DiscussMormonism.com

From Heidi Swinton on LDS.org

One of the bishop’s duties was to send to every serviceman a subscription to the Church News and to the Improvement Era and to write a personal letter to him each month. Since President Monson had served in the navy in World War II, he appreciated the importance of a letter from home. He had 23 ward members serving in the military, so he called a sister in the ward to handle the details of mailing these letters. One evening he handed her the monthly stack of 23 letters. LDS.org/South Africa

Hmmm, what really happened?

In 1945, at age 17, Monson joined the United States Naval Reserve and anticipated participating in World War II in the Pacific theater. He was sent to San Diego, California but was not moved overseas before the end of the war.

So was Heidi overstating the situation with regards to Monson's Navy duty to try and 'hero' him up a little?

Drifting wrote:So was Heidi overstating the situation with regards to Monson's Navy duty to try and 'hero' him up a little?

No.

(your desperation is showing)

subgenius wrote:

Drifting wrote:So was Heidi overstating the situation with regards to Monson's Navy duty to try and 'hero' him up a little?

No.

This is one of the most substantial rebuttals you've ever posted...

She didn't overstate. She stated a fact that is true. She didn't add any details.

She doesn't claim he saw combat, though people might assume such.

I do believe that, on the whole, church leaders are made to appear heroic and iconic. Just look at a church manual and see the language used to talk about them.

Haha,

I had one of them come up to me and say ' Hi do you know who I am? I am Elder....(Some guest speaker & ex Phantom f4 pilot from Vietnam, with the blood of hundreds of innocent women and children on his hands) I looked him in the eyes and said do you know who I am? I am Elder... (My name). He later mentioned it in his talk, that I had put him in his place and that we are all equal as Elders in the priesthood.

LMAO.

Drifting wrote:

In 1945, at age 17, Monson joined the United States Naval Reserve and anticipated participating in World War II in the Pacific theater. He was sent to San Diego, California but was not moved overseas before the end of the war.

So was Heidi overstating the situation with regards to Monson's Navy duty to try and 'hero' him up a little?

That he didn't enter the theater of combat I don't think detracts from his willingness to serve. In a time of war, at the age of 17 he got off his ass and signed his name on the contract and shipped off and served in the capacity Uncle Sam needed him in at the time.

He was away from home, probably for the first time, surrounded by non-Mormons, probably a lot of rough characters. I'm sure he was apprehensive, a little scared about the future actions he'd volunteered for, etc. I'm sure he missed his family and friends, and really appreciated the letters from home.

There's plenty of LDS hero-making history, but I don't think this one rises to that level.