On behalf of her late husband, President Monson kisses Thelma Fetzer's forehead. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

Place: Thelma Fetzer’s house
Purpose: Celebrate friend’s 100th birthday

A week ago from last Thursday, on April 8th, President Monson visited one of his “golden” friends of over 60 years, Thelma Wooley Fetzer, to celebrate her 100th birthday, as reported in the Church News.

Sister Fetzer’s husband, Percy K. Fetzer (who passed away in 1982), was a stake president in Salt Lake City’s Temple View Stake long ago, and called President Monson to be one of his counselors.

“Since I was his counselor and friend, I’ll say for Percy, ‘Happy birthday, sweetheart.’ ” President Monson then placed a kiss on Sister Fetzer’s forehead.

See more in the Church News article:
‘Golden friend’ receives visit from President and Sister Monson

President Monson Honors Thelma Fetzer on her 100th Birthday is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

The first story is about a woman who is not a member of the Church, but who has a coworker who is, and who she speaks with often about the Church.  While the women is traveling on one occasion she meets a nice older gentleman, and they have a conversation:

…she finds out the gentleman is also a member of the church. She tells him about her co-worker [the member]. They talk and have a friendly conversation. As their meeting is coming to a close he asks her to tell her friend hello. Puzzled, she asks, “Will she know you?” He answers, “Yes, she probably will. Tell her Tommy Monson says hello.”

The second story is Elder Lansing’s account of President Monson’s visits to Elder Marion D. Hanks, who is in the hospital with Alzheimer’s disease.  The things that President Monson did for his friend is touching.

Read the stories and the additional anecdotes in the comments at Segullah:
I’m Trying to Be Like…

Stories of President Monson’s Interactions with People is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

Place: Ensign Stake Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Purpose: William Robert McConkie’s Funeral

Last Saturday, March 13th, President Monson attended and spoke at the funeral of Br. William Robert McConkie, who passed away earlier this month, the youngest brother of Bruce, Briton, James, Margaret (Bill J. Pope), and Oscar W. McConkie Jr.  A grandchild describes the service:

We went to Grandfather McConkie’s funeral, at his funeral the Prophet came. The front row was reserved for the immediate family so we went to go sit on the front row. One of our relatives told us that we shouldn’t sit on the front row, in case our children are too noisy for the prophet, because they will be distracting. Seth told her that the Prophet loves children and that we are going to sit on the front row. We listened to the program and at the end Pres. Monson stood up to speak. He mostly spoke about Bruce R. but the stories he told were pretty funny. In his speech he mentioned the beautiful children on the front row, which was Jordan and Atticus. Then half way through his speech he looked down at Jordan, because she was pointing at him. Pres. Monson said, “little girl, look up here, watch my ears.” Then Pres. Monson wiggled his ears for Jordan. After the program was over, everyone stood up after Pres. Monson stood up and Jordan ran up on the stand right to him. They held both hands together and Grandpa was right their ready with the camera and took their picture. Then Jordan led him off the stage holding his hand, he met me at the bottom of the stairs to hand over Jordan and then he touched Atticus on the cheek and told me how cute he was. It was such a neat experience.

William Robert McConkie’s obituary

President Monson Speaks at William Robert McConkie’s Funeral is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

Place: Provo, Utah
Purpose: Funeral services for Marie Osmond’s son

Today at a private service in Provo, Utah, President Thomas S. Monson presided and gave the closing remarks at the funeral of Marie Osmond’s son, Michael Bryan.  The services started with Marie’s brother, Donny Osmond, giving the opening prayer, and then family members expressing their thoughts.  After the closing remarks by President Monson, the services ended with the Osmond family singing “God Be with You Till We Meet Again.”

See additional information at the following links:

Deseret News
People Magazine
Associated Press (with pictures)

President Monson Gives Remarks at Funeral for Marie Osmond’s Son is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

Place: West Jordan Sunset Ridge Stake Center, UT
Purpose: The viewing of Br. William David Miller

A couple weeks ago (Jan 14, 2010) President Monson attended the viewing of one of the missionaries who served under him when he was mission president in the Canadian Mission from 1959-1962.  The brother was William David Miller from West Jordan, Utah.

A member from the stake, Julie Weiss, tells of a special experience that happened that evening:

Today was ward conference and our stake president, President Murphy spoke in our Relief Society meeting. He told us what had happened to him this past week. Early on in the week, a Brother Miller from our stake died and his viewing was to be held at our ward building (the stake center) this past Thursday. The day before, the stake presidency conducts their temple recommend interviews. One of the questions asked is if you sustain the prophet and one sister admitted that she was having difficulty sustaining the prophet. The stake president decided that she should not have her recommend renewed yet, but made an appointment to talk to her again on the next night, which was Thursday.

William David Miller

Thursday night came and President Murphy was in the Relief Society room with Brother Miller’s family and friends for the viewing. He looked down the hall and whom should he see coming down it, but President Monson! It turned out that President Monson was Brother Miller’s mission president in Canada and had come to pay his respects to one of his missionaries. President Monson talked to everyone in the room individually and shook their hands. He then gathered with the family in the back corner of the room and told them stories about Brother Miller when he was a missionary.

President Murphy then recalled that the sister that was having trouble sustaining the prophet, was arriving at that time. He went down the hall to his office and she had just walked in the door. He told her that President Monson was in the building and she looked at him as if he were crazy. He told her, “Come with me and I will make sure that he shakes your hand.” She followed him down the hall and saw President Monson inside the room. He eventually came over to talk to her and shook her hand and President Murphy thanked him for coming. President Murphy then took this sister back to his office to talk to her. He said it was a very humble conversation, with the sister in tears. The sister’s husband had also had trouble sustaining the prophet, and she would no doubt go home with a wonderful story to tell him. I gather that all was well with sister from that point on.

President Murphy then told us that it was a miracle and he had no doubt the Lord had a hand in making it so that the Prophet was there in our chapel at the exact time that this sister would be there. What an amazing story! I couldn’t help but look back in the corner of the Relief Society room as he was telling this story and imagine President Monson standing there or walking down the hall of the chapel. I told Brayden and Daniel this experience and said that it makes our chapel even more special to me, since the Prophet had been there.

See the links below for more information:

Julie Weiss – “Wonderful story told to us by our Stake President during Relief Society”
Obituary – William Miller
Remembering William David Miller 1937-2010

President Monson Attends the Viewing of One of His Missionaries is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

The Mormon Times reports that Kim was a very dear friend to President Monson and they often talked with one another.  The First Presidency of the Church sent a letter to the family that was read at the funeral.  The Deseret News reports:

[The letter] noted that “Kim’s charm and wit will be greatly missed,” and he was hailed by church leaders as “an influence for good in the lives of many.”

I personally remember seeing Kim at a school assembly at Mount Jordan Middle School back in the early 1990s.  I was amazed at his memorization abilities and humility.

See more information about Kim Peek’s passing at the links below:

Mormon Times – “‘Rain Man’ has been a missionary his whole life”
Deseret News – “Family eulogizes Kim Peek as an intellectual gift to others”

Kim Peek “Rainman” Friend of President Monson is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Relief Society Building)
Purpose: Celebrating service of two former YM general presidents

A luncheon was held yesterday in honor of two former Young Women general presidents, Sister Florence S. Jacobsen (served 1961 to 1972) and Sister Ruth H. Funk (served 1972 to 1978).  President Monson attended the event to thank the two women for their great service in the Church.  He said that the Lord prepared them to serve in their callings.

Sarah Jane Weaver of the Church News reports on President Monson’s remarks:

“The Church moves on and programs change, but the basic responsibility of helping youth to choose the right when the choice is placed before them is as cardinal a rule today as it has ever been,” said President Monson…

President Monson opened his remarks by speaking of being called as his ward’s MIA superintendent and telling his bishop that if he had a little leeway to work with the YWMIA, as well as the YMMIA, the activity level would increase in the ward. He and the young women leaders worked hard and were successful. “We did it together. That is the secret of MIA, to work together.”

President Thomas S. Monson laughs with Florence Jacobsen at the luncheon. August Miller, Deseret News.

President Monson recalled magnificent dance festivals and musical festivals and the enormous amount of work and prayer that made them a success.

He asked leaders of youth in the Church to be models to follow, to not judge others, and to put their shoulder to the wheel and push along.

“This great Church was not built by any one person,” said President Monson. “The Lord has to inspire those whom He calls. If we trust in the Lord with all of our heart He will respond to our needs. That is the testimony I leave with you.”

Remember, he counseled current leaders of youth, “you are a youth only once.”

“Don’t cheat them out of a road show. Don’t cheat them out of having a position in the three-act play. Don’t cheat them out of having a dance festival, or a music festival or a speech festival. Give them memories to carry into eternity and your name will be called blessed by the Lord.

Thanks be to our Heavenly Father for the prophet that recognizes the importance of teaching our youth standards and values that will impact them for eternity.

More information about the event can be found at these links:

Church News – “Building on a firm foundation for Latter-day Saint young women”
Church News – “Photo Gallery: Young Women leaders honored by Latter-day Saints’ leader”

President Monson Honors Two Former Young Women General Presidents is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Little America Hotel)
Purpose: Annual Catholic Community Services humanitarian awards dinner

Elder Ballard was awarded the Humanitarian Award by The Catholic Community Services of Utah last night at a special annual dinner, for his efforts in the community to unite people, build bridges, and help those in need.  President Monson, and many others, were in attendance.  A DVD presentation was given in which President Monson said a few words about Elder Ballard’s service.  The Church News reports:

“I have known Elder M. Russell Ballard, whom I call Russ, since I was a young advertising executive at the Deseret News,” said President Monson, “One of Russ’s outstanding traits is that he will always try to lift and encourage others.”

The Church president added that Elder Ballard remains a key contributor to his community.

“He’s not a bystander — if something needs to be accomplished he can usually be found at the center of the activity. His work as a member of the Alliance For Unity in our area has yielded greater unity, the very purpose for which it was established.”

Elder Ballard gave some remarks after accepting the award.  He noted President Monson’s leadership:

“I hope that I can continue to try to walk in the footsteps of President Thomas S. Monson. He has built this bridge between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Catholic Church for many, many years. He’s a great example for me and I think for all of us here tonight.“

Read more about the event at the following link:

Church News – “Elder Ballard Honored by Catholic Community Services”

The Prophet Attends Honoring of Elder Ballard is a post from: Follow The Prophet - The Activities of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson