Mormon Women Leaders

Margaret served with various Mormon women leaders. For seven years, Margaret worked closely with other Mormon women such as her childhood friend Elmina Shepard Taylor (the young women’s president from 1880-1904) and the second counselor Martha H. Tingey (who became the subsequent president of the young women’s organization). In 1887, the LDS woman leader Maria Young Dougall took her place when Margaret’s husband died and she resigned as the first counselor. She also volunteered as the Secretary of the Salt Lake Stake Relief Society (divine organization for adult women) and a Member of the General Board of the YWMIA (Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint biographical encyclopedia, [1936], 267).

Mormon Women: Biography of Margaret Young Taylor

Margaret was born on April 24, 1837, to Ebenezer Russell Young (who established one of the first silk mills in New Jersey) and Margaret Holden Young in Westport, Connecticut. She grew up among four brothers and two sisters in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York until she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1858. She brought a library of books with her across the plains and was known for being highly educated, sewing, and writing letters with beautiful handwriting. In Utah, she taught in her husband’s family school.

Margaret was also known among Mormon women for her homemaking skills as a mother. Margaret gave birth to three daughters and six sons (two of whom died before her death). “Children who played with hers, invariably mention her pleasant manner, and freedom from irritability. And her home was one of the most hospitable” (“Margaret Young Taylor”, The Young Woman’s Journal, 1919 volume 30, 302). One of Margaret’s sons (Frank Taylor) encouraged weekly “family home evening” (spending time as a family in prayer, scripture study, and activity), which program was later adopted church-wide in 1915 and “it has become a key to the strength of Latter-day Saint families throughout the world—in a very real sense, a legacy of the Taylor family to the rest of the Church” (Richard L. Jensen, “The John Taylor Family”, Ensign, February 1980, pages 50-51).

Margaret had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She joined the LDS church and was baptized at the age of 14 (Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, [1936], 267). She married the prophet John Taylor and was a Christ-like person who:

…influenced all with whom she came in contact, and impressed them with her pleasing personality. Her methods of control were by persuasion and kindness… One woman in speaking of her today said, “She had a soothing, quieting way with her. I remember meeting her once when I had lost my brother. I felt almost bitter, in my bereavement, but she comforted me and I left her a changed being.” (See “Margaret Young Taylor”, The Young Woman’s Journal, 1919 volume 30, page 302.)

When Margaret died on May 3, 1919, she was “one of the last surviving widows of the apostles chosen and ordained under the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mrs. Taylor was the wife of the late John Taylor, Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (See “Margaret Young Taylor”, The young woman’s journal, 1919 volume 30, 301-302.)

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Mormon Women Leaders:

From 1905-1923, Mae served with various Mormon women such as the LDS woman leader Martha H. Tingey (the young women’s president from 1905-1929), and first counselor Ruth May Fox. In 1923, she moved to Wyoming, and Lucy Grant Cannon (1923-1929) took her position as the second counselor. She also served on the General Board of the YLMIA and as her congregation’s YLMIA secretary, treasurer, and second counselor, and stake president of the YLMIA from 1926-1929 (Jenson, Andrew, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, [1936], 264).

Mormon Women: Mae Taylor Nystrom’s Life

Mae grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, among three brothers and her parents, George Hamilton Taylor and Elmina Shepherd (who was the first young women’s president). Susa Young Gates wrote:

The ideal of her girlhood was to become a perfect homemaker. With this in view she quietly set about its accomplishment. Under her mother’s direction she studied the varying phases of domestic science— cooking, sewing, sanitation, the care of the sick, and rounded out her homemaking preparations by the oft repeated entertainment of her friends. Home, as Mae Taylor grew to understand it, “was the place where her family was loved and made happy ;**and it was also the place where friends should most surely*find welcome, hospitality and peace. Today the ideal of her girlhood is the ideal of her life. In her heart home holds first place (History of the YLMIA of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from November 1869 to June 1910, 1911, 293).

Mae enjoyed learning, teaching, and helping Mormon women around her. She attended LDS College and the University of Utah. She moved to Wyoming in 1923 and returned to Utah in 1929. She “was a delegate to the National Council of Women in 1908 and to the triennial session held in Seattle in 1909” (Jenson, Andrew, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, [1936], 264). She took a book-keeping course to help fulfill her duties as the corresponding secretary for the General Board while working simultaneously as a teacher of physical culture. She lived with her mother until 1900 when she married Theodore Nystrom. Susa Young Gates said:

One phase of education that early attracted her was physical culture. After some study in Salt Lake City she spent the summer of 1893 at Harvard in advanced work, and upon her return taught two years in the Utah School for Physical Culture under the direction of Maud May Babcock. She also took charge of the school as director for two years. With the hope of carrying- the benefits of physical culture to the Y. L. M. I. A. of the nearby wards, she at this time conducted drills in the monthly officers’ meetings, held in the Fourteenth ward (History of the YLMIA of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from November 1869 to June 1910, 1911, 162, 293-294).

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Today Mormon Helping Hands

Elder Benson’s assignment included reorganizing and reopening the European missions, which had mostly been forced to shut down at the beginning of the war; assessing the physical and spiritual needs of the people and helping the Church meet those needs; and bringing the blessings and love of the First Presidency to the Saints in Europe.

Conditions were deplorable at this time. Permission to enter all countries had to be granted from all appropriate military powers, and once permission was granted the actual travel had to be arranged. Flights were nearly non-existent, except in military planes. Many railways had been bombed out and there were virtually no passenger cars left, so most railway passage was in livestock cars or third-class cars. Automobiles were very scarce and exceedingly hard to come by, but the missions had to have some. Most countries were still on food rations, and many people could not even find the food available which was listed on their ration cards. Most things were sold on the black market at exorbitant prices, and starvation ran rampant. In some cities there were no buildings left standing, and few people had clothing. On top of all of these hardships, occupying soldiers often took out their rage and hate on the often innocent civilians. Rape, pillage, and plunder were all common, everyday occurrences. These are some of the conditions which President Benson and his companions faced.

And None Shall Stay Them

In an account which Bro. Babbel wrote of their experiences, he focused on the promise the Lord gave His servants in the Doctrine and Covenants: “And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them” (1:5). The experiences of these brethren truly showed the fulfillment of this promise. In one of the first meetings he attended with Elder Benson, Bro. Babbel recorded the following description of him:

“Never had I met a men of God who was so humble, so grateful for loyalty and kindness rendered, so genuinely and deeply emotional and receptive to that which is good and pure, a man who has such an all-consuming love for the children of our Father. Since our arrival he had been able to do more in less time, and that more thoroughly and effectively, than I had ever dreamed to be possible” On Wings of Faith, 20).

When they met with the saints in Oslo, Norway, Elder Benson gave the Saints the following promise:

“I promise you as a servant of God that if you will live true to the covenants you have made with him and will live the gospel as it has been restored, every blessing you might receive by living close to the temples shall be granted unto you, even the celestial kingdom of God.

“God judges us not only by what we do, but by what we would do and desire to do if we had the opportunity. He will not withhold any blessing from us of which we are truly worthy” (On Wings of Faith, 20).

This was a very significant promise, because the Saints keenly felt their distance from any temple. Eventually many more temples would be built in Europe, but this promise surely gave much comfort to those Saints who never had the opportunity to attend the temple in their lifetimes.

The brethren took a whirlwind one-month tour of Europe to get a better feeling for the needs of the Saints in all areas. Elder Benson summarized their trip and findings in a letter to the First Presidency, which was included in the official European Mission History.

On their first visits, the brethren made all possible arrangements for welfare supplies to be delivered to the Saints in most need before the larger welfare shipments arrived. They also worked closely with the International Red Cross, as well as other necessary offices, and obtained much-needed help to transport and distribute the supplies which were sent for.

Miracles in Transportation

After this initial trip, Elder Benson gained a deep understanding of the needs of the Saints and went to work arranging for welfare goods to be shipped to them. This was, however, a very complicated process, and many times it was only through a series of miracles that they were able to get all the permission and paperwork they needed.

In addition to getting supplies to the Saints, it was also Elder Benson’s responsibility to reopen the European missions. However, records were in shambles from the war period. Converting the piles of disorganized information into some semblance of mission records seemed a nearly impossible task, since nearly all missions were in the same state of disarray. However, by the end of their first year, this task had been completed, which was key in reopening many missions and sending the Saints much spiritual strength. It took much more work than organizing the records, however. Elder Benson had to meet with several civil and military authorities to gain all necessary permission for missionaries to return to these countries, but of course he was successful in this endeavor as well.

Conditions in Europe

As they travelled to many different countries, Bro. Babbel recorded the situation in each. Though some countries were better off than others, everywhere there was devastation and despair. The brethren noticed consistently, however, that despite harsh and trying conditions, the Saints were hopeful and had the light of Christ in their hearts. Some touching experiences strengthened testimonies and offered encouraging reports to the First Presidency.

Welfare Arrangements

Despite so much suffering, the Saints retained strong testimonies. One sister who had walked to Western Germany from East Prussia bore her testimony of the power of prayer and of the gospel. Her husband was killed in a battle near the end of the war. She fled with her four small children, the youngest still a baby. She walked over a thousand miles with them, pulling a small cart with all their belongings. Along the way she lost each of her children, digging graves for them along the way with a tablespoon. Near the end of the unbearable journey, her baby died and she dug the grave with her bare hands. Despairing and near to suicide, she felt the impression she needed to pray, which she did. She was comforted and strengthened and bore a fervent testimony that she was happy because she knew Jesus is the Christ and that if she continued faithful, she would be rewarded in the next life for all she had suffered in this life.

Others bore similar testimonies that through the devastation of war they had gained an unshakable testimony because they had turned to the Lord when there was no one else and He never denied them. Bro. Babbel recounted seeing hundreds near starvation, but never hearing them utter a word of complaint. They found their hope in the gospel and did the best they could.

In the course of things, Elder Benson arranged for the Church’s welfare supplies to be shipped by the Red Cross to Bremen, Germany, but there was a lot of concern about the shipments being pilfered once they made it to Bremen and were being shipped by rail across the country. Much of this robbery had been occurring, but the papers were trying to keep it quiet, and Elder Benson was very concerned about it. Later it was decided that all supplies would be sent to Geneva, because the risk of sending them through some of the German and Belgian ports was too great. Through the protection of the Lord, though, there was minimal loss of the welfare supplies during this huge relief effort. In addition to the Church’s welfare supplies, Elder Babbel contributed many things at his own expense. His wife often sent him care packages that he would share with and distribute to the Saints. Sometimes it was something as small as a needle and thread, which were impossible to get in Germany, and the gratitude with which these things were received always touched Bro. Babbel’s heart.

It took a year for Bro. Babbel to receive permission from the Russians to allow welfare supplies to be sent into Eastern Germany. This was one of the greatest miracles which occurred during Bro. Babbel’s year-long mission.

The Sacrifices of the Brethren to Bring Aid to the European Saints

Bro. Babbel recorded accurate records of all he and Elder Benson were able to accomplish, but their success did not come without sacrifice. These brethren often worked eighteen-hour days or longer, getting up before 5:00 in the morning and going until at least midnight day after day. They often went without food —either because it was not available or because they gave what they had to the Saints who need it so much more. They once fasted for a period of four days. They also often travelled under horrible circumstances, once flying in a plane with no heating and no insulation. They were nearly frozen when they landed. They each left their families for a year, and communication with their families was minimal, with letters sometimes taking several weeks to reach the brethren in their travels. At one point Elder Benson did not hear of his child’s serious illness until it was too late for him even to pray for a good outcome. He had to have faith that the prayers which had been offered in this child’s behalf would be sufficient: they were.

Their travelling was unfathomable, especially under the conditions in which they were forced to travel. Between April and June, Elder Benson travelled from London to Switzerland, back to London, around England, to Norway, then to Sweden and then to Denmark. Next came Holland, then back to London, back to Denmark and then to Germany, and finally back to London. Elder Benson often travelled extensively within each country he visited, as well.

By the end of his mission, Elder Benson had travelled 32,202 miles by plane 1,455 miles by ship and boat; 9,818 miles by train; 14,356 miles by car; and 3,405 miles by miscellaneous transportation including military jeeps and station wagons, buses, street cars, taxis, droshkas (horse-drawn carriage), cable railways, etc., for a total of 61,236 miles.

Despite their hardships, these brethren sacrificed most willingly to bring hope and comfort to those of God’s children they were called to serve.

Success of the Welfare Mission

At the end of the welfare mission, all of the hard work Elder Benson and Bro. Babbel had put in had produced marvelous results. All previous missions had been reestablished and were operating under individual mission presidents, with the exception of West Germany, whose new president was on his way. Welfare supplies had been organized and routes set up so needy Saints could get some relief. Missionaries were sent out again and were working hard to help bring people the peace of the gospel as well as help the people rebuild their countries and lives. Finland had also been opened to the gospel and proved to be one of the most receptive countries in Europe.

Ninety-two railway carloads of welfare supplies, amounting to about 2,000 tons, had been received and distributed in Europe. These supplies included food, clothing, utensils, medical supplies, and other necessaries. Individual Church members organized themselves and sent additional tens of thousands of critical items. The response was great enough that the Church was also able to donate large amounts of clothing and food to local child-care and feeding programs in some places. Several military barracks had also been purchased and moved to house the Saints while they rebuilt. The countries which benefited from the monumental relief effort included Britain, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Germany. By March of 1947, needs had been met in all countries except Germany, Austria, and Poland, which allowed extra items to be sent to the still-needy countries.

The welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides the necessities of life, so those who are in need may once again become capable of providing for themselves. The efforts of Elder Benson and Bro. Babbel in post-World War II Europe saved the lives of countless people. The Lord blessed these men to find ways to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of reaching so many people under such circumstances. Truly the Lord’s promise that “none shall stay them” was fulfilled in this mission.

• Rexburg Idaho Temple
• Curitiba Brazil Temple
• Panama City Panama Temple
• Twin Falls Idaho Temple
• Draper Utah Temple
• Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

President Monson bears powerful testimony of the Savior:

“Our Mediator, our Redeemer, our Brother, our Advocate with the Father died for our sins and the sins of all mankind. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the foreordained but voluntary act of the Only Begotten Son of God. He offered His life as a redeeming ransom for us all. His mission, His ministry among men, His teachings of truth, His acts of mercy, His unwavering love for us prompt our gratitude and warm our hearts. Jesus Christ, Savior of the world—even the Son of God—was and is the ultimate pioneer, for He has gone before, showing all others the way to follow. May we ever follow Him” (“Led by Spiritual Pioneers,” Ensign, Aug. 2006, 8).

President Monson has been continuing the precedent set by several prophets before him of travelling the world and meeting with the Saints as often as he can. President Monson is known for heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost and for urging others to do so as well. Known for telling personal stories and applying principles he has learned to everyday life, President Monson is beloved, admired, and respected by all who know him and by all who hear him speak. He will do many great things as the mouthpiece of the Lord in leading His church today.

The Church leaders, under Thomas Monson’s guidance, continue to emphasize strong families and personal connectedness to God through a closeness to the Holy Ghost.  Another emphasized principle is preparedness and food storage.  President Monson leads at a time when the Church is under attack for its stance on same-sex marriage and its involvement in the political arena in the states in America where marriage laws are changing.  The Church upholds its right to express itself when the moral values of nations are challenged and also stands by its declaration that marriage is ordained of God and that marriage between a man and a woman is central to the health of society.  The Church will never change this policy, no matter how many people try to get it to.  The Lord speaks His will through His prophet, and the Church will always uphold and defend the commands of God.  Principles and commandments cannot be changed because of the desires of men.

When Elder Christofferson was thirteen years old, his mother developed cancer. Elder Christofferson gathered his brothers for a family prayer on her behalf. Because she was unable to continue many of her regular responsibilities, including making the family bread, he learned how to make bread and continued to make it until he went away to college.

When he was fifteen, his family moved from their small Utah town of Lindon to Somerset, New Jersey, a large and populated town that was very different from his Utah home. Suddenly he was the only member of the church in a school that was diverse in every way. This helped him develop an appreciation for those who were different from him, and also to begin to appreciate his own faith in a new way.

It was during this time he decided to gain a sure testimony of his faith. He was participating in a Mormon church pageant held in New York each year, which re-enacted the beginnings of the church in modern times. Because it was held right where Joseph Smith first saw God and later an angel, he felt this would be a good place to gain his own testimony. He went to the same grove where Joseph Smith had gone to ask God which church to join, and Elder Christofferson began to pray. However, he didn’t receive an answer to his prayers, which left him confused and discouraged. It was a month later that he received his answer, and he wasn’t even searching for it then. He was simply reading the Book of Mormon in his bedroom. He learned from this experience that you needn’t be in a special place to receive personal revelation—you can receive God’s word anywhere at all, and always on God’s own time.

Elder Christofferson was accepted into Brigham Young University, a Church-owned school, after his high school graduation. However, at the end of his first year, he took a leave of absence to serve a two-year volunteer mission for the church in Argentina. This began a life-long love for South America.

After his mission, he returned to Brigham Young University to study English. There he met his future wife, Cathy Jacob. Although he first saw her near the end of his first semester there, he didn’t meet her until the following fall. However, their relationship grew quickly, and they were married on May 28, 1968. After the two graduated in 1969, Elder Christofferson transferred to Duke University to obtain his law degree. When he graduated, he accepted a position clerking for federal judge John J. Sirica, which he planned to do for one year before moving to a new position. However, Judge Sirica was called on to preside over the Watergate Hearings, and asked Elder Christofferson to stay on through the course of the trials, because he felt Elder Christofferson was the only person he could talk to. Elder Christofferson was later asked to speak at Judge Sirica’s funeral mass.

When this position ended, Elder Christofferson met his military service requirements. Then he went to work for Dow Lohnes PLLC, followed by a position as associate general counsel of NationsBank Corp. He was an active participant in community and interfaith groups and also had a busy church life. The Mormon Church is a lay church, so members hold positions, even high-level ones, without pay while caring for families and managing careers. During this busy time in his life, he held several demanding church positions and raised five children. His work led him to live in several places: Tennessee,  Washington D.C., and North Carolina.

He was called to be an apostle of the Lord, the highest ranking body of the church, on April 5, 2008.

Heritage

As the grandson of two former Apostles, Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Elder Melvin J. Ballard; the great-grandson of former Prophet Joseph F. Smith; the great-great-grandson of Hyrum Smith, (the brother of Joseph Smith); and the great-great nephew of the Prophet Joseph Smith; M. Russell Ballard realizes the heritage that has been left to him. It is a heritage that he gladly accepts and strives each day to live up to. When Russell was sustained as an apostle at General Conference, he acknowledged: “I would like to bear witness…[that] the veil between here and the hereafter is rather thin. I acknowledge that it’s been a great blessing in my life to be born of goodly parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who have given everything they have been asked to give to the building of the kingdom of God on the earth.”

Childhood

Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. was born in Salt Lake City on October 8, 1928, to Melvin Russell and Geraldine Smith Ballard. Russell was the only son born to this couple. Russell, along with his three sisters, lived in the same home in Salt Lake City from the time of their births to the time of their marriages.

Russell’s father was the owner of Ballard Motor Company in Salt Lake City. He instilled in his son the desire to work hard at whatever he did. Just as his father was known for his concern for others, so was Russell known as he encountered others from every walk of life. From the time that Russell was old enough to work, he always had a job. Whatever job he did, he performed it with vigor and commitment. To Russell, his mother was his best friend in his growing years; she was a very compassionate and tender woman.

Mission/Marriage/Family

In 1948, Russell was called by the First Presidency to serve a Mormon mission to England. As a twenty-one-year-old missionary, he was called in 1949 to be the first counselor in the presidency of the British Mission.

Upon returning from his mission, he met Barbara Bowen. While attending a dance at the University of Utah, a friend of Russell’s wanted him to meet Barbara, so he “tagged in” to dance with her. His friend danced over to where Russell was, introduced them, and Russell danced with Barbara for thirty seconds before he was “tagged out.” That was the beginning of a courtship that would last for eleven months. “She was not only beautiful, but had a sparkling personality. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to marry her, but she didn’t share the same feelings. It was a little hard convincing her. I kid her now that getting her to agree to marry me was the greatest sales job I ever did,” declared Russell.

Russell and Barbara were married eternally in 1951 in the Salt Lake Mormon Temple and were blessed with seven children—two sons and five daughters. Family was always his top priority, even with all the responsibilities he had in the Church and in his business. Barbara stated, “He’s extremely devoted to his family, and they’ve always come first. He was a bishop for many years and held lots of Church jobs, but those responsibilities have never been to the detriment of his family. When he was home, he made the time count.”

Russell always gave his wife the credit in helping him fulfill his family responsibilities. “I married the right woman. Without the help and direction of Barbara, our family relationships would not have happened as well as they did. It was hard to be the bishop, the owner of my own business, and at the same time father of these children that came along, but somehow it worked out. I give credit to Barbara and her good judgment.”

Education/Military/Career

When Russell attended East High School in Salt Lake, his friends looked to him as their leader. Russell attended the University of Utah and was known as the “bishop” to his fraternity brothers. His friends knew that whatever situation Russell was in, he would remain true to his faith and be an example of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all.

Russell’s education was a lot of hands-on work. With his father owning Ballard Motor Company, Russell had the opportunity to work with his father and learn the importance of hard work. He learned how to set goals and have objectives in business, church, and family affairs.

Professionally, Russell became involved in several enterprises, including automotive, real estate, and investment businesses. Russell was the top-selling salesman for his father’s Nash car dealership when he left it in the 1950s. In 1956, Russell returned and took over the Ballard Motor Company from his father. During that time, he also served in the United States Army Reserve. In 1957, when he left the reserves, Russell held the rank of first lieutenant.

In the late 1950s, upon returning from a business trip, Russell won the right to be the Edsel car dealer for Salt Lake. His dealership became the most successful in the country; the Ford Motor Company invited him and his associates to Detroit to explain to the other dealers how they did it. In the end, the Edsel was a failure and the motor company and dealers around the country, including Russell’s business, lost hundreds of millions of dollars. Recovery took years, but with his hard work and integrity intact over the next years, Russell was able to recover and still have the confidence of the financial institutions. He said, “To me, failure is only when you quit trying. If you keep working at a task and try to do what’s right and honest, ultimately it works out.”

A business venture that Russell was most proud of was his responsibility as president of the Valley Music Hall in Bountiful, Utah. The theater offered high-quality family entertainment for many years. Russell was able to work with numerous people in the entertainment business who offered their expertise and advice. Even though the Music Hall failed financially, Russell made sure that all investors had opportunities to recover the money they had put into it.

Russell continued over the years in various business projects. His time was also spent in various leadership positions in professional organizations and in the Chamber of Commerce. He has served on numerous board of directors such as Deseret Book Company and the Salt Palace Advisory Board.

Church Service

Shortly after Russell and Barbara were married, Russell was called into a bishopric and has served in numerous Church positions ever since. In 1974, Russell was called as the president of the Canada Toronto Mission, where he served for two years. In 1976, his call to full-time Church service became permanent when he was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. And in 1980, he was called to the presidency of that Quorum.

Along the way, he fulfilled callings as the Executive Director of the Mormon Church’s Missionary Department, he directed the curriculum and correlation departments, and served as the president of the International Mission.

October 1985 brought a change to the Ballard family, one that came unexpectedly. Barbara recalls, “It came as such a surprise. We were just ready to leave the house to go to conference. The phone rang, and it was President Hinckley who asked my husband to come to the office. He thought he would perhaps be called on to speak in conference, since one of the speakers was ill. We were relaxed on the way to President Hinckley’s office and discussed what Russell might talk about if called to speak. When we got to the office, President Hinckley called my husband to be an Apostle. I almost thought, please say that again. I don’t know if I heard correctly. Russell looked at me with tears in his eyes. It was a sobering experience.” With that, M. Russell Ballard was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in October 1985 at General Conference.

With his calling as an Apostle, Elder Ballard is now a witness and testifier of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As he sits in his office with pictures and statues of his forebearers surrounding him, Elder Ballard is humbled by the responsibility the Lord has placed on him. Speaking at General Conference in 1985 he meekly said: “I am deeply humbled at the confidence the Lord and my brethren have, and pledge to you that I will do the very best I know how… I understand the source of [this] call. This is our Heavenly Father’s Church. …I know, as I now stand before you, that Jesus is the Christ that he lives. He is very close to this work, and very close to all of us who are asked to perform the work throughout the earth in his name.”

Childhood

Dieter F. Uchtdorf was born in Mahrisch Ostrau, Czechoslovakia, on November 6, 1940.  He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and was called to be second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. on February 3, 2008.

Dieter’s father, Karl Albert Uchtdorf, was drafted into the German Army during World War II and immediately taken from his wife and small children. Dieter was the youngest in the family and didn’t understand where his father was going, only that his father was taken away from him. Dieter’s mother Hildegard knew then that she would have to care for her family alone during a time when the war in Europe was endangering them at every turn.

With the Allies in the west and Stalin’s forces in the east, Hildegard wanted to get as close as possible to the western front. She took her children and left for Zwickau, Germany. Fortunately, her husband survived the war and joined his family in Zwickau; however, Karl had become a bitter opponent for both the Nazi and Communist regimes. The Nazis were now destroyed, and Stalin now controlled the lives of the Germans as a result of the postwar division of Germany. Karl’s political position put the family’s lives in danger, so for the second time in seven years, the family left everything they owned and, in spite of the danger, made their way to Frankfurt, West Germany.

Dieter remembers this period: “We were refugees with an uncertain future…I played in bombed-out houses and grew up with the ever-present consequences of a lost war and the awareness that my own country had inflicted terrible pain on many nations during the horrific World War II” (“The Global Church Blessed by the Voice of the Prophets,” Ensign, Nov 2002, p.10).

As a young teenager, Dieter would ride his bicycle to the Frankfurt Airport and gaze at the planes. As he watched the planes and was allowed by the airport staff to look into the cockpit, his love of flying grew. He dreamt of one day feeling the freedom of flying in the skies.

Conversion

Through the clouds of turmoil that engulfed their lives, still the silver lining shined through. It was while the family was in Zwickau that they found the Mormon Church. “After World War II, my grandmother was standing in line for food when an elderly single sister with no family of her own invited her to sacrament meeting. . . . My grandmother and my parents accepted the invitation. They went to church, felt the Spirit, were uplifted by the kindness of the members, and were edified by the hymns of the Restoration. . . . How grateful I am for a spiritually sensitive grandmother, teachable parents, and a wise, white-haired, elderly single sister who had the sweet boldness to reach out and follow the Savior’s example by inviting us to ‘come and see’ (“The Opportunity to Testify,” Ensign, Nov 2004, p.74).

Education

At the age of 18, Dieter was educated in engineering, followed by six years in the German Air Force. Then, because of a mutual relationship between the German and United States governments, Dieter entered fighter pilot training school in Big Spring, Texas, where he earned wings in the American and German Air Forces. The most considerable achievement at the school for Dieter was winning the coveted Commander’s Trophy, this for being the outstanding student pilot in his class.

Marriage/Family

Harriet Reich had been four years old and living in Frankfurt near the end of World War II. She remembers a handsome American serviceman who passed her on the street and kindly offered her a stick of gum. She took it tentatively and never forgot the young man’s face and his friendly gesture. Ten years later, two Mormon missionaries knocked on the Reich’s door. Harriet opened the door as her mother forbade the missionaries to enter. Seeing the same kind of look on the face of the missionaries as she did on that of the serviceman, Harriet begged her mother to please let them in.

The missionaries left a copy of the Book of Mormon ( a companion book of scripture to the Bible) with certain passages marked for importance. That night Harriet’s mother read the Book of Mormon. Harriet recalled how her mother’s countenance changed almost immediately. Since the war had ended, Harriet’s mother, newly widowed and the mother of two little girls, was depressed and unhappy. But as her mother read from the Book of Mormon, Harriet saw light return to her eyes. When the missionaries returned they asked, “Did you read the marked scriptures?” “I read it all,” Sister Reich said, “Come in. I have questions I want you to answer.” Harriet, her mother, and her sister were baptized into the Mormon Church four weeks later. “Life changed for us that day. Once again we laughed and ran and found happiness in our home. I owe it all to the gospel of Jesus Christ,” explained Harriet.

It was while attending a youth activity at thirteen years old that Dieter first met Harriet. Dieter recalls, “I always loved her. I fell for her from the very beginning. . . . She was a very beautiful girl. She still is.” It was love at first sight for Dieter, but not for Harriet. It was not until Dieter had completed his military duty and had returned to Germany that she began to appreciate Dieter. They began dating and were married December 14, 1962, in the Swiss Temple. Two children blessed this family–Guido and Antje.

Even with his busy professional schedule and with church callings, Dieter’s first priority was always his family. Antje recalls, “When [dad] was home, he was totally devoted to Mom and to us. Of course, everything is exciting to Mom, and Dad makes things exciting. He made everything an adventure–even going to the grocery store. They took us on some of the most exciting family vacations a child could imagine. So as children we were pretty much in a state of excitement one way or the other all the time!” Guido says, “I don’t remember any sermons. I just remember [dad] always being interested in me. We had visits, which were often walks in the evening and, on more special occasions, hikes in the mountains. I loved those times to talk. And in all such situations he taught by example.”

Career

In 1970, at the age of 29, Dieter was made captain with Lufthansa Airlines, a rank he was once told he could never achieve until late in his career. In 1972, he was made manager of the 737 fleet. In 1975, he became director of the pilot training school in Goodyear, Arizona—the principal and most-honored training post offered in the Lufthansa organization. Later his responsibilities would be as chief pilot and head of cockpit crews in 1980, and as senior vice president of flight operations in 1982.

In December of 1973, the president of Lufthansa German Airlines received distressing news:

Five terrorists had hijacked a Lufthansa 737 jet in Rome, Italy, and were making their way to Athens, Greece, with hostages on board. As they did so, 32 people lay dead in Rome, and one of the hostages now in flight was soon to be mortally shot and summarily dumped onto the airport runway in Athens. With guns to the heads of the pilot and copilot and with hostages trembling in terror, the unstable hijackers directed a bizarre path from Rome to Beirut to Athens to Damascus to Kuwait.

In an instant, the president of Lufthansa ordered into the air his chief pilot for the 737 fleet. Thirty-three-year-old Dieter was to take a small group of emergency personnel and follow the hijacked plane wherever the guerrillas took it. In every setting possible he was to negotiate for the release of the plane, the pilots, and the hostages. Then, when all of this had been accomplished, he was to fly the hijacked 737 back to headquarters in Frankfurt.

Fortunately, there was no more bloodshed and the mission was successfully accomplished.

Church Service

While attending fighter pilot training school in Texas, Dieter helped to build a meetinghouse for the local branch of the Mormon Church. Despite all the awards and promotions he received, he always felt that this was much more significant.

Amidst the changes and responsibilities of his career, Dieter was called to be the president of the Frankfurt Germany Stake and then president of the Mannheim Germany Stake. And then in 1994, he was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy.

Elder Larsen was an Area President for whom Elder Uchtdorf served as a counselor. Elder Larsen says, “Our area in those days covered most of Western and Central Europe, countries that had been affected by World War II. Everyone who knew Dieter loved him instantly, but in those first months he couldn’t have helped but wonder about traveling and presiding in countries where they did not know him and where there were still painful memories about the war. . . . Elder Uchtdorf so genuinely loves people and is so engagingly personable that wherever he went he was embraced literally and figuratively. The gospel works miracles in such situations, and the members of the Church to whom he went were as magnanimous and kind as Dieter was humble, inspiring, and devoted to them” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: On to New Horizons”, Ensign, 2005, p.10–15).

A particular situation occurred when the German government was cracking down on some lesser-known religions. Elder Anderson of the Seventy who served with Elder Uchtdorf recalls the situation, “An initial list of ‘sects’ included The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To oppose this serious threat to the work, Church leaders needed the most resolute and reputable German representative they could find to go to Bonn. That was Elder Uchtdorf. . . . His bold, courageous presentation there was so persuasive and articulate and his reputation with Lufthansa so widespread and admired that the German officials giving him audience were somewhat stunned at what they had inadvertently done. They said in effect: ‘If you are a Latter-day Saint, we do not need any more evidence than that. Your church will certainly not be included on any such list of religions in the future.'”

In October 2004, Elder Uchtdorf was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He is the first apostle in more than fifty years who was not born in the United States, and the first ever from Germany. He was called to serve as Second Counselor in the First Presidency on February 3, 2008.

Henry Erying’s Early Life

Known as “Hal” to his family and friends, Henry Bennion Eyring was born on May 31, 1933, to Henry and Mildred Bennion Eyring. The first thirteen years of Hal’s life were spent with his family in Princeton, New Jersey, where his father was a professor of chemistry at Princeton University.

Hal’s father was a gifted scientist who was renowned worldwide and who received numerous honorary doctorates and nearly every major award in chemistry, except the Nobel Prize. When there was a limited amount of women pursuing higher education, Hal’s mother Mildred was attending the University of Utah, where she graduated, and went on to become the head of the women’s physical education department there. When she was about to leave the university and pursue her doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin, she met Henry Eyring. They dated and eventually married on August 25, 1928.

The membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (which church is often mistakenly referred to as the “Mormon Church”) on the eastern seaboard was minimal at this time. Church meetings were held in a hotel room until the onset of World War II, when gas rationing restricted travel. The Eyring’s home then became the ‘meetinghouse’ for the members in Princeton. Hal and his two brothers were the only members of the Aaronic Priesthood and were the only youth in the branch at that time.

In 1946, the Eyrings moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where Hal’s father was to head the Graduate School at the University of Utah.

Life in the Eyring home was filled with music, intellectual innovation, and spiritual growth. Because of his great love for science, Hal’s father encouraged his three sons to major in physics to prepare for careers in science.

Education/Military/Mission

While studying physics at the University of Utah, Hal remembers having a significant conversation with his father. He asked his father for help with a complex mathematical problem. “My father was at a blackboard we kept in the basement. Suddenly he stopped. ‘Hal,’ he said. ‘We were working this same kind of problem a week ago. You don’t seem to understand it any better now than you did then. Haven’t you been working on it?’ [A little annoyed, Hal admitted to his father that he had not.] ‘You don’t understand. When you walk down the street, when you’re in the shower, when you don’t have to be thinking about anything else, isn’t this what you think about?’ When I told him no my father paused. It was really a very tender and poignant moment, because I knew how much he loved me and how much he wanted me to be a scientist. Then he said, ‘Hal, I think you’d better get out of physics. You ought to find something that you love so much that when you don’t have to think about anything, that’s what you think about.'”

Hal finished his education at the University of Utah and graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in physics in 1955. At this time, the Korean War had just ended. During the war, the number of Mormon missionaries sent out was greatly restricted. By the time Hal graduated, he had been commissioned by the U.S. Air Force and was not able to serve a mission. Prior to departing, Hal received a priesthood blessing from his bishop. In the blessing, he was promised that his military experience would be his Mormon mission. This promise was fulfilled, in that Hal was sent by the Air Force to the Sandia National Laboratories near Albuquerque, New Mexico, for temporary schooling. Two weeks after his arrival, he was called as a district missionary in the Western States Mission. Circumstances were such that he stayed on there for the full two years of his duty.

With his military service completed, Hal was determined to finish his education, but not in physics. He entered Harvard Graduate School of Business in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he completed his master’s degree in business administration. Upon completion of his degree, while trying to decide what field of business to enter, he realized that there was no type of business that strongly attracted him. He remembered his father’s advice: “Find something that you love so much that when you don’t have to think about anything, that’s what you think about.” That’s when he knew he would be teaching business; helping others understand how to take a complex process and work it through. Hal continued at Harvard and completed his doctoral degree in business administration. Before he had completed his dissertation, he was accepted as an assistant professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in Palo Alto, California.

Marriage and Family

The decision to complete his education at Harvard proved to have twofold benefits.

During the summer of 1961, Kathleen Johnson was attending summer school. After a sunrise service where Hal was attending, Kathleen was coming out of a grove of trees when Hal caught sight of her. Not only was he struck by her beauty, but he recalled the words of Mormon Prophet David O. McKay: “If you meet a girl in whose presence you feel a desire…to do your best…such a young woman is worthy of your love.” Kathleen and Hal were introduced the next Sunday, when their courtship began. They dated throughout the rest of the summer and then by mail and phone after Kathleen returned to California. Hal and Kathleen were married in July, 1962, in the Logan Temple. Over the years, this couple would be blessed with six children—four sons and two daughters.

Family was always first in Hal’s life. Kathleen stated, “Hal has taught the gospel in our home with great clarity and conviction. And, to make it all the clearer for us to understand, he has lived it.” No father was a better example to his wife and children.

Hal modeled his family life after his own childhood. Where his father promoted creative thinking and hard work, Hal did the same with his own children. Every family member was a contributing member and knew that they were important to the family puzzle; whether it was in the family dynamics or in creative thinking.

Hal encouraged intellectual discovery and spiritual growth in each of his children. He never pursued any sport unless he could do it with his children; so he promoted tennis, basketball, and swimming as the family activities. Saturday mornings were spent building bookcases or planting flowers and supplementing family home evenings.

Career

As stated earlier, Hal was accepted as an assistant professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1962, before he finished his doctoral degree in business administration. The nine years spent teaching at Stanford were rewarding in part because he was allowed the freedom to design the classes he taught. Hal returned to Boston for one year, where he served as the Sloan Visiting Faculty Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Hal was now a part of the business world, where he served as an officer and director for Finnigan Instrument Corporation and became the founder and director of System Industries Incorporated, a computer manufacturing company.

Life seemed to be going well for the Eyring family. However, that was to change. Hal remembers, “One night Kathy nudged me and asked, ‘Are you sure you are doing the right things with your life?’ I was surprised. Now remember my situation. I have tenure at Stanford. I am the bishop of the Stanford ward. We are living next to her parents. I love what I’m doing. It’s like the Garden of Eden… And then she asks me that question. ‘Couldn’t you do studies for Neal Maxwell?’ You have to understand something. Neal A. Maxwell was the commissioner of education [for the Mormon Church] at that time. Kathy didn’t even know him. I didn’t know him.”

Kathleen later recalled that she knew there was something more important that Hal should be doing. She knew that he loved teaching at Stanford, but felt there was something he could teach that could truly change lives.

Hal was determined to pray about it. At first he felt he had received no answer—then the phone rang and Commissioner Maxwell was on the line asking if Hal could come to Salt Lake City. Hal did go to Salt Lake, and Commissioner Maxwell asked him, “Hal, I’d like you to be the president of Ricks College.” Hal didn’t even know where Ricks College was or if it was a two- or four-year college. He did know the importance of the call and did not treat it lightly. Upon bended knees, he prayed until the answer came. Quite simply, the Lord answered his prayers, “It’s my school.” Knowing that this was the answer, Hal returned to California and began making plans to leave Stanford and move to the small town of Rexburg, Idaho. On December 10, 1971, Henry B. Eyring was inaugurated as president of Ricks College.

The opportunity to serve as president of Ricks College proved to be a wonderful opportunity for President Eyring and his family. It gave them the opportunity to grow closer to each other. President Eyring was able to teach religion classes with one of the other faculty members, and his dedication to the youth of Ricks College will be remembered for generations to come. President Eyring believed: “The formal education we receive makes up only a small part of what we need to know. Life is more than a career; life is a mission. Life has a purpose, and its purpose requires learning across a wide spectrum. We should be learners throughout our lives.”

Church Service

While at Stanford, Hal served for four years as the bishop of the Stanford First Ward, a student ward in the Palo Alto Stake, and taught early-morning seminary.

Serving as president of Ricks College from 1971–1977 led President Eyring into close association with the General Authorities and other leaders of the “Mormon Church.” Wherever he went and whomever he met, his influence improved lives.

His Church service included time as a regional representative and a member of the Sunday School General Board. He spent eight years with the Church Educational System—three as deputy commissioner and five as commissioner of education. In 1985, President Eyring was called as First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, and in 1992, was called to serve in the First Quorum of Seventy. As a Seventy, he again served as commissioner of education.

The position as Commissioner of Education provided him the opportunity to travel and meet the seminary teachers and youth of the “Mormon Church.” Elder Eyring said, “It was a wonderful reminder that the strength of the Church lies in the simple faith and dedication of its members.”

In 1995, President Eyring was sustained by the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As an apostle, he had the opportunity to serve as a special witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. “When you know something to be true, you should act upon that truth. Jesus Christ lives; he has ‘tied himself to us.’ Only we at great effort can break the tie. I pray with my whole heart that we will understand what it means to be bound to a God who loves us, who will let us climb freely—but is ready, should we slip, to break the fall.”

Upon the death of Prophet and President Gordon B. Hinckley in 2008, Thomas S. Monson was made prophet of the Church. He selected Henry Eyring as his first counselor in the First Presidency.

1 “Elder Henry B. Eyring”: Molded by “Defining Influences”, Ensign, Sep 1995, p.10

Thomas Spencer Monson became Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (which church is frequently misnamed the Mormon Church) on February 3, 2008, after the death of  Gordon B. Hinckley.

Early Life

Thomas Monson was born on August 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson. The second of six children, he grew up in a tight-knit Mormon family. In fact, many of his mother’s relatives lived on the same street, and the extended families frequently went on trips together. Young Monson loved to swim and fish, and once, during a family outing to the Provo River in Provo, Utah, Monson rescued a girl from drowning. Though his family was not wealthy, and Monson later recalled that their home, while comfortable, was drafty, the Monson family was nevertheless known for their generosity. On several occasions, young Monson gave away animals that he had raised to other, more needy families.

In the spring of 1945, at age 17, Monson joined the United States Naval Reserves and anticipated participating in World War II in the Pacific theater. Instead, Germany capitulated within weeks of his joining, and the war in the Pacific ended within months. His tour of duty lasted only six months after the end of the war and, upon its completion, he enrolled at the University of Utah. Monson graduated cum laude in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

Thomas Monson taught for a time at the University of Utah, and then began his career in publishing. His first job was with the Deseret News, where he became an advertising executive with the Newspaper Agency Corporation. That same year, he met and married Frances Beverly Johnson. Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple of the “Mormon Church” on October 7, 1948. The couple has three children: Thomas Lee, Ann Frances, and Clark Spencer. They have eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Later, Monson transferred to the Desert News Press, one of the largest presses in the Western United States. He began as a sales manager and eventually became general manager. He continued his education and received his Masters in Business Administration from the Mormon Church-owned Brigham Young University in 1952. He accomplished all this before the age of 32.

In addition to these work and family responsibilities, Monson also became a Mormon bishop at age 22, one of the youngest men ever called to that position. As a bishop in Salt Lake City, he presided over a Latter-day Saint congregation of over 1,000 people, including 86 widows. Early on, Monson was recognized for his leadership and organizational skills and his concern for the downtrodden and humble. He visited those 86 widows regularly and, even after leaving the position, he continued to visit them each Christmas for the rest of their lives, bringing them gifts (often poultry he raised himself) and chatting with them. He spoke at nearly every one of their funerals. There were also many poor people living within the boundaries of this ward, and Monson took special care to help them as he could. Even today, he continues to visit former members of this ward and regularly visits nursing homes in Salt Lake City to attend to the elderly, especially those who have no one else to visit them.

Call to the Apostleship

At age 27, he became a counselor to a stake president in Salt Lake City, and became a mission president at age 32. As mission president, he presided over the Canadian Mission from 1959 to 1962, supervising Mormon missionaries who were not much younger than he was. Upon his return, he resumed his work with the Deseret News until he was called to be an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1963 at age 36, the youngest apostle since 1910.

As an Apostle, Thomas Monson has worked in many areas of the world and in many capacities for the “Mormon Church.” With his business background, he has helped to oversee many operations of the Church, including KSL and Bonneville Communications. He was chair of the Scriptures Publication Committee in the 1970s. This committee oversaw publication of the Mormon edition of the King James Version of the Bible and revised editions of Mormon scriptures, like the Book of Mormon. These new editions, while they did not change scriptural content, contained extensive footnotes, cross-references, and guides. He has also overseen the Printing Advisory Committee, the Missionary Executive Committee (which oversees the missionary program of the Church), and the General Welfare Committee. Monson served as First Vice Chairman of the Church Board of Education and Board of Trustees that govern the Church Educational System.

Thomas S. Monson has also been instrumental in the growth of Mormonism in Europe. For a time, he oversaw Church operations in Eastern Europe. His friendly and open manner gained access for the “Mormon Church” to its members in the Soviet Block. In 1982, he organized the first stake in Soviet-controlled territory, specifically in East Germany. He was instrumental in obtaining permission to build a Mormon temple in Freiberg, East Germany, in 1985.

Despite these duties, Thomas S. Monson has continued to be active in community and civic affairs. He is past president of the Printing Industry of Utah and former board member of the Printing Industry of America. Since 1969, he has served on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, from whom he has received the Silver Beaver (1971), the Silver Buffalo (1978) which is the highest honor bestowed by the BSA, and, in 1993, the Bronze Wolf, the highest honor bestowed by the international Scouting movement. He received the Distinguished Alumnus award from the University of Utah in 1966 and later served on the Utah State Board of Regents. In December of 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Monson to the President’s Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives. He remained with the initiative until it completed its work in December of 1982.

Following the death of Church President Spencer W. Kimball in 1985, Monson was chosen as Second Counselor in the First Presidency by new Church President Ezra Taft Benson. He was 58, the youngest Counselor since 1901. After serving in this position under Benson and Howard W. Hunter, he was named First Counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley in 1995. He simultaneously became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by seniority.

Thomas S. Monson, affectionately called “Tommy Monson” by his elders, is known for his photographic memory and his ability to quote scriptures extensively without assistance.  He once was called upon to visit members of the Church in East Germany. It was felt that the membership there needed a manual explaining the administration of church duties, but that such a manual might be confiscated by East German authorities. Elder Monson memorized the entire manual. As he sat down to dictate it from memory to church leaders in East Germany, he noticed that there was a copy of the manual on the office shelf.

His talks are considered unique and poetic and his delivery style exceptional. He frequently quotes poetry and shares stories about the many people he has known over the years, relating how the gospel of Jesus Christ has helped them in their lives. He is known for his extensive use of alliteration and the passive voice. He often speaks about his childhood experiences, as well as the influence people can have on one another.

Childhood

David A. Bednar was born on June 15, 1952, in San Leandro, California, to Lavina Whitney Bednar and Anthony George Bednar. Lavina was a descendant of the Mormon pioneers, while her husband Anthony was not a member of the Mormon Church. With the support of her husband, Lavina raised her three sons to be faithful members of the Church. Even though Anthony was not a member of the Church, he supported his sons by attending Church with them and helping with Church functions. When it was time for David to serve a Mormon mission, his father supported him completely.

Throughout his life and even through his letters while serving a mission, David would always ask his father, “Dad, when are you going to be baptized?” The answer would always be, “I’ll join this Church when I know it’s the right thing to do.” After David had returned from his mission and was married and living far from home, his father called on a Wednesday to ask, “What are you doing Saturday? Can you be out here [in California] to baptize me?” After many years of prayer and fasting on behalf of this husband and father, Anthony George Bednar was baptized and confirmed by his son David.

David grew up in the San Francisco Bay area where he enjoyed playing sports, working on his grandfather’s dairy farm and helping his mother can peaches and berries.

Mission

In 1971, David received a call from the Prophet to serve as a missionary in the South German Mission for twenty-four months. Years later, David would admonish the members of the Mormon Church: “All of us now are serving and will continue to serve as lifelong missionaries. We are missionaries every day in our families, in our schools, in our places of employment, and in our communities. Regardless of our age, experience, or station in life, we are all missionaries” (“Becoming a Missionary,” Ensign, Nov 2005).

Marriage and Education

After returning home from his Mormon mission, David chose to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. There he met Susan Robinson, who was completing her degree in elementary education. They attended the same ward and met during a family home evening football game. Susan likes to tease, “He threw a pass and I caught it.” David and Susan were married in 1975 and are the parents of three sons, Eric, Michael, and Jeffrey.

After their marriage, David and Susan continued to live in Provo, Utah, while David completed his education. He received his Baccalaureate degree in communications in 1976, and his Master’s degree in organizational communication in 1977. The Bednars then moved to Indiana, where David pursued and received his Ph.D. in organizational behavior at Purdue University.

Professional Career

Upon David’s graduation in 1980, the family moved to Arkansas, where David was appointed Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Arkansas—a post he held from 1980–1984. From 1984–1986, David taught at Texas Tech University before returning to the University of Arkansas. There he taught courses in organizational behavior, team management, total quality management, and managerial communication. From 1987–1992, he served as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Business Administration, as well as the Director of the Management Decision-Making Lab from 1992–1997.

Throughout his professional career, he has been the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Business Administration. And in 1994, he was recognized as the outstanding teacher at the University of Arkansas and received the Burlington Northern Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching.

David has had numerous articles published—some of which were in Labor and Industrial Relations Review, Academy of Management Review, Human Relations, Quality Progress, Quality Management Journal, Cornell Research Quarterly, National Productivity Review, The Journal of Retail Banking Services, The Journal of Business Communication, and The Journal of Business Education. Together, he and Donald White authored: Organizational Behavior: Understanding and Managing People at Work; and, with Donald White and Ronald Sims, he co-authored: Readings in Organizational Behavior.

In the summer of 1997, David accepted the position as president of Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. At the time of his acceptance, Ricks College was the largest privately-owned junior college in the United States, with an enrollment of 8,500 students. From the beginning of his appointment, President Bednar would be a president who listened, taught and participated in the students’ lives. While there, he taught a religion class every term; he and Sister Bednar invited students to come to family home evenings where they taught from the scriptures. During their years in Rexburg, close to 35,000 students were blessed to spend evenings with the Bednars.

In 2000, the decision was made to change Ricks College into a university. It would now be known as Brigham Young University—Idaho. When asked if he was scared to take on such a project, President Bednar said: “If I thought we had to execute this transition relying exclusively upon our own experience and our own judgment, then I would be terrified. But we will have help from heaven. Because we know who is in charge and that we are not alone, then no, I am not scared. I have come to know that President Hinckley’s vision concerning the future of BYU—Idaho is not really about two-year or four-year status. It is not really about academic rank or athletics. And it is not really about a name change. This announcement is about faith—faith in the future. Given all the changes that have taken place at this institution in a relatively short period of time, I testify that miracles have occurred, revelations have been received, and doors have been opened, and we have been greatly blessed as individuals and as an institution. These truly are days never to be forgotten” (“Going Forward in the Strength of the Lord,” Ensign, Mar 2005).

On August 10, 2001, Ricks College officially became BYU—Idaho. By the summer of 2004, the university was able to announce that it had received academic accreditation; four-year baccalaureate degrees were available; and the traditional academic year had been replaced by a year-round schedule, which allowed more students to be admitted throughout the year. With the year-round schedule, students could take internships away from campus at times other than the usual summer break.

Church Service

As a member of the Mormon Church, David was always actively engaged in Church service. While living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, he was called to be a counselor in the stake presidency at the young age of thirty. He also served as a bishop, as president of the Fort Smith Arkansas Stake, and as president of the Rogers Arkansas Stake. Later he would serve as a regional representative and as an Area Authority Seventy. Much of this Church service was performed while David and Susan were raising their family and while he was working at the University of Arkansas. Those that associated with David, whether it was in Church service or at the University, were always amazed with his leadership and zeal for life. One associate from the university commented, “David Bednar was part of our leadership team. He sharpened our vision. He always exuded enthusiasm for students and a passion to help his fellowman. To all our discussions he brought reason and compassion. He inspired his colleagues and students by his example and was held in the highest esteem.”

Since he has left Arkansas, David Bednar’s presence is still felt, and many believe that it was his leadership and the tireless hours that united the members there. One of his trademarks was inviting all members of the stake to bring their scriptures to every meeting. If he noticed that some did not have theirs, he would encourage them to do better.

Elder Bednar commented: “During my training before my mission, we went to the solemn assembly room in the Salt Lake Temple. President Harold B. Lee was there to answer questions from about 300 missionaries. He stood there in his white suit, holding his white scriptures. He answered every question from the scriptures, or he said, ‘I don’t know.’ I sat there and thought that I would never be able to know the scriptures the way he did, but my objective became to use the scriptures in my teaching the way that I saw President Harold B. Lee do it. That desire is the genesis of all my scripture study.”

In the fall of 2004, after serving as President of BYU—Idaho, President Bednar was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.