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Postwar Resurgence

The Salt Lake Tabernacle was opened to he public on August 13, 1945, for the first time in nearly four years. Audiences were again able to enjoy the daily organ recitals and attend the weekly choir broadcasts. The first general conference without wartime restrictions on travel and attendance convened that October. These developments typified the ushering in of an era when Church activities revived and expanded, and provided the occasion for reevaluating and refining Church programs. In the midst of these postwar developments, the Latter-day Saints also marked the centennial of the Mormon pioneers' arrival in Utah. Hence President George Albert Smith's administration provided the occasion for reflection on past accomplishments as well as looking forward to and preparing for future opportunities.

Revival and Expansion of Church Programs

Missionary work and the construction of Church buildings were undoubtedly the activities most hampered by wartime restrictions. With the ending of hostilities, however, these and other activities not only revived but also expanded in order to better meet the needs of the Saints.

The rapid influx of missionaries after the war pushed their numbers to the new peak of 2,244 in 1946; by 1950 some 5,156 were serving. As had been the case before the war, most missionaries again were young Elders. The sudden explosion in the number of missionaries led to measures designed to enhance their effectiveness. The development of improved proselyting plans in these postwar years will be considered in a later chapter.

As the pace of missionary work picked up, the administrative load of mission presidents increased. Unlike ward bishops, stake presidents, or most other executives in the Church who enjoyed the assistance of two counselors, mission presidents served alone despite their responsibilities for missionaries and members. Therefore in 1947 the General Authorities directed mission presidents to call counselors from among the missionaries and local Melchizedek Priesthood bearers. Elder Spencer W. Kimball later declared that the decision to appoint counselors was a revelation to the Presidency of the Church. 1

While mission organization was being strengthened and proselyting missionaries were refining their methods, the Church was also taking advantage of other means to share its message with the world. With the end of wartime gasoline rationing and the consequent upsurge in travel, the importance of Temple Square as a missionary tool revived. In 1948 the number of visitors topped the one-million mark for the first time. In that same year the annual Hill Cumorah Pageant, "America's Witness for Christ," resumed. The Church's first major involvement in motion picture production also came during these postwar years. Several Church leaders had been especially impressed with teaching and training films produced by the Wait Disney Studios as part of the war effort. New Latter-day Saint motion pictures appearing during the later 1940s treated Church historic sites, Temple Square, and the welfare program. Likewise, as television developed during the postwar years, the Church was quick to make use of it. The October 1949 general conference was the first to be telecast. 2 A later chapter will consider in greater detail the importance of these media in sharing the gospel with the world.