Time Line 2000

Well, a century has come and gone. The past has passed. But we don’t want to forget. And we especially want to remember some of the events that occurred in the just-completed century that might have particular interest to you, our teenage readers. So take a look back at how things used to be.

1900
The century begins with a Church membership of 283,675. The majority live in Utah and in the western United States. There are 43 stakes and 20 missions in the entire Church. There are only four operating temples, all in the state of Utah.

1900
The Salt Lake Stake, consisting of 51 wards and covering the entire Salt Lake Valley, is divided. The first offshoot stake is the Jordan Stake, followed by the Granite Stake.

1907
President Joseph F. Smith announces that the Church, after struggling financially for many years, had become debt-free because of a renewed emphasis on tithing.

1910
Gordon B. Hinckley is born on June 23 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1910
Church membership: 398,478

1911
The Church implements the Mutual Improvement Association Scouts for teenage boys.

1912
The first seminary, started by (Salt Lake City’s) Granite Stake for Granite High School, opens. It’s the Church’s first program for weekday religious instruction for teenagers.

1913
The Boy Scouts of America grants the Church a charter in the Scouting program.

1915
The first official Church program for young women, the Beehive Girls for girls between the ages of 14 and 18, begins.

1919
The Church dedicates the temple in Laie, Hawaii. It is the first temple outside the continental United States.

1920
Church membership: 525,987

1921
The M-Men and Gleaner programs for 17- to 21-year-old young men and women begins.

1922
Heber J. Grant becomes the first Church president to deliver a message over the radio when he addresses an audience on KZN originating in Salt Lake City.

1923
The first non-United States temple, the Cardston Alberta Temple in Canada, is dedicated by President Heber J. Grant.

1924
Formal training for missionaries begins in a residential home in Salt Lake City.

1930
Church membership: 670,017

1934
Wards begin missionary training classes for prospective missionaries.

1940
Church membership: 862,664

1943
The Church calls its 50,000th full-time missionary.

1947
The Church officially passes the one-million-member mark.

1949
The first public television broadcast of general conference takes place when KSL TV in Salt Lake City airs the 119th semiannual conference.

1950
The Church begins an early-morning seminary program for teenagers in California, where released-time seminary is not available. Eventually the program expands, where applicable, throughout the Church.

1950
Church membership: 1,111,314

1954
A change is made in the ages young men are ordained to Aaronic Priesthood offices. Deacons are still ordained at age 12, but the age of teachers is lowered to 14, and priests to 16.

1959
President David O. McKay issues the challenge, “Every member a missionary! You may bring your mother into the Church, or it may be your father; perhaps your fellow companion in the workshop. Somebody will hear the good message of the truth through you.”

1960
Church membership: 1,693,180

1963
The Language Training Mission opens in Salt Lake City, and Spanish is taught to missionaries before they depart for the mission field.

1970
Church membership: 2,930,810

1971
The New Era, the Friend, and Ensign begin publication.

1974
President Spencer W. Kimball says, “All worthy and able young men should go on missions.”

1975
The First Quorum of the Seventy was organized.

1978
The Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, opens.

1978
The priesthood is extended by revelation to all worthy men.

1979
The Church publishes its own edition of the King James Bible and a year later publishes a new edition of the triple combination.

1980
Church membership: 4,639,822

1985
The Young Women values are introduced during a satellite broadcast.

1990
As Communism falls in the Soviet Bloc, the Church is able to establish 29 new missions, many created in Eastern European countries.

1990
Church membership: 7,761,179

1991
The 500,000th full-time missionary is called and begins serving.

1996
The New Era celebrates its 25th anniversary of publication.

1997
The Church officially passes the 10-million-member mark.

1997
The Church celebrates the sesquicentennial of the arrival of the pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley.

1999
The Church announces its 100th temple will be located in Palmyra, New York.

Illustrated by Dilleen Marsh