The Salt Lake City International Airport is an interesting place. So many people go through there each with his/her own story. It's been years since I flew on a plane, but I used to do it often when I was in school. On one occasion I was coming or going from Colorado or Virginia (I can't remember what the occasion was exactly), and there was Elder Thomas S. Monson going somewhere. He saw that I recognized him and smiled and nodded at me. I appreciated that, very kind of him.
After eight years of his presidency, I am finally getting his biography read so that I can add it to my list. (I've read the biography of each prophet since Spencer W. Kimball.) In the reading, I discovered two other times our paths have "crossed." First, he became chairman of the Missionary Executive Committee in 1976, and was the one who decided where I would serve in 1977. It was Spencer W. Kimball who signed the letter, but Elder Monson made the decision. And second, he, along with Pres. Eyring and Pres. Uchtdorf, granted my sealing clearance and sent a letter wishing me well.
I found the book difficult to read. I think I read everything twice just to grasp what was going on. Perhaps my mind really wasn't focused on it, but also, I think it could have been written with a little more care, and the quantity of information included seemed astronomical.
The section I found most interesting was his work in Germany in the aftermath of WWII beginning in 1962. Germany had been divided by the victors into four military zones, occupied by American, British, French, and Russian armies. Quickly, the US, England and France had begun to rebuild the shattered economy of "their" Germany. Russia, on the other hand, isolated its portion and established a police state where censorship and travel restrictions set back recovery efforts for half a century. Also, the city of Berlin, located deep in the Soviet Zone, had, like Germany itself, been divided into four sectors under the four military powers. The American, English, and French sectors became known as West Berlin; the Soviet sector became known as East Berlin.
On the morning of August 13, 1961, West Berliners awoke to find a barbed-wire wall encircling their side of the city, with armed guards lined up along it to "protect" the citizens of the Soviet Zone, now the GDR, from Western influences. Communications and travel were shut down as well. That September, Erich Honecker, a tough Communist who had scrambled to authority after the war, directed the construction of miles of concrete that became known as the Berlin Wall.
Churches were faced with punitive practices by the government, designed to discourage religious activity. The intent was to supplant Christianity with Socialist dogma and practices. The GDR granted the right to exist --unlike in other Communist countries -- but made religious practice very difficult and always suspect. There could be no missionary activity, no religious materials, and no entry to universities nor advancement in the workplace to any citizen demonstrating religious inclinations.
Germany, had long been a stronghold for the Church. It was one of the most productive areas of membership growth in the Church. Some of the Church's German branches that now fell in the Soviet Zone had first been established before many in the newly settled communities in Utah. Those who were able, hundreds of thousands of East Germans, fled to other nations during those first years after the war. Fully a fifth of the population got out. President David O. McKay had traveled to West Berlin in 1952, and 1,300 members had been allowed to cross over from the East Zone to hear him speak, some selling the little they had to make the trip. The day after, the GDR government refused to allow East German citizens to visit. On another occasion, Elder Spencer W. Kimball spoke of his "glorious vision" of what would happen if the members stayed in Germany and did their part "unselfishly to rebuild the great kingdom." Many did stay in the Zone "because of the words of the prophets."
The Berlin Wall went up in 1961, and no General Authority had attempted to visit the Soviet Zone in Germany since then. In 1968, and "trusting in the Lord," Elder Monson decided he would be the one to make that visit. He visited behind the Berlin Wall several times, every time asking permission and giving explanation of intent, as required. Never were rules broken; always protocols were followed. The GDR leaders were not used to their rules being honored by religions. Elder Russell M. Nelson would later call it, "disarming." Eventually, a mission was formed out of already existing members as no one could pass behind the Wall very often. Little by little progress was made as members, Elder Monson, and other leadership slowly but gently moved things forward. Elder Monson dedicated the country blessing the people with everything that any other member could hope for, returned home and was concerned about how it all would come to pass. Elder Uchtdorf said he kept track of the fulfillment of each blessing.
Eventually, the request to build a temple behind the Wall was made to the GDR government leaders. They did not deny the request, so Elder Monson proceeded forward. In 1985 the Freiberg, Germany temple was dedicated and thousands came to the open house. In October of 1988 in the GDR to
dedicate the first stake center in Dresden, government leaders of the GDR hosted a dinner for Elder Monson and other Church leaders. At another meeting held after the dedication a few days later between GDR government leaders and invited Church leaders, (I picture Satan across the table from Christ) one of the leaders, the State Secretary of Religious Affairs, confided, "I know you; I trust you. You and I can speak honestly as friends. I believe some of the same principles you believe (he commented about his wife and marriage), and if I were joining a church today, I would join your church." He also said that the meeting was one "of complete agreement on the basic ideology of life." Another leader contributed, "We and your church are dependent upon great human ideals. These included the protection of life...the surety of peace...good and honest work...the strengthening of homeland...freedom of family...raising children. These will be important to society in the future." Herr Honecker, one of the most feared leaders of the Communist world, said that his people also advocated the strength of the family. He said that he had observed Elder Monson and the Church's activities for many years and had seen that the Church taught its members to obey and sustain the law of the land, that it emphasized the family, and the Church members were ideal citizens. At this same meeting, permission was granted to allow missionaries to leave their country as well as to enter their country. The first missionaries to accomplish this were sent in March and May of 1989.
President Reagan gave his landmark speech with the phrase, "Pres. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" in 1987. Then, in November 1989 news reports indicated a demand for the Berlin Wall to come down, and the Church received word privately that Chairman Honecker would be stepping down that week.
Some other interesting points were these:
1. While working at Deseret Book as classified advertising manager, he applied what he called "Wisdom's Seven Watchwords: Vision, Patience, Balance, Effort, Understanding, Courtesy, and Love." Also, his philosophy was: "You can live with yourself if you treat people the way you would like to be treated." and "Cherish associations with others. I have learned everyone can teach me something. I love to learn something from each person with whom I associate."
2. He always had time for "the one." "The great thing, Eliza, (from My Fair Lady) is not having bad manners or good manners or any particular set of manners, but having the same manners for all human souls; in short, behaving as if you were in heaven, where there are no third-class carriages and where one soul is as good as another." "Have the courage to refrain from judging and criticizing those around you, as well as the courage to make certain everyone is included and feels loved and valued."
3. A talk on 'Meeting Your Goliath.'
4. His leadership style has always been to encourage expression of opinion and counsel, whether those ideas mirrored his thinking or not. As Church President, he has been known to say, "You don't help me," when committee members have withheld opinions on a pressing matter. Those who have worked at his side agree he is very open to counsel. "He wants it absolutely straight," they say, and has little patience for those in the room who wait to see what is the "right way" to come out on a particular issue.
5. I like this quote that he took from Robert Louis Stevenson, who best summed up an attitude toward our daily occupations when he declared: "I know what real pleasure is, for I have done good work."
6. I marveled at the events that led up to and culminated in a meeting between GDR and civic officials and Church leaders wherein the GDR leaders stated that the two groups were in "complete agreement on the basic ideology of life." As I read this entry, I thought of Satan and followers on one side of the table, and Christ and his followers on the other.
7. During his presidency, Ronald Reagan asked for advice and counsel from Elder Monson and others to solve a particularly vexing problem that, he said, "has weighed heavily on me." What he hoped for was a "resurgence of the American spirit of generosity," an unprecedented outpouring of good deeds. He hoped the task force could help realize that vision.
8. Thinking I was being indulgent when I asked for a third blessing over a period of two months, I was relieved when I read "two of his physicians had administered to him when he first entered the hospital. President Hinckley had also done so on his visit a few days later. President Hinckley and Elder Wirthlin administered to him on yet another occasion. President Monson had unquestioning faith that he would get well."
9. Considering who to vote for for this 2016 election, I've wondered if we could find someone else, and I saw that "One year, during a highly contested campaign for the post of governor of the state of Utah, President Monson, a serious-minded citizen, had asked Frances which candidate she had chosen at the polls. She replied, "I didn't vote for either candidate. They promised too much for any man to deliver." He looked at her and said, "What did you do? Leave it blank?" She said, "Why no, of course not. I wrote in the name of Howard W. Hunter. He is so modest, so humble; surely he is the type of man Heavenly Father would guide to success."
10. No man was better prepared to engage the Church in such a concerted effort to reach out to those facing the loneliness of the self-absorbed, self-centered cultures of today. President Monson lives by the creed he teaches, He has said many times: the five most important words in the English language are "I am proud of you." The four most important are "What is your opinion?" The three most important are "If you please." The two most important are "Thank you." The least important is "I."
11. Something in which I need to make a more concerted effort... He has admonished the members to "acquire the language of the Spirit. It is not learned from textbooks written by men, nor is it acquired through reading and memorization. The language of the Spirit comes to him who seeks with all his heart to know God and keep His divine commandments. Proficiency in this 'language' permits one to breach barriers, overcome obstacles, and touch the human heart."
12. I found this interesting as a perspective on decision making. "He can hear from God and does hear from God," President Henry B. Eyring has observed. "He makes decisions in the most interesting way. He does his homework. He ponders and prays a long time. In other words, he doesn't shoot off quickly. He is not predisposed to a particular direction or decision until he decides it is right. But I'll tell you there will come a moment, usually after a lot of hard work--he does charts, he reads minutes, he asks for lots of opinions, he ponders and prays a long time--and then, very interesting, he's all settled." He exhibits this underlying confidence that things will sort out; they always have and always will because the Lord's hand is in it." He takes counsel from those who work closely with him. He sincerely wants to hear other views and perspectives and have meaningful discussions, usually before divulging his own opinion. "He wants your opinion, but he is very, very good at telling what your motives are. So if you shade anything for him at all, he sees it. If you hedge, he will say nicely but with a smile, 'But you don't help me. You don't help me.' He wants it absolutely straight. Most people like to win arguments. He likes to get to the truth. He is very interesting that way, very rare." "I have simply put my faith and trust in Him and moved along day by day and week by week." "Reflect gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," he has said. "He is our Master. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is the Author of our Salvation. He beckons, 'Follow me.' He instructs, 'Go, and do thou likewise.' He pleads, 'Keep my commandments.' Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude."
13. Since this applied to me, I took note of it. "Marriages start out happy," President Monson explains. "And then people don't get along, and the pattern for the Church is that the President will be the ultimate determiner of whether the cancellation of sealing should be approved or not. Some circumstances are tragic. These are hard decisions."
My overall impression was of the "greatness" of this man and his ability to love the individual even in such a high-profile position. At a time when many are claiming the Church doesn't care about certain groups of people with different opinions and physical problems, President Monson is the epitome of "caring." He is truly the one to show all of us how to express love for our "neighbor" regardless of their circumstances.
Also, I was looking over the group who make up the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, and I think he is the last of an era. He is, in a sense, a transitional apostle, being in that position since 1963, and the next apostle was ordained in 1984.
