Joseph L. Wirthlin
Encyclopedia
Joseph Leopold Wirthlin (August 14, 1893 – January 25, 1963) was the eighth presiding bishop
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Wirthlin was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
. He served as a missionary
in the Swiss
–German
Mission
of the church in 1913 and 1914. He served as bishop of the Salt Lake 33rd Ward in the Liberty Stake from 1928 to 1935. On October 27, 1935 the Liberty Stake was split and the Bonneville Stake was organized with Wirthlin as its first president. He was set apart
by Joseph Fielding Smith
.
Wirthlin became a general authority
in 1938 when he was called as a counselor to Presiding Bishop LeGrand Richards
. In 1952, church president David O. McKay
called Wirthlin to be the eighth Presiding Bishop in church history. Wirthlin called Thorpe B. Isaacson
and Carl W. Buehner
as his counselors. Wirthlin and his counselors served as the presiding bishopric of the church until they were released in 1961.
Wirthlin died at St. George, Utah
and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
.
Wirthlin and his wife Madeline Bitner were the parents of five children, including Joseph B. Wirthlin
, who served as a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Their other children are Judith Wirthlin Parker, Gwendolyn Wirthlin McConkie, Richard B. Wirthlin
, a former general authority, and David Bitner Wirthlin, current president
of the church's Nauvoo Illinois Temple
.
Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Wirthlin was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. He served as a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
–German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the church in 1913 and 1914. He served as bishop of the Salt Lake 33rd Ward in the Liberty Stake from 1928 to 1935. On October 27, 1935 the Liberty Stake was split and the Bonneville Stake was organized with Wirthlin as its first president. He was set apart
Setting apart
Setting apart is an ordinance or ritual in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whereby a person is formally chosen and blessed to carry out a specific calling or responsibility in the church....
by Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church...
.
Wirthlin became a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
in 1938 when he was called as a counselor to Presiding Bishop LeGrand Richards
LeGrand Richards
LeGrand Richards was a prominent missionary and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as the seventh presiding bishop of the LDS Church from 1938 to 1952, and was then called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by Church President David O. McKay...
. In 1952, church president David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
called Wirthlin to be the eighth Presiding Bishop in church history. Wirthlin called Thorpe B. Isaacson
Thorpe B. Isaacson
Henry Thorpe Beal Isaacson was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving as a counselor in the First Presidency to church president David O. McKay from 1965 to 1970....
and Carl W. Buehner
Carl W. Buehner
Carl William Buehner was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1952 to 1961 and was the Republican Party candidate for governor of Utah in the 1968 election....
as his counselors. Wirthlin and his counselors served as the presiding bishopric of the church until they were released in 1961.
Wirthlin died at St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery
Salt Lake City Cemetery
thumb|The northern section of the cemetery at night, looking towards Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The...
.
Wirthlin and his wife Madeline Bitner were the parents of five children, including Joseph B. Wirthlin
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Joseph Bitner Wirthlin was an American businessman, religious leader and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was sustained to the Quorum on October 4, 1986, and ordained an apostle on October 9, 1986 by Thomas S. Monson, following the...
, who served as a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Their other children are Judith Wirthlin Parker, Gwendolyn Wirthlin McConkie, Richard B. Wirthlin
Dick Wirthlin
Richard Bitner Wirthlin was a prominent American pollster, who is best known as Ronald Reagan's chief strategist, serving as his political consultant and pollster for twenty years, from 1968 through the end of his presidency...
, a former general authority, and David Bitner Wirthlin, current president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the church's Nauvoo Illinois Temple
Nauvoo Illinois Temple
The Nauvoo Illinois Temple is the 113th dedicated temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the third such temple that has been built in Illinois ....
.