Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death. Considered a prophet, seer, and revelator by church members, Hinckley was the oldest person to preside over the church in its history.
A multigenerational Latterday Saint, Hinckley was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to prominent LDS writer and educator Bryant S. Hinckley and Ada Bitner Hinckley. He graduated from LDS High School in 1928. He grew up on a residential farm in East Millcreek. His home library contained approximately a thousand volumes of literary, philosophical and historical works. Hinckley was known for his optimism and plainspeaking. Hinckley attended the University of Utah, where he earned an undergraduate degree in English, and minored in ancient languages. He studied Latin and could read ancient Greek. Hinckley became a missionary for the LDS Church, an unusual occurrence for Depressionera Latterday Saints. He served in the Londonbased British Mission from 1933 to 1935. He would later write the words for LDS hymn no. 135, My Redeemer Lives.
Source: Wikipedia