Elder Marion D. Hanks was called to serve as a General Authority Seventy at age 31 in 1953. During his decades of service, he served as an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later in the Presidency of the Seventy, until he was granted emeritus status in 1992.
Elder Hanks also presided over the British Mission (1962-1964) and served as president of the Salt Lake Temple (1982–1985). He died Aug. 5, 2011, at age 89.
An extensive collection of thousands of documents kept and created by Elder Hanks is now available to view and research in the Church History Catalog, according to an April 16 Church History Library article by Jeff Morley.
The collection “offers a window into the life of a devoted teacher, missionary, Church leader and community servant whose influence reached across decades of Church and public service,” the article reads.
“Known for his captivating speaking ability, warm and compassionate ministry, and contagious love of the gospel, Elder Marion Hanks impacted a generation of Latter-day Saints who heard his testimony of Jesus Christ and witnessed the impact of his Christlike service.”
The Elder Hanks collection features journals, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, minutes, reports and notes documenting his life and ministry. The materials cover his experiences as the following:
- Missionary in the Northern States Mission (1942–1944).
- Guide, assistant director and director of Temple Square (1946–1965).
- Teacher and administrator in the Church Education System (1946–1970).
- General Authority (1953–1992).
- President of the British Mission (1962–1964).
- Member of the Church Board of Education (1962–1980).
- Managing director of Melchizedek Priesthood Mutual Improvement Association (1972–1976).
- President of the Salt Lake Temple (1982–1985).
- U.S. Navy serviceman during World War II.
- Managing director of Latter-day Saint Student Association and his ministry to Latter-day Saint singles.
- Active participant in the Boy Scouts of America, national youth programs, and civic service.
The Elder Marion D. Hanks collection (MS 31743) is accessible digitally through the Church History Catalog online at catalog.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The collection joins other digitized materials from general authorities, offering a deeper understanding of Latter-day Saint history.
