The Indians gave him the name of Washte-Ho-Wamblee--he who flies across the world, lifting his voice to bring good tidings of truth. A very appropriate name, for bringing good tidings of truth well describes the divinely-ordained mission of Spencer W. Kimball. The roots of this great man extend to noble progenitors--to Heber C. and Ann Alice Kimball, his grandparents, and to Andrew and Olive Woolley Kimball, the parents who welcomed him into their family in 1895. Thatcher, Arizona, was the childhood home of young Spencer. Here he accepted and cultivated the blessing of hard work. In fact, in later years he attributed his lack of height to his older brothers, who made him work so hard slopping the hogs that it took all of the growth out of him.

Most of the loves that marked his life began their development here in Arizona. A love for the land, difficult though it was to master. In later years, when he became owner of a plot of soil, he reverently picked up a handful of earth and said, this is my land.

A love for his nation inspired a poetic effort in the third grade: "I love the name of Washington. I love my country, too. I love the flag, the dear, old flag of red and white and blue." A love of learning also developed in his Arizona youth. He graduated from Thatcher public school in 1910, and four years later graduated with highest honors from Gila Academy, where he served as studentbody president, was the star forward on the basketball team, and once, along with all the senior class boys, was expelled for an April Fool's prank of sluffing. Next day, after a proper apology, they were reinstated.

Another love that found much nourishment in the Arizona desert of his boyhood was his enduring love for the Lamanites--these gentle descendants of Lehi who came to play an important part of his life, and he in theirs.

A love for the Church, and of service to it, found a strong beginning in Spencer's youth. For years he had a record of perfect attendance at Sunday School and Primary. One Monday he was in the field tramping hay for his older brothers, when the meetinghouse bell rang for Primary. Spencer paused in his work. "I've got to go to Primary." "You can't go today; we need you." "Well, Father would let me go if he were here." "Father isn't here, and you're not going." The piles of hay came pouring up, literally covering Spencer. But finally, he caught up on his part of the work, slid noiselessly from the back of the wagon, and was halfway to the meetinghouse before his absence was noticed. His perfect record remained unbroken.

Devotion to the Church continued. In 1914 he was called as a missionary and sent to the Central States Mission, where he served with distinction. At the time of his release, he was serving as president of the Missouri conference, or district.

After his mission, Spencer returned home to attend the University of Arizona. At this time was introduced another of his loves that would last a lifetime and beyond--Camilla Eyring, a teacher at Gila Academy. She and her family had come with the Saints in the Mexican exodus, fleeing from the armies of Pancho Villa. Before long, Spencer was checking the time of day often, for in his pocket watch, he carried a picture of Camilla. In November of 1917, they were married and eventually were blessed with four children.

A business career in banking, insurance, broadcasting, and other enterprises had to compete with an increasing career in the Church as stake clerk, counselor in the stake presidency, and as stake president.

In July of 1943, President J. Reuben Clark Jr. called to inform him of his call as an Apostle of the Lord.

On this humbling occasion, Brother Kimball paid a visit to every business associate he had dealings with, telling them that he had been called to a high position in his Church--and that in order to accept it in good conscience, he had to assure himself that no one felt he had dealt unfairly with them. If anyone did so feel, he was prepared to make it right. Many, however, felt that if any adjustment were made, it should be the other way around. The humility with which he viewed this call is evident in his first remarks as an Apostle: "I remember reading where Jacob wrestled all night, until the breaking of the day, for a blessing. And I want to tell you, brethren, that for 85 nights, I've gone through that experience, wrestling for a blessing.

85 dawns have come and found me on my knees, praying for the Lord to help me and to strengthen me and make me equal to this great call that has come to me. Accepting the apostleship, working, praying, and singing with his brethren, Elder Kimball began an association that was to bring him great joy. Many circumstances bear witness that he was preserved for a unique and vital responsibility. One of these was an amazing triumph over physical affliction. Facial paralysis, near drowning, typhoid, smallpox, heart attacks, cancer of the throat--it appeared that the adversary was determined. Through all of this, Elder Kimball was sustained by faith and a remarkable sense of humor. In 1957, returning from the East, where an operation removed 1 and 1/2 vocal cords, he learned, with great difficulty, the use of a new voice. For his first tentative speech, he chose his beloved Arizona.

"I must tell you what has happened to me," he said. "I went away to the East--and while there, I fell among cutthroats." In December of 1973, pronounced by his doctors in better health than he had been in years, Spencer W. Kimball succeeded Harold B. Lee as President of the Church.

Under his guidance, the Church entered a new period of international growth and vastly increased missionary service. "We must lengthen our stride," he challenged the Church, and the membership responded. Within a two-year period, the missionary force increased from 16,000 to over 22,000, and plans for four new temples were announced. 1975 saw a record-breaking number of 62 stakes created, the dedication of the new 31-story Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, and saw area conferences increase from one per year to nine.

Also affected by the impact of this great man was the Church's relationship to the Lamanites.

Not only his patriarchal blessing, but also President George Albert Smith had given him a special commission relative to assisting the Indians. In 1946, he became chairman of the Church Indian Committee. Gifts in great numbers from his Indian friends, as well as many stories, testify of the love shared by President Kimball and his Lamanite brethren and sisters. One associate related seeing Indian parents bring their sick child, ragged and dirty, to him for a blessing. Elder Kimball opened his arms, hugged and kissed the child, and then pronounced a healing blessing upon him.

The entire Church came better to understand the mission of the Lamanites through words such as these: "The Prophet Joseph Smith gave us this thought: that the Lord brought us out here to bring the gospel to the Lamanites. One of the most important things that can possibly happen in this whole dispensation of the fulness of times is to bring the gospel to the Lamanites. He says the Lord brought us out west. There will be tens of thousands of Latter-day Saints who will gather in the Rocky Mountains. And there they will open the door for the establishing of the gospel among the Lamanites." It was to him that the long-awaited revelation came that allows every faithful, worthy man in the Church to exercise the divine authority of the priesthood, regardless of race or color. Heber G. Wolsey, a spokesman for the Church, read the announcement: "He has heard our prayers and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple. Accordingly, all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color. Other themes of his addresses will long be remembered--repentance and the miracle of forgiveness, which brought forth a book that has become a classic; tragedy and destiny, viewed with comfort; modesty and developing a style of your own; family unity and strengthening the home against the encroachment of evil; morality. "How like the mistletoe is immorality. The killer plant starts with a sticky, sweet berry. Once rooted, it sticks and grows--a leaf, a branch, a plant. It never starts mature and full grown. It's always transplanted in infancy." Relatives have described him as the most kind and considerate person they had ever known.

Another observer, a police officer assigned to watch the Kimball house during the family gathering on the day President Kimball was sustained as a prophet, saw him as the thoughtful man who appeared at his car with a heaping plate of food. And millions of others, in many lands, and in many tongues, will long remember him as "he who flies across the world, lifting his voice to bring good tidings of truth." Those good tidings, his testimony of the gospel, will live forever.

"Eternal life is our goal. It can be reached only by following the path our Lord has marked out for us. I know this is true and right. I love our Heavenly Father. And I His son. And I am proud to be even a weak vessel to push forward His great, eternal work. I testify to all of this humbly, sincerely, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.