Salt Lake Telegram | 1949-05-21 | Page 7 | Head of LDS Remains Busy on Fourth Anniversary

Traveled Much M uch- uch Traveled Head of Remains Busy On Fourth Anniversary Four years ago Saturday George Albert Smith became president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Latter Saints Ina Ina in ina a special meeting of the council of twelve apostles in the Salt Lake temple They have been a busy four years for him Expansion of the church has been apparent On Sept 23 1945 four months after he became president he dedicated the Idaho Falls temple He returned to Salt Lake City March 30 this year after conferring in Los Angeles Angeles Angeles An An- geles g-eles about the proposed temple there ground for which may be broken this year Broke Ground It was on that Los Angeles trip he became ill spent several days in a Los Angeles hospital and recuperated for two months in California before returning to Salt Lake City just before the annual conference ses ses- ses- ses As a prelude to those conference conference conference con con- ference sessions Pres Smith broke ground April 1 for the proposed Primary Childrens Children's hospital at ave and D st st. He made a trip east cast in November November November No No- vember 1945 during which he hemet hemet hemet met with Pres Harry S Truman and discussed relief shipments by bythe bythe bythe the L D S church to Europe Twice Pres Smith has greeted Pres Truman in Salt Lake City on on June 26 1915 19 and on Sept 21 1918 Nine days after that last date Pres Smith greeted Thomas E. E Dewey in Salt Sal t Lake City Pres Truman and Mr Dewey Dewcy were barnstorming the country that September in m a national national national na na- na- na presidential campaign Feted Governors Go Pres Smith entertained most of the governors of the United States at a buffet garden dinner at his home during the annual governors' governors conference held in Salt Lake City in July 1947 That was as Utah's centennial year He had been named chairman chairman chairman chair chair- man of the This Is the Place monument commission on June 13 1945 after Heber J. J Grants Grant's death until that time Pres Smith had been second vice pre president sid en t At monument groundbreaking ceremonies July 24 1945 Pres Smith was master of ceremonies and he presided at dedication services July 24 1917 1947 A highlight of his four years as church president was a three- three week trip in m May 1946 through Mexico the first time an L D S president had visited the Mexican Mexican can mission during which time he called upon Manuel Avilla Camacho president of Mexico Senate 1 Prayer On one trip to the thc cast Pres Smith on May 20 1947 delivered the prayer opening a session of the U. U S. S senate Another trip in July 1946 found him leading leading leading lead lead- ing a n party which retraced the Mormon trail from Nauvoo HI TIl to Salt Lake City As always the interests of youth have occupied a good share of Pres Smiths Smith's atten atten- As a result on June 1 I 19 1948 8 he received the civic service award ward of the Fraternal Order of Eagles for his lifetime of service to and for the youth of the state He was given the 30 year veteran award on May 2 1949