Mormons Shoot Down Rumors Ailing Leader Thomas S. Monson Died
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was forced to shut down unfounded rumors Wednesday that their ailing leader, Thomas S. Monson, had died after being hospitalized this week.
Eric Hawkins, a spokesman for the LDS Church, assured Deseret News that while they were aware of the rumors, Monson is alive.
The 89-year-old LDS church president was hospitalized Monday night after delivering two short talks over the weekend at the 187th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Hawkins revealed on Thursday morning that "President Monson was released from the hospital last evening and plans to resume his normal schedule and duties today."
Two years ago, a few weeks after the April 2015 general conference, Hawkins said President Monson was "feeling the effects of advancing age," according to the News.
"He comes to the office every day, attends all First Presidency and committee meetings, leads the discussion and makes decisions," Hawkins said then. "The workload of the First Presidency is up to date. President Monson has always been private about his health, but appreciates the prayers and sustaining support of church members, as do all of the First Presidency and the Twelve."
President Monson subsequently cut his speaking load at that April 2015 general conference from four talks to two. Six months later, while delivering a 13-minute talk in the October 2015 general conference, Monson became visibly weakened near the end.
His condition has not improved since then.
The Deseret News explained that if the LDS church president becomes ill, is incapacitated or dies the apostle with most seniority in office is always chosen to succeed the church president. The LDS church is led by a three-man First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
"That system of seniority will usually bring older men to the office of president of the church," LDS President Russell M. Nelson, now president of the Quorum of the Twelve, said during the faith's October 2014 general conference. "It provides continuity, seasoned maturity, experience and extensive preparation, as guided by the Lord."
Nelson said the system provides for "prophetic leadership even when the inevitable illnesses and incapacities may come with advancing age."
Monson, the 16th president of the LDS church, was called as an apostle in 1963 and is believed to be a prophet by members of the church.
On Feb. 3, 2008, Monson succeeded previous LDS church president Gordon B. Hinckley, for whom he had served as first counselor since 1995. Before that, Monson was also counselor to presidents Howard W. Hunter and Ezra Taft Benson.
He was born in Salt Lake City, on August 21, 1927.
If he dies, President Nelson, 92, is the next most senior LDS apostle. He was called in 1984.
The LDS Church recently announced that their membership had grown to 15,882,417 members as of the end of 2016. The church had 15,634,199 at the end of 2015.
