Heber J. Grant

Heber J. Grant was the seventh prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was known for guiding the Church through some of its toughest times including the Great Depression and World War II.

Heber J. Grant was born on November 22, 1856. He is the son of Jedediah M. Grant and Rachel Ridgeway Ivins Grant. His father died only nine days after his birth. Heber and his mother had very little, but his mother worked hard to provide for him. As a young boy Heber had the opportunity to meet Brigham Young. From that initial meeting Brigham Young invited the boy (about six at the time) to come visit him whenever he liked. Heber J. Grant said of his friendship with Brigham Young,

I learned not only to respect and venerate him, but to love him with an affection akin to that which I imagine I would have felt for my own father, had I been permitted to know and return a father’s love (Preston Nibley, The Presidents of the Church, 13th ed., p.218 - 219).

At just fifteen, Heber was ordained to the office of Seventy. Heber finished school at 16 and got a job working for a bank. In 1877 Heber married Lucy Stringham. Heber eventually had ten daughters and two sons, both sons died as children. He was a devoted father and when he was not home because he was traveling on Church business would send letters to each child. When he was 23, he received a call to be a stake president.

In 1882, at only 25, Heber J. Grant was called as an Apostle. He served as an Apostle for 37 years and as an apostle he visited communities of Native Americans and worked with Church leaders to call and set apart priesthood holders to labor among them, became member of general superintendency of Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association; became business manager of the Improvement Era, which he helped found, organized and presided over the Japanese Mission, served as president of British and European Missions, and became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on November 23, 1916.

On November 23, 1918, at 62 years old Heber J. Grant became the [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=7