Gordon B. Hinckley, 97, Dies; President of Mormon Church

By Martin Weil

Gordon B. Hinckley, 97, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and an energetic grandson of pioneers who led his denomination during a period of great expansion in membership and facilities, died last night at his home in Salt Lake City, a church spokeswoman said.

In 1995, after many years in leadership posts in what is often called the Mormon church, Hinckley became president. He was the 15th person to hold that post.

The president of the church is held in special regard by the members, who see him as a prophet of God "in the same way they revered the prophets of scripture," according to material posted on the church's Web site.

Hinckley underwent cancer surgery in 2006, but church spokeswoman Kim Farah said last night that "the cause was incident to his age."

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More at link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/28/AR2008012800150.html?hpid=moreheadlines

president of the LDS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heber_J._Grant

My great great great great great grandfather was the first Mayor of Salt Lake City

As reported in wikipedia:

In 1856, Grant was called upon by Young to tour the northern sections of Utah, calling them to repentance. In the Mormon Reformation of 1856, he toured according to his assignment, delivering fiery speeches condemning all forms of sin and demanding perfection. He issued a call for rebaptism of all the members of the area. His speeches earned him the title, "Brigham's Sledgehammer." The effects of his speeches were felt almost immediately; members throughout the area, as well as in distant parts, were rebaptized to signify their commitment to renew their commitments to the Church and the gospel. Several of these speeches are recorded in Journal of Discourses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedediah_M._Grant

The results of this great 'reformation' were known in part the next year on 9/11/1856 known by the poster as the Meadow Mountain Massacre.

Ain't ancestors great? And now even though our family was married to the Bennett (Sen Bennett Utah R) I am unaware of anyone in our family who is today a Mormon. The irony when I was in elementary and high school one of my classmates was a Romney cousin of Mit and it would drive him crazy that I had better Mormon pedigree and grew up in a Presbyterian family.