In an address at the October 1974 general conference, Elder Thomas S. Monson, then of the Quorum of the Twelve and now first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke of heroes whose names deserve to be entered into a "Hall of Fame."
Of heroines, he spoke of "that noble example of fidelity - even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, and feeling perhaps the pangs of despair and loneliness which plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth uttered what has become that classic statement of loyalty: `Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.' (Ruth 1:16.) Ruth's actions demonstrated the sincerity of her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame."To the question of what makes a hero or heroine, Elder Monson said the answer is: "Unwavering trust in an all-wise Heavenly Father and an abiding testimony concerning the mission of a divine Savior. This knowledge is like a golden thread woven through the tapestry of their lives."
In the 1983 LDS edition of the King James Bible, the Bible Dictionary entry on Ruth states: "The story of Ruth beautifully illustrates the conversion of a non-Israelite into the fold of Israel, giving up her former god and former life to unite with the household of faith in the service of the God of Israel."
