Facts about President Wilford Woodruff, 4th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
How blessed we are to be led by inspired prophets in these latter-days. Though we mourn the passing of one of our beloved leaders, our sorrow is tempered by the assurance that we will be guided by yet another of the Lord’s chosen leaders. It is reassuring to know that our leaders are men of sound judgment, great spiritual insight, and that they have presided in the leading councils of our church for many years. Such has definitely been the case with Presidents Hinckley, Monson, Nelson, and Oaks. We love and sustain these great leaders, having watched their remarkable service to the church, to its members, and to the Lord for many years.
Following are some interesting facts and insights into the leadership and experience of President Wilford Woodruff, as presented by Trent Toone.
Wilford Woodruff, and early convert, pioneer, missionary, leader, historian, and record-keeper, was the 4th President of the Church, serving from 1889 to 1898. He was born on March 1, 1807, and was raised in Connecticut. Following his conversion in 1833 at the age of 26, he became one of the great early missionaries of the Church throughout the United States and in Great Britain. In 1838, he was called to serve in the Quorum of the Twelve, receiving his call in a letter from Thomas B. Marsh. Following a mission in England, Elder Woodruff joined the Saints in the pioneer trek to the Salt Lake Valley. He transported President Brigham Young on the day he rose from his sick bed in a wagon and recorded his famous words: “It is enough. This the right place. Drive on.” Two years after he was baptized, Elder Woodruff began keeping a journal, a personal record of his life and of the history of the Church. He filled volumes of journals for more than 60 years of his life. He served as assistant Church historian and Church historian from 1856 to 1889. His extensive writings cover invaluable insights into early Church experiences, the pioneer era, and spiritual and temporal challenges faced by the early Saints. Sustained as the President of the Church on April 7, 1889, President Woodruff expanded the Church’s focus on family history and temple work for the deceased. He offered the dedicatory prayers for temples in Manti and Salt Lake City, Utah. His presidency is most remembered for the 1890 Manifest, which officially ended the Church’s practice of plural marriage. This declaration helped to achieve statehood for Utah and improve its standing with the United States government. President Woodruff died in San Francisco, California, on September 2, 1898 at the age of 91.
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