The religious leader who wiggled his ears for the world
In short: Thomas S. Monson was a man of immense institutional power, yet he famously wiggled his ears during a global broadcast. This contrast between high-level leadership and a childlike spirit defined a life dedicated to "the one"—the individual person often lost in the crowd.
Born in 1927, Thomas S. Monson balanced a career of significant corporate and religious influence with a personal philosophy of humble service. He served as the general manager of Deseret Press, the largest publishing company west of the Mississippi River, and was appointed to President Ronald Reagan's Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives. Despite these high-ranking roles, his personal motto was to run any "errand" for the divine, a commitment that manifested in his early life as a boy reaching out to lonely children to offer friendship. His leadership style was characterized by a focus on the marginalized. At age 22, he was called to lead a ward of over 1,000 members, where he personally visited all 84 widows. During his tenure leading The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (2008–2018), he maintained this method of 'rescuing the one'.
He championed missionary work behind the Iron Curtain and oversaw the construction of a temple in Freiberg, Germany, in 1985. Even as he received honorary doctorates from seven universities and the highest awards from the Boy Scouts of America and Scouts Canada, he often preferred the "less conspicuous rewards" of sincere acts of service. Monson's legacy is rooted in this duality: the ability to manage massive organizations while maintaining a "childlike spirit." He viewed his life as an invitation for others to join him on a spiritual errand, emphasizing that the value of a large position does not obscure the importance of the individual. He passed away on January 2, 2018, leaving a record of service that bridged the gap between corporate management, international diplomacy, and grassroots charity.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Thomas S. Monson | BYU Speeches
- Also: Thomas Spencer Monson | Mormon Prophet, Church President, Humanitarian | Britannica
- Also: Thomas S. Monson
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