The life and ministry of President Thomas S. Monson has led to some very unique facts and figures. Here are some milestones by the numbers:
- 3-8-12: President Thomas S. Monson married Frances Beverly Johnson on October 7, 1948, in the Salt Lake Temple. They are the parents of three children, with eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
- 18-19: President Monson announced an age change for full-time missionaries in October 2012, lowering the age from 19 to 18 for men and 21 to 19 for women, resulting in a surge of young missionaries.
- 22: He was ordained as a bishop in Salt Lake City when he was 22 years old. He presided over the Sixth-Seventh Ward from May 7, 1950, until July 1955, when he was called as a counselor in the stake presidency. As bishop, his lay ministry included responsibilities for more than 1,000 members in his congregation, including about 85 widows.
- 31: At age 31 he began service as a mission president for three years in the Canadian Mission, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario.
- 32: President Monson served in the First Presidency for nearly a third of a century or 32 years, including almost 10 years as president, and counselor to three Church presidents for more than 22 years. He was second counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson and President Howard W. Hunter and first counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley.
- 35: Since he became president on February 3, 2008, 35 of the Church’s 159 operating temples around the world have been dedicated, 21 of them by him as president or as an apostle. Under his leadership, 12 existing temples are currently under renovation, 11 new temples are under construction and 12 additional temples have been announced.
- 36: President Monson was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 4, 1963, when he was 36 years old. He was ordained an apostle on October 10, 1963.
- 48: He served as a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America for more than 48 years. He was the recipient of the Silver Beaver and the Silver Buffalo Awards and the Bronze Wolf, international Scouting’s highest recognition.
- 54: President Monson is the first apostle since President Joseph Fielding Smith to serve for more than a half-century. He served for more than 54 years.
- 64: At the time of Sister Monson’s passing, May 17, 2013, President and Sister Monson had been married 64 years.
- 230: From 1963 to 2017, he gave 230 addresses in general conference.
- 410,442: During his administration, President Monson called 410,442 full-time missionaries, roughly three of every 10 missionaries who have served since the Church was organized.
- 13-16 million: During his presidency, Church membership grew from 13 million to more than 16 million members worldwide.
- 1.89 billion: The Church has provided $1.89 billion (year ending 2016) in humanitarian aid in 189 countries since 1985, the same year President Monson was called into the First Presidency.