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47-452: For many Latter-day Saint families, Family Home Evening includes a game or fun activity, treats, and a short lesson. The responsibilities for each are often rotated among family members, so that even the youngest may be assisted in presenting a short lesson or devotional on a given topic. Parents often use this night as an opportunity to teach their children how to prepare talks and lessons, as well as how to conduct meetings. Family business for

94-584: A school near the temple ), and visited Samoa , Tonga , New Zealand , and Palestine . In Palestine they met Wilford Booth and visited Armenian Latter-day Saints. McKay returned to Utah on Christmas Eve 1921. From 1923 until 1925, McKay served as president of the church's European Mission , headquartered in London , with the responsibility of all LDS Church functions in the British Isles and supervision of mission presidents. In this position, McKay first used

141-558: A counselor in the First Presidency. There have also been a few cases of counselors being ordained to the priesthood office of apostle and becoming members of the Quorum of the Twelve after they had already been set apart as counselors in the First Presidency, such as J. Reuben Clark . There have been other cases where counselors have been ordained to the office of apostle but not set apart as

188-413: A fund-raising need at the university, and McKay's name was affixed to the university's Education Center instead. McKay was concerned with missionary work, and coined the phrase "Every member a missionary" in order to encourage church members to become more engaged in that work, and not just leave it to the full-time missionaries. McKay's statement that "[n]o other success can compensate for failure in

235-485: A group called Uplift Kids drew from FHE and other faith traditions to establish a similar program, which is intended to be broadly acceptable by families of any faith, mixed faiths, or no faith at all. The curriculum published by the group seeks to "provide a neutral baseline for discussing life’s deepest questions and for listening to kids’ questions." The creators readily acknowledge the influence of FHE in their publications, stating "the idea of nurturing spirituality at home

282-405: A member of the Quorum of the Twelve, such as Alvin R. Dyer . Other counselors in the First Presidency were never ordained to the office of apostle, such as Charles W. Nibley and John R. Winder . Whether or not a counselor is an apostle, all members of the First Presidency are sustained by the church as prophets, seers, and revelators . Counselors are formally designated as "First Counselor in

329-556: A motto that he saw inscribed on a building in Stirling , "What E'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part". This message became a source of inspiration throughout his life. Upon his return from Scotland in late 1899, McKay taught at the high school level at LDS Weber Stake Academy (predecessor of Weber State University ). He married Emma Ray Riggs in the Salt Lake Temple on January 2, 1901. They eventually had seven children, one dying as

376-611: A secretary to assist the First Presidency in its administrative duties. The position is a paid employment position and the incumbent is not a member of the First Presidency or a general authority of the church. However, it is common for letters from the office of the First Presidency to private individuals to bear the signature of the secretary, as opposed to members of the First Presidency. The First Presidency also employs assistant secretaries and press secretaries. When David O. McKay became church president in 1951, he continued with his longtime personal secretary, Clare Middlemiss, and moved

423-519: A young child. For his first three years at Weber, McKay taught mainly religion and literature classes. On April 17, 1902, McKay was appointed principal of Weber, succeeding the founding principal, Louis F. Moench , who had resigned after nine years in the position. One of his first actions as principal was to organize a school paper. He oversaw the inauguration of sports programs at Weber, with men's and women's basketball teams organized during McKay's tenure. In 1905, they won their baseball game against

470-540: Is Joyce McKay Bennett, wife of former United States Senator Bob Bennett . Another grandchild, Alan Ashton , was the co-founder and co-owner of computer program WordPerfect . The Events Center at Utah Valley University in Orem , the David O. McKay Events Center , carried McKay's name between 1996 and 2010, after an anonymous donation was given in his honor. In 2010, the name was changed (to "Utah Community Credit Center") due to

517-550: Is definitely influenced by the best aspects of Family Home Evening and the `home church’ idea that is part of ‘Come, Follow Me.’” First Presidency (LDS Church) The First Presidency , also called the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church or simply the Presidency , is the presiding governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is composed of

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564-771: Is flexible according to members’ circumstances. It may be held on the Sabbath or other days and times. ... To provide time for families to be together, leaders should keep Monday evenings free from Church meetings and activities. In places with a high density of single adult members of the LDS Church, local wards or stakes may organize Home Evening groups. The purpose of these meetings is the same as that of family-based Home Evenings, but groups are composed of peers rather than family members. Home Evening groups are most common near colleges and universities, including but not limited to LDS universities, such as Brigham Young University . In 2022,

611-807: Is to strengthen family solidarity through a Monday night get‐together in the home called the 'family home evening'." In the church's October 2002 General Conference , church president Gordon B. Hinckley encouraged public school officials and others to keep Monday night free of activities and other obstructions, so that members might more easily hold FHE. Current church policy on Monday evenings states: Members are encouraged to hold home evening on Sunday or at other times as individuals and families choose. A family activity night could be held on Monday or at other times. No Church activities, meetings, baptismal services, games, or practices should be held after 6:00 p.m. on Mondays. Other interruptions on Monday nights should be avoided. A more recent version states: Home evening

658-608: The President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of Russell M. Nelson and his two counselors: Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring . The First Presidency is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. Historically, and as mandated by church scripture, the First Presidency has been composed of the president and two counselors, but circumstances have occasionally required additional counselors (for example, David O. McKay had five during

705-603: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was an active general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church history. ( Eldred G. Smith was a general authority for 66 years, but only served actively for 32 years, prior to being designated as emeritus .) The third child of David McKay and Jennette Eveline Evans McKay, McKay was born on his father’s farm in Huntsville , Utah Territory , about 10 miles (16 km) east of Ogden . McKay's mother

752-659: The Salt Lake Tribune (represented as the Kearns Corporation) and the church-owned Deseret News , and consulted extensively with McKay to form this mutually beneficial business in 1952. In October 1906, McKay became an assistant to the superintendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union . At the time, Joseph F. Smith was both the church president and the superintendent of the Sunday School, so many of

799-466: The University of Utah . In 1905, church apostles John W. Taylor and Matthias F. Cowley resigned from the Quorum of the Twelve due to disagreement over the manifesto forbidding polygamy , and apostle Marriner W. Merrill died in early 1906. With three vacancies, George F. Richards , Orson F. Whitney , and McKay were called as apostles during the LDS Church's April 1906 general conference . McKay

846-520: The First Presidency has delegated much of its decision-making power to members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Seventy , the Presiding Bishopric, and local leaders of the church. Nevertheless, the First Presidency has retained its overarching decision-making power in a number of significant areas and may, at any time, choose to overrule the decisions of a lesser church quorum or authority. In

893-721: The First Presidency was composed of six members, larger than it had been at the death of Brigham Young in 1877. McKay's counselors in the First Presidency were Stephen L Richards (First Counselor, 1951–59); J. Reuben Clark, Jr. (Second Counselor (1951–59, First Counselor 1959–61); Henry D. Moyle (Second Counselor 1959–61, First Counselor 1961–63); Hugh B. Brown (Third Counselor 1961, Second Counselor 1961–63, First Counselor 1963–70); N. Eldon Tanner (Second Counselor, 1963–70); Thorpe B. Isaacson (Counselor, 1965–70); Joseph Fielding Smith (Counselor, 1965–70); Alvin R. Dyer (Counselor, 1968–70). McKay died on January 18, 1970, at age 96, surrounded by most of his family. The cause of death

940-433: The First Presidency" and "Second Counselor in the First Presidency". Additional counselors have been designated in different ways, including "Third Counselor in the First Presidency" (such as Hugh B. Brown ), "Assistant Counselor to the President" (such as John Willard Young ), and simply "Counselor in the First Presidency" (such as Thorpe B. Isaacson ). Counselors serve in the First Presidency until their own deaths, until

987-476: The LDS Church's stance on Africans holding the priesthood was softened. Beginning in the mid-1950s, members of suspected African descent no longer needed to prove their lineage was not African, allowing dark-skinned members to receive the priesthood unless it was proved that they were of African descent. This policy improved proselytizing in racially mixed areas, such as South America and South Africa . Blacks of verifiable African descent (including most in

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1034-488: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles when his predecessor, George F. Richards died, making McKay the second most senior apostle after the church's president. He was set apart as president of the church on April 9, 1951, upon Smith's death. He was 77 years old upon assuming the presidency, and served for 19 years until his death. During this time, the number of members and stakes in the LDS Church nearly tripled, from 1.1 million to 2.8 million, and 184 to 500 respectively. McKay

1081-530: The United States) were not permitted to hold the priesthood until eight years after McKay's death . Beginning in 1961, the LDS Church spearheaded the Priesthood Correlation Program . By the 1970s, all church organizations were placed under direct priesthood leadership . These organizations became known as auxiliary organizations . Film director Cecil B. DeMille consulted with McKay during

1128-638: The Weber school's board of trustees until 1922, and on the University of Utah's board of regents from 1921 to 1922. McKay enjoyed a long, personal friendship with John F. Fitzpatrick , who published the Salt Lake Tribune from 1924 until 1960. They met weekly for breakfast to discuss the betterment of Utah. Fitzpatrick organized the Newspaper Agency Corporation , a joint operating agreement between

1175-536: The actual duties of the Sunday School were performed by McKay. After Smith's death in November 1918, McKay became the Sunday School superintendent. In 1920, the First Presidency assigned McKay to make a worldwide tour of the LDS Church's missions with Hugh J. Cannon, who recorded the journey of some 61,646 miles. They opened a new mission to China , traveled to Hawaii (where McKay had a vision, promising to build

1222-400: The case of an infirm president, his counselors may be called upon to perform more of the duties of the First Presidency that would normally be performed by the president. If needed, any number of additional counselors may be called to assist them, but the president of the church remains the only person authorized to use all priesthood keys . All members of the First Presidency are sustained by

1269-416: The church. The First Presidency is the highest ranking priesthood quorum of the church. The counselors assist the church president and work closely with him in guiding the entire church and carrying out the duties of the president of the church. The First Presidency has the theoretical authority to make the final decision on nearly all issues that might affect the church or its operations, but in practice,

1316-452: The church. The following men served as a counselor in the First Presidency during the years indicated and were never ordained to the priesthood office of apostle. For example, J. Reuben Clark was not an apostle when he became second counselor in the First Presidency on April 6, 1933, but a year and a half later, he was ordained as an apostle and became a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles for one day, on October 11, 1934. The church employs

1363-470: The counselors he prefers. Like the church president and President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles , counselors in the First Presidency are given the honorific title of " President ". A member could be removed by the current president at any time or if disciplined by the Common Council of the Church , although both actions are rare and removal for discipline has not happened since the early days of

1410-430: The death of the church president who called them, or until they are released by the church president. The death of a church president dissolves the First Presidency, and leaves the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as the senior leader of the church. The death or release of a counselor does not dissolve the First Presidency. Often, the surviving counselors of the late president will be called as counselors in

1457-466: The education of the children." This money allowed McKay, his brother Thomas, and his younger sisters, Jeanette and Annie, to attend the University of Utah . McKay graduated in 1897 as valedictorian and class president. Immediately afterward, he was called on a mission to Great Britain . Like his father, he presided over the Scottish district of the church. Early in his mission, he was impressed by

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1504-509: The existing secretary, Joseph Anderson , into the newly created First Presidency's office. D. Arthur Haycock also served as personal secretary to several church presidents in the 20th century. David O. McKay David Oman McKay (September 8, 1873 – January 18, 1970) was an American religious leader and educator who served as the ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1951 until his death in 1970. Ordained an apostle and member of

1551-409: The final years of his presidency, and at one point, Brigham Young had eight). Counselors must be high priests and are usually chosen from among the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles , but there have been a number of exceptions of members of the church's Presiding Bishopric or the church at large being called to be counselors. Any high priest of the church is eligible to be called as

1598-455: The gospel." In 1970, church president Joseph Fielding Smith (son of Joseph F. Smith , who was president when the 1915 letter was issued) designated Monday night as the preferred time for Family Home Evening, asking local church units not to hold other church-related meetings or activities on that night. The New York Times reported in 1973 on Family Home Evening commenting it was, "their way of attacking delinquency and deteriorating morality

1645-478: The institutions and in 1953 the governor, J. Bracken Lee , offered to give them back to the LDS Church. McKay, then president of the church, said he would accept them and the proposal was placed on the 1954 election ballot. Since it failed to pass, the three institutions remained property of the state. McKay guided the remaining church school in Utah, Brigham Young University (BYU) into a full four-year university. McKay

1692-491: The leadership of the LDS Church, McKay focused on education. As General Superintendent of the church's Sunday School organization from 1918 to 1934, McKay built seminaries near public high schools throughout Utah , allowing students to take Latter-day Saint religious courses along with their secular high school education. McKay also transferred three LDS colleges to the state of Utah in the 1920s: Snow College , Weber State University (WSU) and Dixie College . Utah underfunded

1739-502: The membership of the church as prophets, seers, and revelators and given the keys of the kingdom when they are ordained as an apostle. All members of the First Presidency are also members of the church's Council on the Disposition of the Tithes , which determines how the tithing funds of the church are spent. There is no requirement that counselors in the First Presidency be apostles of

1786-408: The new First Presidency, and a notably-infirm counselor may revert to his place among the Twelve Apostles, with a healthier man called as counselor in his place. On the death or release of a first counselor, the second counselor usually succeeds, and a new second counselor is named. Although that is fairly common, there are no hard and fast rules about such practices, and each president is free to choose

1833-475: The production of his 1956 epic film The Ten Commandments , forming a friendship lasting until DeMille's death. McKay invited DeMille to BYU, where he delivered a commencement address in 1957. McKay regularly traveled until he was in his 90s. His deteriorating health in the mid-1960s ultimately led to the appointment of three additional counselors in the First Presidency, as existing members were increasingly infirm and often unable to preside at meetings. By 1968,

1880-449: The slogan "every member a missionary" for outreach promotion. The philosophy has since been taught as a general theme throughout the church. In 1934, McKay became second counselor to Heber J. Grant in the First Presidency. He served in that capacity until Grant's death in May 1945, and when Grant was succeeded by George Albert Smith , McKay was called to continue as second counselor. Within

1927-400: The week may be addressed and the family schedule also reviewed. In a letter dated April 27, 1915, and distributed to local leaders of the LDS Church, the church's First Presidency encouraged a church-wide practice of a weekly "Family Home Evening". The letter described the event as being a time set apart for "prayer ... hymns ... family topics ... and specific instruction on the principles of

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1974-512: Was a Welsh immigrant from Merthyr Tydfil , and his father was a Scottish immigrant from Caithness . In 1880, after the death of McKay’s two older sisters, Margaret and Ellena, his father was called as a missionary to his native Scotland, where he proselytized for two years. In his father's absence, seven-year-old David had additional family responsibilities and helped his mother. McKay's grandmother bequeathed $ 5,000 to McKay's mother upon her death and directed that "every cent ... be used for

2021-520: Was acute congestion. He had lived longer than any previous leader of the church. Funeral services were held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle . His younger brother, Thomas Evans McKay , was a prominent missionary and mission leader for the LDS Church in Switzerland and Germany; he also served as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1941 to 1958. McKay's niece, Fawn McKay Brodie ,

2068-439: Was an outspoken critic of communism , opposing its perceived atheist underpinnings and denial of freedom of choice . Similarly, communist nations generally forbid proselytizing by the LDS Church and most other religions. In 1951, McKay began plans for what eventually became BYU-Hawaii . In 1954 he made another trip around the world, visiting Brazil, South Africa, Fiji, Tonga, and other countries. Under McKay's administration,

2115-452: Was the author of the controversial book No Man Knows My History , a highly critical biography of Joseph Smith , the publication of which led to her eventual excommunication from the LDS Church. McKay's oldest son, David Lawrence McKay , was the eighth general superintendent of the LDS Church's Sunday School organization. When his father was ill, David often read his father's sermons during general conference. One of McKay's granddaughters

2162-540: Was the fourth Commissioner of Church Education in 1920 and 1921. In honor of his service, the BYU School of Education was named the McKay School of Education . WSU's school of education also carries his name. Heber J. Grant chose McKay to serve as second counselor in the First Presidency in 1934. He served in the presidency under Grant, and then under George Albert Smith, until 1951. In 1950, he also became President of

2209-500: Was then 32 years of age. Prior to this appointment to full-time church service, McKay had planned on a career in education and educational administration. He stayed active in education even after his appointment, continuing as principal of the Weber Stake Academy until 1908 (replaced by Wilford M. McKendrick ). McKay stayed at Weber Stake Academy to see the completion of new building projects that he had begun. He also served on

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