(George Albert Smith) Shortly after World War II, President Smith visited Harry Truman to "'ascertain from you, Mr. President, what your attitude will be if the Latter-day Saints are prepared to ship food and clothing and bedding to Europe.' He smiled and looked at me, and said: 'Well, what do you want to ship it over there for? Their money isn't any good …. ' 'We would give it to them. They are our brothers and sisters and are in distress. God has blessed us with a surplus, and we will be glad to send it if we can have the cooperation of the government.' 'How long will it take you to get this ready?' I said: 'It's all ready.'"
President Smith served as a director of Utah Savings and Trust, Utah-Idaho Sugar, ZCMI, Heber J. Grant Company, Mutual Creamery, Utah National Bank, Salt Lake Theatre, and Decker Wholesale Jewelry Company. He was also president of Libby Investment Company. (1)
-- During 1950
(Hugh B. Brown) Brown served as president of the Richland Oil Development Company in Edmonton, Alberta, in the early 1950s. His skills proved useful in his Church assignments, which included service on the boards of directors of Beehive State Bank and Deseret Federal Savings and Loan Association, plus vice-presidencies of Beneficial Life Insurance Company, Hotel Utah Corporation, ZCMI, Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, and KSL Radio. (1)
-- Apr 4, 1951
In 1945, George Albert Smith became eighth president of the LDS Church, and served until his death on 4 April 1951, at the age of eighty-one. As church president, he also was president of many church-controlled corporations: Beneficial Life Insurance Company, Utah Hotel Company, Utah Home Fire Insurance Company, Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, Utah First National Bank, Zion's Savings Bank and Trust, ZCMI, and Zions Securities Corporation. He was president of the Church Board of Education, which controlled LDS educational institutions, and was also editor of the church's official magazines. He expedited welfare shipments to Latter-day Saints in Europe at the end of World War II, supervised the reconciliation of 1,200 Latter-day Saints in Mexico who had formed a schismatic group, and expanded programs to help American Indians. A person of compassion, he worked especially in the interests of the youth of the church, the troubled, the poor, and the underprivileged. (2)
-- Thu Feb 18, 1960
[David O. McKay Office Journal] 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Was engaged in the meeting of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve in the Salt Lake Temple. One matter considered at this meeting wasBrother Mark E. Petersen's report on an assignment given him to investigate a game called "Exaltation," which has been prepared by the Bookcraft Company, and which is being sold in various stores, Z.C.M.I., Deseret Book Company, etc., and said that he had made an investigation of the game and explained to the Brethren just what the nature of it is. I commented that the Church is a sacred institution, that it is the only "Light" that the world has today, the only means by which peace can be established and the world saved, and anything that will cast reflection upon it should be avoided. I said I certainly did not think such games are uplifting when played in a group of people who are assembled for pleasure and recreation. I said that devotion and reverence are elements that need
to be developed. =Humor, amusement, recreation, are elements intended to build character also, but the name of deity should not be associated with amusement and pleasure. I feel that the association used in this game is not reverential. and I think it would be well to let the Bookcraft Company know that we look upon the selling of this game in that way. (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons
2 - Utah History Encyclopedia: George Albert Smith, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/s/SMITH%2CGEORGE.html
3 - McKay, David O., Office Journal
LDS History Chronology: Z.C.M.I
Mormon Timeline: Z.C.M.I
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
