Quote:
Originally Posted by All-American
I understand that President Kimball was well enough to at least consent to what President Hinckley was doing-- in fact, I believe he was healthy enough to attend general conference in that April. But based on everything I have been able to get my eyes on, the primary actor was President Hinckley.
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I don't think that is the case. From what his son describes, President Kimball was totally incapacitated. During conference, his secretary sat next to him and raised President Kimball's hand for him during sustainings. Kimball's secretary remarked that when two conferences passed without naming a replacement for Richards or for Romney, he didn't even believe President Kimball was aware that LeGrand Richards had passed away.
President Hinckley was called as an extra counselor because Richards and Romney were suffering from Parkinson's and because Kimball was incapacitated by fluid on the brain. After his surgery in 1979, Kimball's son commented that his father wondered why the Lord wouldn't let him die, and then became progressively unaware of his surroundings until he was totally gone mentally.