I looked through the entries for 1978. There's little in the way of details. Plus, the key entries were
published in
BYU Studies in 2008. The June 1 entry reads:
After meeting with my counselors for an hour this morning from eight until nine o’clock, we went over to the temple and met with all of the General Authorities in the monthly meeting we hold together.
Returned to the office for a few minutes and then went over to Temple Square for the dedication services of the new Visitors Center South, which was scheduled to commence at 3:00 p.m.
The services lasted for about an hour, after which we returned to the office where I worked at my desk until six o’clock.
The June 9 entry reads:
This morning at seven o’clock by prior arrangement met in the upper room of the Salt Lake Temple with all of the General Authorities to consider with them the matter of giving the Priesthood to all worthy male members of the Church.
After our meeting returned to the office and released the following letter concerning giving the priesthood to all worthy male members of the Church: (See copy of letter.)
Immediately following the release of this announcement the telephones started to ring and rang continuously the balance of the afternoon. People, members and nonmembers, called from around the world to learn if what they had heard on the radio and TV was true.
The First Presidency met with the Presiding Bishopric at 10:15 a.m. which was much later than usual due to our meeting in the Temple.
At 11:00 a.m. the First Presidency met with a Mr. Ron Smith of Newsmaking International.
This afternoon at 2:30, President David P. Gardner of the University of Utah brought Dr. Franklin, a black man, in to meet me and came into my office for a short visit.
Had appointments with several of the General Authorities this afternoon on matters they needed to discuss with me. Also my counselors and I met with the Missionary Committee and then later with Brother Heber G. Wolsey and Wendell J. Ashton.
It was a very busy day today and did not get away from the office until six o’clock tonight.
Both entries have penciled vertical lines next to the entries with "REV" written to the right of the lines.
Quoting from a
blog post from the Church History Library:
Preparing President Kimball’s journals for public release was a complex process, as his day-to-day work dealt with confidential subjects which appear in journal entries, like meetings with individuals in private settings—counseling sessions, for instance—and sacred topics. Additionally, the newspaper clippings that President Kimball added to his journal remain under copyright. Thus, in preparing the Spencer W. Kimball journals for public release, employees of the Church History Department reviewed all entries for content that is sacred, copyrighted, or could potentially violate someone’s right to privacy. Due to the huge quantity of journal pages, it has taken several years since the journals’ donation for them to be ready for access.
I noted a number of redactions in the 1978 entries. I was surprised that one particular entry in 1978 was
not redacted. Certainly, it could be viewed as a violation of an individual's privacy.
I also looked through some entries in the early 1960s. Much more detailed than the 1978 entries, but most rather mundane: interviews, talks, marriages, meetings, stake reorganizations, meals, sightseeing, etc.
“But if you are told by your leader to do a thing, do it. None of your business whether it is right or wrong.” Heber C. Kimball, 8 Nov. 1857
