In 1875, church presidentBrigham Young organized the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. The first implementation of the organization was in the Salt Lake 13th Ward, with Junius F. Wells as president.[3] Among his counselors was Heber J. Grant.
In 1876, Young selected Wells to lead the organization throughout the church. In 1880, John Taylor released Wells from his duties and revised the leadership of the YMMIA, appointing Wilford Woodruff as the general superintendent. After Wells's release, the church's organization for young men would be led by general authorities of the church until 1935.
Wells was also the founding editor and publisher of The Contributor, an independent publication that sought to represent the YMMIA and the church's equivalent organization for young women. Wells continued in these roles until 1892, when the magazine was purchased by the Cannon family and Abraham H. Cannon became the editor and publisher. The Contributor ceased publication in 1896.
In 1884, Wells visited the birthplace of church founder Joseph SmithinSharon, Vermont, and conceived a plan to build a monument to the Mormon prophet.[5] Under the direction of Joseph F. Smith, Wells oversaw the construction of the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in 1905. The monument was dedicated by Smith on December 23, 1905, the 100th anniversary of Joseph Smith's birth.[6] Wells also was the chief organizer in having a monument erected by the church to the Three WitnessesinRichmond, Missouri, in 1911.[7]
Other works created by Wells included the Hyrum Smith monument created in Salt Lake City in 1918.
From 1921 to 1930 Wells was Assistant Church historian. Among other works in this position he arranged for the purchase of the glass plate negatives of George Edward Anderson's work.
In 2005, the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation created the Junius F. Wells Award, to be awarded to individuals who promote the purposes of the Foundation.
As of 1919 Wells was serving as the chief assistant to George Albert Smith in running the British and European missions.[13] He also served another mission to Britain.
^Richard N. Holzapfel. "Junius F. Wells" in Arnold K. Garr, Donald Q. Cannon and Richard O. Cowan ed, Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History, p, 1326
