President Gordon B. Hinckley observed his 88th birthday Tuesday, June 23, working in his office and spending time with family.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1910, President Hinckley was ordained and set apart as the 15th president of the Church on March 12, 1995. He had previously served 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, 20 years in the Quorum of the Twelve and three years as an Assistant to the Twelve. Except for a short period during World War II - when he worked as an assistant manager for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in Salt Lake City and then in Denver, Colo. - President Hinckley has been a General Authority or worked as an employee of the Church on a full-time basis since completing his mission to the British Isles in 1935.President Hinckley has dedicated or rededicated 31 of the Church's 52 operating temples - more than any other person in Church history.
His presidency has been characterized by his desire to get out among the Latter-day Saints around the world. As president of the Church, he has circled the globe, speaking to hundreds of thousands of Church members.
In February, President Hinckley became the first Church president to ever visit Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana during a five-nation tour through Africa, where he traveled 24,700 miles and spoke to a total of 34,914 people. Some of his other trips this year include northern Mexico in March, where he addressed more than 53,000 members in 10 cities; Madison Square Garden in New York City in April, where he spoke to more than 20,000 members; and Europe earlier this month, where he dedicated the Preston England Temple - revisiting the country where he served his mission from 1933-1935 - and addressed members in France, Switzerland and Germany.
President Hinckley celebrated his birthday with his wife, the former Marjorie Pay - whom he married April 29, 1937, in the Salt Lake Temple - and many of his five children, 25 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
He asked the Church News to express his deep appreciation to the many members who sent birthday greetings from throughout the world. He received so many he is unable to respond personally to each one.
