M. Russell Ballard
M. Russell Ballard | ||
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Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | ||
October 6, 1985 | ||
Called by | Spencer W. Kimball | |
LDS Church Apostle | ||
October 10, 1985 | ||
Called by | Spencer W. Kimball | |
Reason | Death of Bruce R. McConkie | |
Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy | ||
February 21, 1980 – October 6, 1985 | ||
Called by | Spencer W. Kimball | |
End reason | Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
First Quorum of the Seventy | ||
April 3, 1976 – October 6, 1985 | ||
Called by | Spencer W. Kimball | |
End reason | Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
Military career | ||
Service/branch | United States Army Reserve | |
Rank | First Lieutenant | |
Personal details | ||
Born |
Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. October 8, 1928 Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
Alma mater | University of Utah | |
Occupation | Businessman | |
Spouse |
Barbara Bowen (1951-present) | |
Children | 7 | |
Signature | ||
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Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. (born October 8, 1928) has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1985. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ballard is accepted by church members as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Currently, he is the sixth most senior apostle among the ranks of the church.
LDS Church service
Ballard was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Melvin Russell Ballard Sr. and his wife, Geraldine Smith.[1] As a young man, Ballard served as a missionary in England from 1948 to 1950. He met his wife while they were studying at the University of Utah. In 1974, Ballard was called as president of the church's Canada Toronto Mission. While serving as a mission president, he was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976; he completed his three-year term as mission president as a member of the Seventy.[1]
Following the death of apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Ballard was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 1985, and ordained an apostle on October 10, 1985.
Ballard is the grandson of apostles Melvin J. Ballard and Hyrum M. Smith. Through Smith, Ballard is a descendant of Hyrum Smith, brother of church founder Joseph Smith.
Business activities
Professionally, Ballard was involved in several enterprises, including automotive, real estate, and investment businesses. He was the top-selling salesman for his father’s Nash car dealership when he left it in the early 1950s to pursue other business interests. In 1956, Ballard returned and took over the Ballard Motor Company from his father. During this period he also served in the United States Army Reserve, resigning his commission as a first lieutenant in 1957.
During the late 1950s, Ballard was recruited by the Ford Motor Company to become the first Edsel car dealer for Salt Lake City. After praying for guidance, he had the "clear impression" not to sign the franchise. He did anyway and incurred a huge loss, "without doubt the darkest period" of his business career.[2]
One highlight of his business career was his presidency of the Valley Music Hall in Bountiful, Utah, which offered family entertainment. There Ballard worked with Art Linkletter, Danny Thomas, Bob Cummings, and other Hollywood celebrities who were advisers to the enterprise. Although the music hall failed financially, he ensured that investors recovered the money invested.
Family
In 1951, Ballard married Barbara Bowen in the Salt Lake Temple; they are the parents of seven children. One of their daughters is married to Peter Huntsman, who is the brother of Jon Huntsman, Jr., former governor of Utah, and the son of Jon Huntsman, Sr.
Works
- Books
- Ballard, M. Russell (2009), Daughters of God, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-1-60641-043-1, OCLC 268547494
- —— (2002), As Women of God, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-1-57008-832-2, OCLC 51605089
- —— (2001), Staying the Course: Ten Keys to Gospel Commitment, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-1-57345-813-9, OCLC 232700082
- —— (2001), When Thou Art Converted: Continuing the Search for Happiness, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-1-57345-813-9, OCLC 47831370
- —— (1998), The law of sacrifice and What came from Kirtland, Classic talk series, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-1-57345-403-2, OCLC 40736766
- —— (1997), Counseling with Our Councils: Learning to Minister Together in the Church and in the Family, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-1-57345-209-0, OCLC 37606320
- —— (1993), Our Search for Happiness: An Invitation to Understand the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-0-87579-804-2, OCLC 28889507
- —— (1993), Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 978-0-87579-766-3, OCLC 29378984
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Richardson, Matthew O. "M. Russell Ballard" in Arnold K. Garr, Donald Q. Cannon and Richard O. Cowan, ed., Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000) p. 74, ISBN 978-1-57345-822-1 OCLC 44634356
- ↑ M. Russell Ballard, Our Search for Happiness: An Invitation to Understand the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1993) pp. 85-86.
References
- Lubeck, Kathleen (March 1986), Ensign: 6 http://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/03/elder-m-russell-ballard-true-to-the-faith Missing or empty
|title=
(help);|chapter=
ignored (help) - "Elder Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr., Of the First Quorum of the Seventy", Ensign, May 1976
External links
- "General Authorities: Elder M. Russell Ballard", lds.org
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: M. Russell Ballard
- Newsroom of LDS Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles | ||
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Preceded by Dallin H. Oaks |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 10, 1985 – |
Succeeded by Joseph B. Wirthlin |
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