In conjunction with the 200th anniversary of the birth of Wilford Woodruff, fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young University will host a symposium Friday, Oct. 12, about President Woodruff’s life and mission titled “Wilford Woodruff: Missionary, Apostle, Church President.”
Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend. The conference will be held in the BYU Conference Center from 1 to 5 p.m.
March 1, 2007, marked the 200th anniversary of President Woodruff’s birth in Farmington, Conn. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ in 1833 and served two missions before being ordained an apostle in 1839. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, he completed four additional missions, presided over the temple in St. George, Utah, and served six years as Church Historian.
He was sustained as Church president on April 7, 1889, and served in this capacity until his death on Sept. 2, 1898. As President of the Church, he dedicated temples in Salt Lake City and Manti, Utah, and oversaw the organization of the Genealogical Society. After much pondering and prayer, he wrote the Manifesto in 1890, testifying that the Church had ceased teaching and practicing plural marriage.
The event is sponsored by the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation and the BYU Religious Studies Center. For more information, visit ce.byu.edu/cw.
Writer: Marissa Ballantyne
