Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - To the rescue: the biography of Thomas S. Monson

To Jeffrey

And to our sons: Christian, Cameron, Daniel, Jonathan, and Ian

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs appear courtesy of the Thomas S. Monson Collection.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Swinton, Heidi S.

To the rescue : the biography of Thomas S. Monson / Heidi Swinton.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60641-898-7 (hardbound : alk. paper)

1. Monson, Thomas S., 1927 2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsPresidentsBiography. 3. MormonsUnited StatesBiography. I. Title.

BX8695.M56S95 2010

289.3'32092dc22

[B] 2010027460

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Preface

The phone rang on the evening of June 18, 2008, at the mission home in Cobham, England. My husband answered, looked at me, and with a smile of surprise said, President Monson is on the phone; he wants to talk to you.

What had I done to get in such trouble, I wondered, that the President of the Church would call me in England? In his ever-familiar voice, President Monson began, How are you, Heidi? He chatted, asking about the mission and the missionaries, jolly old England and our family. And then he said, I have been getting a lot of pressure to have my biography written. I have prayed about it; Ive talked with Frances; and I have decided that I want you to write my biography.

President, I would be honored, I said. Then, gathering my wits, I said, But Im in England. I imagine he was nodding, I know; I called you. But you arent that busy, are you? he said. You can get a good start on the book before you get home. I have since learned one of his favorite teachings is, Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time.

For the next yearstill on foreign soilI pored over biographies of Presidents of the Church and notable figures in history, from John Adams to Winston Churchill to Sir Christopher Wren. I studied, outlined, and catalogued all the talks President Monson has given for the last forty-seven years. We did videoconferences from the mission office with him every month, technology connecting us across the ocean and seven time zones. When I called to schedule the first interview, Lynne Cannegieter, his personal secretary, asked me how long I wanted to talk to him. Not wanting to impose on his time, I suggested forty-five minutes. There was a long pause. I thought, Oh, no, Ive asked for too much. Then Lynne said diplomatically, Oh, youll need more than that. Hell want to talk to you for at least two hours.

In that first session, I remember recognizing quickly that his interest and discussions had little to do with date, time, and place. He sees life and teaches the gospel through the eyes of experience. I learned he is most comfortable answering questions with true life accountshe doesnt call them stories because they are true; they have happened to real people. And most often he was there.

I have read his daily journals from 1963 on. They are a reflection of more than his days. The accounts applaud those with whom he works and has occasion to meet. They are filled with his willingness to follow the promptings of the Lord and with his gratitude for the opportunity.

It became apparent very quickly that this is no ordinary man. He has been schooled by the Lord since his childhood. He has had the association of the Spirit coupled with remarkable faith in Jesus Christ and Father in Heaven. As a result, his biography reflects that premise. His life is not about where he went and what he did when he was there. It is about what he learned in the process. There seemed to me to be no other way to capture the man whose experiences read like the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When I sat down to write, I could hear him teaching one experience after another, and I realized that if his biography were to be true to his life, it had to reflect just such a pattern. Hence this book is shaped around his personal accounts and the principles they teach.

I found in the research that volumes could be written describing the hands he has lifted, the hearts he has touched. In any setting where his name is mentioned, accounts of what, when, where, and how he has touched a life are volunteered quicklynot just by one but by many. It was so even when I was halfway around the world.

The other thing I realized, quickly, is that he is as good as he appears. He is the kind of person that people think he is. There is no pretense or show, bravado or self-congratulation. He gives all he has to the moment at hand. I have let those who are close to him share their observations of this uncommonly good man.

And shouldnt he be? He is the Lords chosen prophet on the earth today. He is not perfect. But to look for his failings is to suggest that mortals can measure and assess the life of such a singular servant of God. We learn from him what we learned from Abinadi, Nephi, Enos, Peter, and Joseph Smith: The Lord calls disciples to his work at the time He needs them. It has always been so.

In this era of the last dispensation, when cultures have squandered their rights to Gods inspiration, when mens hearts have failed them and their designs are not in keeping with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Father in Heaven has placed a prophet in our midst so that we can carry on.

I have sat in his office, which I have come to call the pool of Bethesda, and experienced what so many others have as well. He looked at me with the kindest of eyes when the weight of this assignment had worn me down, and he asked, What can I do to help? What he did was talk to me, engaging the Spirit to speak peace to my soul. I had read of that happening to others; I have had that blessing given to me as a witness that Thomas S. Monson speaks as a prophet of God. The title of his biography, To the Rescue, is fitting for a man whose life has been in such service.

There are many who have come to the rescue as this project has unfolded.

I have been fortunate to work closely with Lynne Cannegieter, secretary to the President, who has been in his office for forty-five years. I have benefited from her knowledge, loyalty, honesty, insight, and wisdom.

While in England I asked historical researcher and writer Tricia H. Stoker to join this project as a research assistant. Together we have forged a love for the East German portion of President Monsons service and for the many members in that land whose stories are simply extraordinary. I couldnt have done this work without her.

Both of President Monsons counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, have consented to interviews and given encouragement these many months, as has each member of the Quorum of the Twelve and various members of the Seventy and Presiding Bishopric and general auxiliary officers of the Church. Their perspectives have been invaluable in shaping this biography. In particular, Elder Robert D. Hales has been a guiding hand and voice.