Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was the twelfth President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon Church. President Kimball is remembered for his contributions in organizing the structure of the Church and for the revelation he received permitting all worthy men to have the Priesthood. Despite his advanced age when he became president, most of his tenure (1973-1985) was characterized by his dynamic energy, his openness, and his genuine love for all humanity. Born Spencer Wooley Kimball on March 28, 1895, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Spencer was the son of Andrew Kimball (whose father was Apostle Heber C. Kimball) and Olive Wooley. Young Spencer had a challenging life. He suffered from typhoid fever, smallpox, and temporary paralysis, but was miraculously cured. He had four siblings die, and his mother died when he was only eleven years old. In 1914, Spencer W. Kimball was called on a mission to the Central United States. , When he came home, he was nearly drafted to fight in World War I, but bureaucratic problems delayed this until eventually, he was not called up. In the meantime, he married Camilla Eyring, a local school teacher, on November 16, 1917. They had four children. Spencer W. Kimball served in various positions within the Mormon Church throughout his life. He was a Stake President in both Arizona and Texas, during which time he helped with recovery after a major hurricane. In 1943, he was called to be a member Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Kimball felt inadequate, but with his wife's encouragement, he put his faith in God, sold his business, and moved the family to Salt Lake City. In October of 1943, he was sustained and ordained as an Apostle. While an apostle, Spencer W. Kimball had the responsibility to work with the Native American people. He was upset by the poverty and hardship of the people, and began working to help them overcome economic hardship. He set up the Indian Student Placement Program. In this program students seeking higher education were helped economically by Mormons who allowed them to live with them while going to school. Spencer W. Kimball was also a great religious scholar and wrote the book The Miracle of Forgiveness, which is used often within the Church and gives many people hope through a better understanding of the atonement and repentance. He also wrote Faith Precedes the Miracle. He also became a powerful speaker and defender of Mormonism, and while he loved peace and harmony, he would not back down on his principles. When President Harold B. Lee passed away in 1973, many thought that Spencer W. Kimball's time as president would be short. However, he served a term of twelve years. Under his presidency, the Mormon Church doubled in membership to nearly six million, the Priesthood was granted to all worthy members, and the Three-fold mission of the Church was established, which succinctly states the Mormon Church's aim to bring all to Jesus Christ by perfecting the Saints (i.e. Members of the Mormon Church), proclaiming the gospel, and performing temple work. Despite age and poor health, President Kimball was very active and visited Mormon congregations all over the world. He was known for his two mottos: "Do It" and "Lengthen your Stride," calling on all Mormons to step up to the challenge to take the gospel to the whole world. In 1973, only 9,000 Mormon missionaries were sent out each year, but by his death in 1985, 20,000 missionaries were sent out per year with nearly 45,000 preaching at any given time. President Kimball also organized the First Quorum of the Seventy, something that had not been done since Joseph Smith was President. He established Areas and Area Presidencies to help govern the Church, set up the three-hour Sunday Block Meeting Schedule, and approved the increase of operating temples from fifteen to thirty-one, the largest increase in the number of temples to that time. The growth of the Church in South America was especially pronounced, and in the late 1970s, President Kimball grew concerned about this growth and the historical ban of blacks from the Priesthood. Many members in South America were of mixed race. While praying fervently about a solution, he received a revelation that the time had finally come for all worthy male members to be able to be ordained to the Priesthood. That revelation was accepted and was added to the Doctrine and Covenants as Official Declaration 2. The Church immediately moved into Africa where tens of thousands have embraced the Restored Gospel. On November 5, 1985, after serving faithfully and wisely as President, Spencer W. Kimball passed away in Salt Lake City. Information from http://www.mormonwiki.com