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LDS Church President No Longer Attends Meetings Due To Age

Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
President Thomas S. Monson and his daughter, Ann M. Dibb, greet the crowd as he exits the Saturday morning session of general conference at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, October 1, 2016.

Thomas S. Monson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is scaling back his involvement in church governance.

 

“Because of limitations incident to his age, President Monson is no longer attending meetings at the Church offices on a regular basis," says Eric Hawkins, official spokesperson for the LDS Church.

 

"He communicates and confers with his counselors on matters as needed," the statement continues. "President Monson is grateful that the work of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles continues without interruption. He appreciates the prayers and support of Church members."

 

The health of the 89-year-old church president has been declining for some time. He was most recently hospitalized briefly following the General Conference sessions held in April.

Lee Hale began listening to KUER while he was teaching English at a Middle School in West Jordan (his one hour commute made for plenty of listening time). Inspired by what he heard he applied for the Kroc Fellowship at NPR headquarters in DC and to his surprise, he got it. Since then he has reported on topics ranging from TSA PreCheck to micro apartments in overcrowded cities to the various ways zoo animals stay cool in the summer heat. But, his primary focus has always been education and he returns to Utah to cover the same schools he was teaching in not long ago. Lee is a graduate of Brigham Young University and is also fascinated with the way religion intersects with the culture and communities of the Beehive State. He hopes to tell stories that accurately reflect the beliefs that Utahns hold dear.
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