2008 Year in Review
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
After a long life of dedicated service to God and his fellow man, President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of the Church, died Jan. 27 of causes incident to age. He was 97.
He was set apart and ordained as President of the Church on March 12, 1995, after serving for 14 years as a counselor to three Church presidents, 20 years as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and three years as an Assistant to the Twelve.
Despite being the longest-lived president in the history of the Church, President Hinckley kept up with his daily work schedule until the last week of his life. His nearly 13 years as president of the Church were marked with vigor and foresight, evidenced by his numerous major accomplishments and his lengthy travel schedule that took him across the globe many times.
On Feb. 3, President Thomas S. Monson was ordained and set apart as the 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, succeeding President Hinckley. During the 178th Annual General Conference, which convened April 5, President Monson was sustained in a Solemn Assembly as President of the Church. President Monson was called to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1963, as second counselor in the First Presidency in 1985 and as first counselor in the First Presidency in 1995.
President Henry B. Eyring, who had served as second counselor in the First Presidency, was called to be President Monson's first counselor. A General Authority for 23 years, President Eyring served in the Quorum of the Twelve for 12 years before his call to the First Presidency in 2007. He had been a member of the Presiding Bishopric.
Succeeding President Eyring as second counselor in the First Presidency is President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. President Uchtdorf was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1994, the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1996, the Presidency of the Seventy in 2002 and the Quorum of the Twelve in 2004.
President Boyd K. Packer went from acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to president of the quorum.
With the call of President Uchtdorf to the First Presidency, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Presidency of the Seventy was called to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Christofferson was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1993 and the Presidency of the Seventy in 1998.
President Monson spoke of a "great loneliness" that he has felt since President Hinckley's passing. "I knew him so well. I worked with him in three First Presidencies. We knew how each other thought. And when I got word that he had passed away, I began to realize that the person with whom I had conversed on any subject was no longer here. There was really no one else. We were two men who were so close. We sat next to each other so many years."
Asked by the Church News about his thoughts and feelings pertaining to the moment he realized that he was going to be the next president of the Church, the one who holds all the priesthood keys, President Monson said, "I've always followed the philosophy, 'Serve where you're called.' … I've never speculated on what might lie ahead for me. I just never did. I didn't know but what President Hinckley would outlive me."
Other major events in 2008 included:
— Ground was broken for the Manaus Brazil Temple on May 23 and the San Salvador El Salvador Temple on Sept. 20. Plans were announced during 2008 for eight new temples: Calgary Alberta, Cordoba Argentina, Gila Valley Arizona, Gilbert Arizona, Kansas City Missouri, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Phoenix Arizona, Rome Italy and Trujillo Peru. This brings to 146 the total number of temples in operation, under construction or in planning stages.
— The Mexico City Mexico Temple was rededicated on Nov. 16. In addition, four new temples were dedicated in 2008: Rexburg Idaho on Feb. 10, Curitiba Brazil on June 1, Panama City Panama on Aug. 10 and Twin Falls Idaho on Aug. 24. President Monson officiated at all five dedications.
— In 2008, more than 52,000 missionaries were serving in 176 nations, speaking 164 languages and dialects.
— In February, the Church announced establishment of The Church History Press, a new imprint for publishing works related to the Church's origin and growth. Volume one of the Joseph Smith Papers Project, the first product of the new venture, was published Nov. 24.
— More than 200 members of the Church from Wells, Elko and Wendover, Nev., wearing yellow "LDS Helping Hands" T-shirts, turned out on March 1 to help in the recovery process after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocked the town of Wells on Feb. 21, which caused damage to 75 percent of the homes of members of the Wells Ward.
— The 200th anniversary of the birth of Samuel H. Smith, brother of the Prophet Joseph and the first formal missionary in this dispensation, was commemorated March 9 in a meeting of his descendants and relatives in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve and a great-great-grandson of Hyrum Smith, brother of Joseph and Samuel, spoke at the meeting. Elder Ballard said, "Since Samuel's first missionary service, the Church has called over 1 million missionaries to serve in 348 missions, now teaching the gospel in 176 nations and in 164 languages and dialects. What a wonderful beginning to spreading the message of the Restoration to the people of the world."
— In an effort to further memorialize the people killed at Mountain Meadows more than 150 years before in southern Utah, on March 28 Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy and Church historian told leaders of three descendant organizations in Carrollton, Ark., that the Church will seek National Historic Landmark designation for the site.
— Dr. Mack Wilberg was named the new music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on March 29, replacing Dr. Craig Jessop. Brother Wilberg, who previously served as the choir's associate music director and conductor of the Temple Square Chorale, is the 15th director in the Tabernacle Choir's history. "We certainly want to continue the great tradition and legacy that has become the Mormon Tabernacle Choir," Brother Wilberg said.
— In addition to sustaining the new First Presidency in a solemn assembly on April 5, Church members also sustained Elder L. Whitney Clayton, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, to the Presidency of the Seventy, filling the vacancy left by Elder Christofferson.
Also, a new Young Women general presidency, consisting of Elaine S. Dalton, president; Mary N. Cook, first counselor; and Ann M. Dibb, second counselor was sustained at the conference.
— More than 17,000 women participated in the 2008 Women's Conference, held May 1-2 on the BYU campus and co-sponsored by BYU and the Relief Society. During the conference, 209 presenters addressed topics based on the theme, "Awake, Arise and Come unto Him" (from Moroni 10:30-32), and included 96 concurrent sessions and four general sessions. President Monson spoke at the closing general session and counseled the women to find "joy in the journey," to enjoy today rather than just looking forward to what might come tomorrow. "I plead with you not to let the important things in life pass you by, planning instead for that illusive and nonexistent future day when you'll have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey now. There is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today. Let us not procrastinate those things which matters most," he said.
— Responding rapidly after Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region, resulting in an estimated 100,000 deaths, the Church made a large donation on May 2, in partnership with CARE International, for the purchase of clean drinking water, tarps, blankets, basic food items and medical supplies for distribution to victims. A week later, the Church sent to Myanmar 142,000 pounds of emergency relief supplies, and another 13,000 first aid kits.
— Church members turned out in massive numbers to help victims of record-breaking flooding in four Midwestern states. Flood waters from the Mississippi, Cedar, Iowa and White rivers, which crested June 17-18, inundated several cities in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.
— On June 21, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve admonished the 235 graduates of BYU-Hawaii in Laie, Hawaii, not to become imprisoned by "voluntary slavery." "When we allow ourselves to be brought under the power of anything or anyone, we become a slave to that person or that thing," he said.
— On a pleasant July 24 morning, crowds lined the streets of downtown Salt Lake City for the annual Pioneer Day parade. All ages cheered as floats traveled the parade route, each with its own colorful and artistic representation of this year's theme, "Still Pioneering Together." Celebrating Utah's pioneer heritage, the floats creatively represented pioneers from an array of areas.
— The Mormon Tabernacle Choir participated in the Sun Valley (Idaho) Summer Symphony's annual fundraising concert on Aug. 9, held in central Idaho's newest performance venue, The Sun Valley Pavilion. The Summer Symphony director, Alasdair Neale, said the experience was "unforgettable."
— Learning throughout a person's lifetime is an essential part of his or her eternal education, Elder Robert D. Hales told some 22,000 people gathered in the BYU Marriott Center for the university's annual Campus Education Week devotional assembly Aug. 19. Elder Hales, of the Quorum of the Twelve, spoke on the theme of the week: "The Journey of Lifelong Learning."
— Immediately after Hurricane Ike struck Texas on Sept. 13, Church supplies reached victims. Hurricane Ike left 48 dead in 10 states as it moved from Texas northeastward across the U.S. midsection, causing millions of dollars in damage and leaving 2.6 million people without power. Some 600 members took shelter in more than 20 Church buildings during the storm.
— During September, Brigham Young University-Idaho reached an all-time high enrollment of 13,759 fall semester students. The record is the result of more freshmen students accepting admission than expected.
— Church membership in October 2008 reached 13,428,061 members, 234,062 more than the Church had at the end of the 2007 calendar year.
— On Oct. 4-5, the 178th Semiannual General Conference of the Church took place. President Monson spoke three times during Conference, including a discourse during the Sunday Morning session titled "Finding Joy in the Journey." "Despite the changes that come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most," President Monson said. "May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."
— President Monson and his wife, Frances, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 7.
— California voters went to the polls on Nov. 4 and passed Proposition 8 by a slim margin of 52.1 percent to 47.9 percent. If upheld by the courts, Proposition 8 will amend the California state constitution so that marriage can only be performed between a man and a woman. Thousands of Church members all over California volunteered in extensive grass roots efforts aimed at passing the initiative.
— Elder Joseph Bitner Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve passed away Dec. 1 of causes incident to age. At 91, he was the oldest living General Authority. Elder Wirthlin was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in 1975, to the Quorum of the Seventy in 1976 and to the Quorum of the Twelve in 1986. At the funeral, President Monson said, "Elder Wirthlin's lifetime of service reached across borders into the hearts and the homes of people throughout the world."
