Background
Florence Smith was the granddaughter of two Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) Church presidents: Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant.
Florence Smith was the granddaughter of two Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) Church presidents: Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant.
Smith attended the University of Utah and graduated in 1934.
While at the university she was part of the Chi Omega sorority. In 1955, Ted Jacobsen was called as the president of the Eastern States Mission of the church, and the family moved to New York City. In October 1961, Florence Jacobsen succeeded Bertha South. Reeder as general president of the church"s Young Women"s Mutual Improvement Association.
Jacobsen held this position until 1972, when she was released and succeeded by Ruth H. Funk.
During her tenure, the Beehive House and Lion House—which were operated by the YWMIA—were restored and opened to the public. In 1969, the YWMIA celebrated its centennial and in 1971, Jacobsen oversaw the launch of the New Era, the church"s new magazine for youth.
Jacobsen accepted and became a key figure in the construction of the Museum of Church History and Artist As a church curator, Jacobsen supervised the restoration of many church buildings, including the Promised Valley Playhouse in Salt Lake City.
The East. B. Grandin building in Palmyra, New New York
The Brigham Young home in Saint George, Utah. The Jacob Hamblin home in Santa Clara, Utah. The Newell K. Whitney store in Kirtland, Ohio.
And the interior of the Manti Utah Temple.
In regards to her leadership of the Young Women organization, Monson stated, "You lifted them to a higher plane, and anyone who"s been lifted to a plane of excellence is never again content with mediocrity. That"s not a word you have in your vocabulary—mediocrity.
You"ve never known it, and you never will.".
