President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, will observe his 75th birthday Aug. 21.
President Monson will spend the day in meetings of the First Presidency and in carrying out the many duties of his office.
He said that he plans to have dinner that evening with his wife, Frances Johnson Monson, their two sons and daughter and their spouses, and their children and grandchildren. President and Sister Monson, who were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 7, 1948, have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
President Monson was set apart as first counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley on March 12, 1995. He was also set apart as President of the Quorum of the Twelve on that date. Previously, he served as second counselor to President Howard W. Hunter from June 5, 1994, to March 3, 1995, and as second counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson from Nov. 10, 1985, to May 30, 1994. He was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on Oct. 4, 1963, and ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on Oct. 10, 1963, at age 36.
Long service in the Church has been a way of life for President Monson. On May 7, 1950, he was called as bishop of the Sixth-Seventh Ward in Salt Lake City's Temple View Stake. The ward had 1,060 members, with 85 widows and had one of the largest welfare responsibilities in the Church. Bishop Thomas S. Monson was 22 years old.
Following five years as bishop, President Monson served in the presidency of the Temple View Stake. From 1959 to1962, he was president of the Canadian Mission, with headquarters in Toronto.
He served in the U.S. Navy near the end of World War II. He began working in 1948 as an advertising executive with the Deseret News. At the time of his mission call, he was assistant manager at Deseret Press. After he completed his service as a mission president, he resumed his work at Deseret Press, where he soon became general manager, the position he held at the time he was called as a General Authority.
President Monson has served for 33 years as a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America. He has been awarded the Silver Beaver, Silver Buffalo and Bronze Wolf, prestigious awards for service locally, nationally and internationally.
Thomas Spencer Monson was born Aug. 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City, to G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson. He graduated cum laude from the University of Utah in business management, and received an MBA degree from BYU. He has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from BYU and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Salt Lake Community College.