President Monson makes time for 'promptings'

As President Thomas S. Monson approaches the one-year anniversary of

his appointment as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, he knows the meaning of the adage, "It's lonely at

the top.""However," he said during an interview this week, "I feel I'm never alone."With

no one else on earth having the same responsibility that he has as

president of the LDS Church, President Monson said he turns to prayer

for direction from Heavenly Father."He's always there," he

said. "I rely on Him. I know what it is like to have him lead me. As

the song goes, 'Lead me, guide me, walk beside me. Help me find the

way.' It has so much truth in it."In a one-on-one interview

Wednesday with the Church News section of the Deseret News, President

Monson reflected upon the past year.After his predecessor,

President Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away on Jan. 27, 2008, the First

Presidency was dissolved. President Monson, who was first counselor to

President Hinckley, resumed his place in the Quorum of the Twelve

Apostles as its president.Members of that quorum met in the

Salt Lake Temple on Feb. 3, 2008, and ordained him as president of the

church. President Monson is the 16th man since the church's founding in

1830 to hold this office. More than 13 million Latter-day Saints

worldwide sustain him as prophet, seer and revelator, the holder of all

keys of priesthood authority.The past year has been a busy one

for President Monson. He has announced plans to build nine new temples,

three in Arizona: Gilbert, Gila Valley and Phoenix. The other temples