One Sunday morning when President Thomas S. Monson was serving as a young bishop, he felt impressed to leave a priesthood meeting to look for a young man named Richard who seldom attended church.

Bishop Monson stopped by Richard’s home and learned he was servicing cars at a nearby garage. He drove to the garage to look for him but was unsuccessful.

“Suddenly, I had the inspiration to gaze down into the old-fashioned grease pit situated at the side of the building,” President Monson recalled. “From the darkness I could see two shining eyes. I heard Richard say, ‘You found me, Bishop! I’ll come up.’”

“As Richard and I visited,” President Monson continued, “I told him how much we missed him and needed him. I elicited a commitment from him to attend his meetings.” 

Two years later President Monson received an invitation to speak in Richard’s ward before he left on a mission. “In his remarks that day, Richard said that the turning point in his life was when his bishop found him hiding in a grease pit and helped him return to activity,” President Monson said.

Cover of “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Thomas S. Monson”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This story from President Monson’s life is one of many in the latest volume in the “Teachings of Presidents of the Church” series released Nov. 9. “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Thomas S. Monson” is now available in the Gospel Library mobile app and on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

President Monson served as the 16th President of the Church from Feb. 3, 2008, until his death on Jan. 2, 2018, at age 90.

In addition to stories from President Monson’s life and ministry, the book’s 24 chapters include his memorable counsel and teachings. Among the chapter titles are “Reach Out to Rescue,” “The Call for Courage” and “Whom the Lord Calls, the Lord Qualifies.”

“We are thrilled to have this wonderful resource for members to add to their personal libraries,” said Mike Madsen, a product manager in the Church’s Priesthood and Family Department. “It includes President Monson’s teachings on charity, rescuing those in need, and finding joy in the journey. Most importantly, it includes his testimony of the Redeemer of the world.”

President Thomas S. Monson, center, was introduced as 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with President Henry B. Eyring, left, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, right, as first and second counselors, respectively, in the First Presidency in Salt Lake City,Feb. 4, 2008.

Deseret News archives

How will this book be used?

“The ‘Teachings of Presidents of the Church’ books are designed to be a home library for our Saints,” Madsen said. “They are translated in many languages to provide a gospel library in places where there is a shortage of gospel literature.”

This book can also be used to help prepare for home evening lessons and talks, to supplement lessons at church, and to answer questions about Church doctrine. The introduction offers ideas for personal study and teaching from the book. At the end of each chapter are questions and related scriptures.

Relief Society and elders quorum Sunday meetings will continue to focus on general conference messages, Madsen said.

How can I order a print copy?

A notice sent to local leaders on Nov. 9 included information about ordering print copies. Beginning February 2023, individuals may order print copies for their home libraries in English, Chinese Traditional, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. To order, visit store.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. 

In early January, the book will be available in the Gospel Library in additional languages: Albanian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian and Swedish. Print copies in these languages can be ordered beginning in March 2023.

More about Thomas S. Monson

Thomas Spencer Monson was born in Salt Lake City on Aug. 21, 1927. He married Frances Beverly Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 7, 1948, and they had three children. His career was in publishing and printing; he held various positions as the Deseret News Press, including general manager.

Elder Thomas S. Monson, newly sustained member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with his wife, Sister Frances Monson, and their three children, Thomas Lee, Clark Spencer and Ann Frances Monson, Oct. 4, 1963.

Deseret News Archives

From 1959 to 1962, he served as president of the Canadian Mission, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. President Monson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 4, 1963.

In November 1968, he made his first visit to to Görlitz, then in the former East Germany, where he promised Church members, “If you will remain true and faithful …, every blessing any member of the Church enjoys in any other country will be yours.”

During the next two decades, he would dedicate the German Democratic Republic for missionary work, create the first stake in Freiberg, preside at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Freiberg Germany Temple and participate in the temple’s dedication. 

President Monson served in three First Presidencies before becoming President of the Church on Feb. 3, 2008. As Prophet, President Monson dedicated the Rexburg Idaho Temple and the Kyiv Ukraine Temple. In October 2012 general conference, he lowered the age for recommendation for missionary service to 18 years for young men and 19 years for young women. 

“Your Heavenly Father loves you — each of you,” President Monson said in October 2013 general conference. “That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.”

The 15 previous volumes in the “Teachings of Presidents of the Church” series can be found in the Gospel Library app or on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.