Historical Summary

 

This book is not a history, but rather a compilation of gospel principles as taught by President Harold B. Lee. However, in order to put the teachings in a historical framework, the following list is provided to summarize some of the milestones in his life that have most immediate relationship to his teachings.

1899, March 28:          Harold Bingham Lee born to Samuel Marion and Louisa Emeline

                                    Bingham Lee, Clifton, Oneida County, Idaho.   

1907, June 9:                Baptized by Lester Bybee, Clifton, Idaho (8; numbers in parentheses show Harold B. Lee's age).      

1912, fall:                     Enters the Oneida Stake Academy, Preston, Idaho, with

schoolmate Ezra Taft Benson (13).       

1916, summer:              Enters Albion State Normal School, Albion, Idaho (17).           

1916-17, winter:           Teaches at the Silver Star School, near Weston, Idaho (17).     

1918-20:                      Principal of the district school at Oxford, Idaho (18-21).          

1920-22:                      Missionary, Western States Mission, Denver, Colorado (21-23).         

1923, summer:              Attends the University of Utah. He later finishes his degree by

correspondence courses and extension classes (24).     

1923, November 14:    Marries Fern Lucinda Tanner in the Salt Lake Temple (24).      

1923-28:                      Principal of the Whittier and Woodrow Wilson Schools, Salt

Lake City (24-29).      

1930, October 26:        Set apart as president of the Pioneer Stake, 1930-37 (31).       

1933, November 7:      Elected to the Salt Lake City Commission; serves from

1933-37 (34). 

1935, April 20: First Presidency assigns Harold B. Lee to work out a program of

 relief for the needy (36).          

1936, April 18: Called as managing director of the Church security plan

                                    (later changed to Church welfare program) (37).          

1939, April 16: First storehouse on Welfare Square is completed in Salt Lake

City (40).        

1941, April 6:               Sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (42).

Ordained on April 10, 1941.    

1954:                           Holds servicemen's conferences in Japan, Korea, Okinawa,

Philippines, and Guam (55).     

1958, August:               Tours South Africa and the Holy Land (59).     

1960, March 27:          Organizes the first stake in Europe at Manchester, England (60).           

1961, September 30:    At the direction of the First Presidency, announces plan for

correlating all Church programs (62).   

1962, September 24:    Death of Fern Lucinda Tanner, wife of Harold B. Lee (63).      

1963, June 17:              Marries Freda Joan Jensen in the Salt Lake Temple (64).         

1965, August 27:          Death of Maurine Lee Wilkins, daughter of Harold B. Lee (66).           

1970, January 23:         Sustained as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and

First Counselor to President Joseph Fielding Smith (70).

1972, July 2:                 Death of President Joseph Fielding Smith (73). 

1972, July 7:                 Ordained and set apart as President of the Church (73).           

1972, August 25-27:    Presides over area general conference in Mexico City (73).      

1972, September 20:    Organizes the Jerusalem Branch at the Garden Tomb (73).       

1972, October 5:          Worldwide welfare services program announced (73).  

1972, October 6:          Sustained as President of the Church in a solemn assembly (73).           

1972, December 14:     International Mission of the Church organized (73).      

1973, March 8:            Organizes first stake on Asian mainland at Seoul, Korea (73).   

1973, August 24-26:    Presides at the area general conference in Munich, Germany (74).        

1973, December 26:     President Harold B. Lee dies in Salt Lake City (74).     

1973, December 31:     End-of-year statistics: 3,321,556 members; 630 stakes; 4,580

wards; 108 missions; 17,258 missionaries; 15 temples.