Lorenzo Snow, 5th President and Prophet of the LDS Church

Lorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was known for his financial ability and his work in bringing the Church out of debt. He was also known for his missionary work and his profound intelligence.

Lorenzo Snow was born on April 3, 1814, in Mantua, Ohio, the fourth of seven children and the oldest son of Oliver and Rosetta Pettibone Snow. His parents were leaders in the community. Snow’s father was involved enough in community affairs that the business of the farm was often left to Lorenzo. Lorenzo was bookish by nature. He declined an apprenticeship, something most young men of the time pursued to learn a skill, and instead continued his academic studies. He was educated far beyond the levels of most men at the time and even attended Oberlin College for one term.

The Snows were Baptists, but they had broad religious interests. Their home was often the venue for forums regarding other religious teachings. When Lorenzo was in his teens, Joseph Smith moved to Hiram, Ohio, four miles from the Snow’s farm. Lorenzo Snow wrote in his own account that he heard the Book of Mormon read at his home in Mantua and later met the Prophet in Hiram in 1831. Although interested in the Church, Snow left for college undecided about baptism. While at college he defended the Church and was mocked by those around him. Lorenzo’s mother, his two eldest sisters, and perhaps his father, were soon baptized into the Church. Lorenzo decided to continue his education at Kirtland. He joined his sisters there, and was baptized on June 19, 1836.

To read more about him: MormonWiki