One hundred years "is a long time but it has gone by fast" for Elder Joseph Anderson, who was born a century ago Monday.
Elder Anderson, who is the longest living general authority in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be honored Monday evening at a family birthday party at his home in Salt Lake City.Elder Anderson, who has been associated with or been a general authority himself for more than 67 years, was also honored at a reception in the Church Administration Building Friday.
After serving for nearly a half-century as personal secretary to the First Presidency, he was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in 1970 and to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976. He received emeritus status in 1978.
Elder Anderson said Thursday that he "never expected to live this long. I have had a wonderful life. (It seems) just a couple of years ago that I used to swim at the Deseret Gym and in the ocean."
Elder Anderson's recipe for living a long life and being happy?
It's getting lots of exercise, trying to be optimistic, "keeping God's commandments and being considerate of others."