Celebrating the Famous Mormon Prophet

By Rebecca

During the third week of August, there will be a musical performance celebrating the life and ministry of the Mormon Prophet Thomas S. Monson. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church by the media) know he is a holy man called of God to lead His Church. On August 17th, 2012, over 21,000 thousand people will personally attend the production honoring Prophet Thomas S. Monson’s 85th Birthday Celebration. Millions worldwide can view the event broadcast on TV or in LDS churches, where the event will be broadcast through closed-circuit TV.

The Mormon prophet’s birthday event performers will include Dallyn Vail Bayles, Stanford Olsen, Rebecca Luker, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra, who will perform Broadway songs and other favorites. The actress and singer Rebecca Luker performed on TV, Death Takes a Holiday, Mary Poppins, The Music Man, Showboat, Nine, The Sound of Music, The Secret Garden and The Phantom of the Opera. The tenor Stanford Olsen has been singing for almost 30 years for opera companies such as La Scala, San Francisco Opera, Australian National Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Metropolitan Opera. Mormons will recognize the famous Mormon Dallyn Vail Bayles for his role as Hyrum Smith in the films Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration and Emma Smith: My Story. Others will recognize him from Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera (as the Phantom and Raoul), and Les Misérables performances in China, Korea, Canada, and the U.S. [1]

“We are very pleased that these talented solo artists will be joining the choir to honor this great man,” said choir president Mac Christensen. “I happen to know the songs being performed will delight President Monson.” [1]

This celebration will be held at the LDS Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. [2] This is the same place where the famous Mormon prophet and modern apostles testify of Jesus Christ biannually during General Conference. (See this link to read about General Conference.) The next time he will address the world, will be during Sunday morning October 7, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. MDT.

“So many around the world have been influenced by President Monson’s warmth, compassion and genuine love of people,” said Ms. Johnson. “We celebrate and honor his extraordinary life of service and leadership.” [3]

The celebration will be hosted by two famous Mormons: former 49ers football star Steve Young and national network news anchor Jane Clayson Johnson. [1] “During his 15-year National Football League tenure, Steve is the highest-rated quarterback in NFL history and was Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXIX.” [3] Jane decided to leave her network news career to have a family and mother her two children. [4] They will narrate the story of Prophet Monson’s childhood, marriage, and Navy service and years of church service. None of the leaders in the LDS Church are paid for their service, and each is called of God. “President Monson was called as a bishop of a congregation at age 22 and has served for nearly a half century as a general authority of the LDS Church and ultimately as president.” [3]