“Did You Know?” Liahona, Mar. 2004, 48
Did You Know?
Baptisms of Latter-day Prophets
Did you know that President Gordon B. Hinckley was the first latter-day Church President to be baptized in a baptismal font in a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse? It’s true. He was baptized on 28 April 1919 in the First Ward, Salt Lake Liberty Stake. Here are some interesting facts about the baptisms of the other 14 Church Presidents.
Church President |
Baptism Date |
Baptism Location |
Joseph Smith |
15 May 1829 |
Susquehanna River near Harmony, Pennsylvania |
Brigham Young |
14 April 1832 |
A millpond near Mendon, New York |
John Taylor |
9 May 1836 |
A stream near Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Wilford Woodruff |
31 December 1833 |
An icy stream near Richland, New York |
Lorenzo Snow |
19 June 1836 |
Chagrin River, Kirtland, Ohio |
Joseph F. Smith |
21 May 1852 |
City Creek, Salt Lake City, Utah |
Heber J. Grant |
2 June 1864 |
A wagon box in Salt Lake City, Utah |
George Albert Smith |
6 June 1878 |
City Creek, Salt Lake City, Utah |
David O. McKay |
8 September 1881 |
Spring Creek near Huntsville, Utah |
Joseph Fielding Smith |
19 July 1884 |
Probably in City Creek, Salt Lake City, Utah |
Harold B. Lee |
9 June 1907 |
Bybee Pond near Clifton, Idaho |
Spencer W. Kimball |
28 March 1903 |
Hog-scalding tub in Thatcher, Arizona; he was later baptized in Union Canal, Thatcher, Arizona, because of concerns about the propriety of the tub baptism |
Ezra Taft Benson |
4 August 1907 |
Logan River Canal, Whitney, Idaho |
Howard W. Hunter |
4 April 1920 |
Natatorium swimming pool, Boise, Idaho |
It Happened in March
Following are a few significant events that happened in Church history during the month of March.
26 March 1830: The Book of Mormon became available to the public when printing of the first copies was completed by E. B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York.
17 March 1842: The Prophet Joseph Smith organized the Relief Society in Nauvoo, Illinois.
Leadership Tip
President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “You can be a leader. You must be a leader, as a member of this Church, in those causes for which this Church stands. Do not let fear overcome your efforts. … Fear comes not from God but from the evil one. The adversary of all truth would put into your heart a reluctance to make an effort. Cast that fear aside and be valiant in the cause of truth and righteousness and faith” (“Words of the Living Prophet,” Liahona, June 1998, 26).