Harold B. Lee, the 11th Prophet in the history of Mormonism, has a birthday of March 28, 1899. Harold B. Lee may have been born in Idaho and grown up there, but like a great majority of other Prophets he died in Salt Lake City. He got to go to Oneida Stake Academy with Ezra Taft Benson at the young age of 13. He went to Albion Normal School to graduate and then within the year started to teach at Silver Star over in Idaho. He then got put into being the principal of three other schools one in Idaho and two in Salt Lake City. He had an intermission of being a principal of the Idaho and Salt Lake City Schools by attending the U of U for getting a degree. Before going to The U he went on a mission to Denver Colorado. He became an Apostle in 1941. Harold B. Lee got to assist in organizing the Church Welfare Program. He started in 1935 causing him to not be an Apostle yet, but didn't actually get completed until '36. The Welfare Program went worldwide before he died. The precise date for going worldwide if you care was October 5, 1972. That being while he was a prophet. Another event that happened in 1972 was an important event in the history of Mormonism. This important event was for missions to go full out worldwide. He actually got called for a Prophet just a couple months before the worldwide Welfare thing. Harold B. Lee died 12 days past a year from when missions went worldwide causing his death to be on December 26, 1973.
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His testimony: "I want to bear my sacred witness that because I know of the divinity of this work, I know that it will prevail; and that though there may be enemies within and without the Church who would seek to undermine and would seek to find fault and try to undermine the influence of the Church in this world, this Church will be borne off triumphantly and will stand through the test of time when all the man-made efforts and weapons forged against the Lord's word will fall by the wayside. I know that our Lord and Master Jesus Christ is the read of this Church; that He has daily communion through agencies known to Him, not only to the leaders of the Church in high positions, but also to individual members as they keep the commandments of God. To that I have my sacred witness and leave my blessing upon all the faithful of the Church, and indeed in the world everywhere, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."
A great Quote: "If it were not for the assurance that I have that the Lord is near to us, guiding, directing, the burden would be almost beyond my strength, but because I know that He is there, and that He can be appealed to, and if we have ears to wear attuned to Him, we will never be left alone."
Cody, thanks for sharing this reminder of President Lee. I recall his leadership in the Mormon Church. When he became the prophet it was a great joy having felt his love and kindness over the previous years. His passing after a brief time as prophet was a shock to us. It was one of the events that I remember clearly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news. President Lee's words continued to be a comfort to me when my daughter and husband died knowing that he understood from his experience of loosing his wife and daughter. He once said, "The veil is at times very thin," referring to the closeness he at times felt to his deceased wife and daughter. I have found that to be true. Thanks again Cody for prompting these tender memories.
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