets who have led the Church. Below is a the fourth and final installment of a chronology of these great men, along with a brief bio and some major accomplishments they made during their ministry as President of the Church.

13. Ezra Taft Benson Growing up as the oldest of 11 children, Ezra Taft Benson learned at a young age how to be a good leader, and the value of hard work from chores on the family farm. In his youth and adulthood he was very involved with his family and community. He was also involved with his nation, serving as Secretary of Agriculture during both of Dwight D. Eisenhower's terms. During his service as Prophet of the Church, President Benson urged the members to renew their vigor in the Book of Mormon, reiterating and emphasizing its importance as the "keystone of the church." Any Mormons who were alive to experience his 1989 address to the Church in General Conference on the subject of "pride" were surely blessed. It has become an iconic speech, a moment in his ministry that many Church members remember him for to this day.

14. Howard W. Hunter Hunter was a man of many talents and played several musical instruments, including the piano, drums, violin, clarinet, and others. As a young man, he formed a band called "Hunter's Croonaders", and the group performed at local events and even booked a gig on an Asian cruise line. Though his professional career eventually settled on law, he held various jobs over the course of his life, among them were bridge painter, and laundry detergent salesman. President Hunter is notable for having shortest run as Prophet in the history of the Church, dying only nine months after being ordained in June 1994. A famous event in the life of president Hunter occurred just a couple years before he became the Prophet of the Church. In February 1993, when Hunter was still an apostle, he was delivering a speech to a group of young single adults at Brigham Young University. As he was preparing for his talk, a man named Cody Judy walked up to Hunter with a briefcase, which he said contained a bomb. Judy ordered Hunter to read a three page paper he had written, declaring Judy the President of the Church. Hunter outright refused. At that moment, the audience spontaneously started singing "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet", a famous Mormon him. During the song, a few men from the congregation and campus security overpowered Judy and detained him. Hunter then got up and calmly delivered his speech, as if nothing had happened.

15. Gordon B. Hinckley President Hinckley was known by the Church as well as by many others as a spiritual giant and a wonderful leader. As President, he oversaw some major increases for the Church. His presidency saw the building of 77 new temples throughout the world bringing the number from 47 when he started to 124 when he died early 2008. The Church also grew significantly in membership under President Hinckley. By the time of his death it was calculated that a third of the Church's membership had joined while he was the Prophet.

16. Thomas S. Monson Thomas S. Monson is the current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being ordained to the post after the death of President Hinckley in 2008. Throughout the course of his life he has had a great focus on charity, doing whatever is necessary to help his fellow man. As a boy in the heat of the Great Depression, a friend of his let him know that his family had nothing to eat but cold cereal for their Christmas dinner. In a display of sacrifice and kindness beyond his years, he gladly gave his friend his pet rabbit, so that they would have something eat. As a young man, he became the bishop of a Salt Lake City ward of approximately 1000 members. Eighty-five of these members were widows, and as their bishop, Monson visited each one regularly, bringing them wonderful home-cooked meals and good company. Even after he was released as bishop, he kept in contact with these women, and continued to visit them and bring them happiness. As the years went on, he would speak at each and every one of their funerals. As Prophet, he continually reminds the Mormons to strive to generous and charitable to their fellow man, and to "come to the rescue" of anyone in need.
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Other parts of this series:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV