Pictures illustrate David M. Kennedy's 90-year journey from the small town of Randolph in northern Utah to almost every corner of the world as a leading banker, statesman and diplomat.

The pictures line the walls of his Salt Lake City home, occupy volumes of photo albums and are reprinted in his biography.Brother Kennedy has been captured on film as a tiny cowboy growing up in Randolph, Utah, an LDS missionary, a struggling law student and a husband, and father of four daughters. He is also pictured serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of one of the world's largest banks, as Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, as a U.S. ambassador-at-large and as a special representative to the First Presidency.

Reflecting on his life just before his 90th birthday July 21, Brother Kennedy looked at the pictures and other mementos. His purpose in life, he simply stated, was "to serve the Lord." His favorite times, he added, were "coming home to America" and being with his family.

In fact, many of the pictures in the Kennedy home are of Brother Kennedy's wife, Lenora, and their four daughters, 26 grandchildren and 51 great-grandchildren. Family, he said, is "everything we have."

From one album he pulled a small red cardboard heart, printed with the words "I love you" and numerous X's and O's. He and his wife sent the heart back and forth between Great Britain and Ogden, Utah, while he was serving his mission 70 years ago, adding another "X" or "O" each time it left their hands.

Together they told the story of Brother Kennedy's bishop receiving a wedding announcement and deciding to recommend he serve a Church mission. Brother Kennedy accepted a call and left for Great Britain just two months after their marriage in November 1925. He said he still gives the heart to his sweetheart for "all important days."

During most of the couple's 70 years together, Sister Kennedy has been right beside her husband. Their daughter, Carol K. Davis, called her mother her father's greatest asset.

"She could go anywhere and talk so natural," Sister Davis said. "She could talk to queens and find something in common."

The family jokes about all the time the couple spent traveling throughout their lives. In a letter written to family and friends in 1976, Sister Kennedy wrote, "When people ask me where we live, I say, `David lives on a plane.' "

Brother Kennedy said of all his traveling experiences (where he met and associated with many of the world's prominent leaders), he enjoyed traveling most with President Spencer W. Kimball. "I traveled a great deal with the prophet," he said. "It was a great experience to travel with him and see the conditions of various parts of the world."

Brother Kennedy credits his successes to help from others, especially Elders James E. Talmage and John A. Widtsoe, who were his mission presidents in Great Britain.

Elder Widtsoe persuaded him to attend school in Washington, D.C., where he found a job with the Federal Reserve System in 1930 and received a law degree from George Washington University in 1937.

In 1946 he joined the bond department of the Continental Illinois Bank and Trust Co. and worked his way up to become president and chairman of the board. In 1968 President-elect Nixon asked him to join his Cabinet as Secretary of the Treasury. He became the world's leading financial officer and later served as U.S. ambassador-at-large and as the U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Brother Kennedy said these jobs helped him gain the contacts and knowledge needed for his most important job - special representative of the First Presidency.

He then pointed to a picture of his life-long friend, Marlon Schade. As Brother Kennedy finished his work for the government, the pair planned to develop some acreage in Huntsville, Utah, where they could fish, ride horses and enjoy life.

However, there aren't any retirement pictures of Brother Kennedy. Instead he went to work as an ambassador for the First Presidency, helping the Church to be recognized in countries where it did not have missionaries, helping solve visa problems where the Church was established and dealing with government agencies in Washington, D.C.

Marilyn Taylor, Brother Kennedy's oldest daughter, said her father just did what had to be done. "He does the job he is assigned to do until it is done," she said.

Sister Davis added, "Dad didn't seek to go places, it just kind of happened."

Brother Kennedy said the Lord helped him with many of his accomplishments by blessing him with good health. When President-elect Nixon first asked him to join the cabinet, Brother Kennedy was suffering from bleeding ulcers. Sister Kennedy asked the future president to reconsider his decision because her husband was "not feeling well." But Brother Kennedy said he knows why he was able to take the job.

"I think it comes to this. I received a (priesthood) blessing in Washington, D.C.," he explained. "It said: `You will have good health in as much as you are serving the country.' "

He said he was also always able to do his jobs and live by all the standards of the Church. When he left the Treasury Department in 1971, co-workers toasted him with water because Brother Kennedy did not drink alcohol. He called this "the finest compliment I could have received."

Brother Kennedy's daughters say their father had hundreds of experiences like this one. A few are recorded on a video made by his grandson. Others are published in his biography. And many are illustrated by the photo albums he looked through during a Church News interview.

Sister Davis said her father made friends everywhere.

Brother Kennedy's health prevents him from doing all the work he wants to. He looks forward to attending a family reunion in Randolph and to his Sunday Church meetings. But mostly he spends his time in his Salt Lake City home, surrounded by his family and the pictures that illustrate the story of his illustrious life.