[MUSIC PLAYING] President Kimball
had a great concern for the Native Americans
throughout his life. When he received his patriarchal
blessing at the age of 8, he was told, "You will preach
the gospel to many people, but more especially
to the Lamanites." Shortly after
George Albert Smith became President of
the Church in 1945, he called Elder Kimball to
be responsible for all Church relations with Native Americans. One of Spencer Kimball's
most important services to Native Americans
was the establishment of the Indian Placement Program,
which became an official Church program in 1954. This program provided thousands
of young Native Americans the opportunity to
receive a formal education as they lived as foster children
with participating families. Of his beloved Lamanite
brothers and sisters, President Kimball
taught, "Assuming that we do our duty to them, the
Indians and other sons of Lehi will yet rise in
power and strength. The Lord will remember
his covenant to them. ... They will come to a
knowledge of their fathers and to a perfect knowledge of
their Redeemer, Jesus Christ; they shall prosper in the
land and will, with our help, build up a holy city,
even the New Jerusalem, under their God."