George Albert Smith

I move next to President George Albert Smith, the eighth President of the Church, ordained and set apart as President on May 21, 1945, at the age of 75. He was president of the Church when I served as a bishop, and he signed my bishop’s certificate.

I believe one of President Smith’s most noble accomplishments was after World War II. Starvation was rampant in Germany and in other nations of Europe. President Smith met with United States President Harry S. Truman and said, “We’d like to send welfare supplies to the starving people of Europe, but the bureaucracy and the red tape in postwar Europe are keeping us from doing so.”

President Truman heard his plea and opened the way. He asked, “How many months will it take for you to assemble your supplies?”

President Smith replied, “President Truman, they’re already assembled. All you need do is say go, and they’ll be rolling within twenty-four hours.”

President Truman was taken aback by this slender man who spoke rather softly—but oh, could he move things along. The supplies were sent, and Elder Ezra Taft Benson was also sent to oversee their distribution. Lives were saved as a result.

This great leader had such a compassionate heart. A personal friend of mine told me of an example of such compassion. He said his uncle Junius Burt worked on the street department crew for Salt Lake City, and on a very cold day many years ago, he and others on the crew were chipping ice with shovels and hand implements from South Temple Street between State Street and Main Street. President George Albert Smith said to one of the workers who had no coat, “You should wear a coat today. It’s too cold to be out here in this very frigid weather working as you are working.”

The man, who did not know President Smith, replied, “I have no coat to wear.”

President Smith then removed his own coat, handed it to the man, and said, “Here, you take this coat and wear it. I work just across the street, and I can get there without a coat.”

Received by that worker that day was more than an overcoat. Received was a gesture of kindness which the recipient of the coat and his coworkers never forgot.

President George Albert Smith’s favorite song was “Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words,” which he personified. His favorite food was apple pie with a little warm milk on it. What was one of his favorite statements? He always taught, “There is a great tug-of-war going on between the Lord and the adversary. Stay safely on the Lord’s side of the line.” Oh, how applicable it is today in our lives! A trait of President Smith’s which he would no doubt encourage us to incorporate in our lives would be compassion. This great leader had a compassionate heart.

President George Albert Smith served as President of the Church for six years, passing away on his 81st birthday, April 4, 1951.

Thomas S. Monson "Principles From Prophets" September 15 2009 BYU Devotional