M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard

Photo of M Russell Ballard standing behind a podium giving a speech.

Ballard speaking at the
BYU Church History Symposium
on March 2, 2012.
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 6, 1985 (1985-10-06)
Called by Spencer W. Kimball
LDS Church Apostle
October 10, 1985 (1985-10-10)
Called by Spencer W. Kimball
Reason Death of Bruce R. McConkie
Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy
February 21, 1980 (1980-02-21) – October 6, 1985 (1985-10-06)
Called by Spencer W. Kimball
End reason Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
First Quorum of the Seventy
April 3, 1976 (1976-04-03) – October 6, 1985 (1985-10-06)
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.
(1928-10-08) October 8, 1928
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Alma mater University of Utah
Occupation Businessman
Spouse(s) Barbara Bowen
(1951-present)
Children 7
Signature  
Signature of M. Russell Ballard

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 fourth most senior apostle among the ranks of the church.[1]

LDS Church service

Ballard was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Melvin Russell Ballard Sr. and his wife, Geraldine Smith.[2] 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.[2]

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.[3]

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.

In 2015, Ballard came under fire when it was revealed that he stated in a 2014 church meeting in Argentina: "Most people don't know where they came from. They don't know why they're here, and they don't know where they're going. And if they have a Catholic background, they don't know who God is. They don't know who the Saviour is; nor do they know who the Holy Ghost is."[4][5]

Ballard has also been criticized for statements he has made regarding women in the church. He stated to the young single women of the church: "You beautiful girls: Don't wander around looking like men. Put on a little lipstick now and then and look a little charming. It's that simple. I don't know why we make this whole process so hard."[6] Ballard stated to women in the church. "Your voices need to be heard in your community, in your neighborhoods, and they need to be heard in the ward council or in the branch council, and don't talk so much in those councils."[7]

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.[8]

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

On August 8, 1951, Ballard married Barbara Bowen in the Salt Lake Temple;[9] 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. ↑ Apostolic seniority is generally understood to include all 15 ordained apostles (including the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). Seniority is determined by date of ordination, not by age or other factors. If two apostles are ordained on the same day, the older of the two is typically ordained first. See Succession to the presidency and Heath, Steven H. (Summer 1987). "Notes on Apostolic Succession" (PDF). Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 20 (2): 44–56..
  2. 1 2 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
  3. ↑ "The Sustaining of Church Officers", Ensign (LDS Church), October 1985
  4. ↑ "Senior Mormon apostle says Catholics don’t know who God is", CathNews New Zealand, 27 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Jana Riess, "Mormon apostle criticized for anti-Catholic remarks", Flunking Sainthood Blog, Religion News Service, October 23, 2015.
  6. ↑ Vyckie Garrison, "Mormon elder's condescending remarks to single ladies shows how patriarchy leads to spiritual abuse", Raw Story, 28 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Jana Riess, "Mormon apostle to women: 'Now, don’t talk too much in those meetings'", Flunking Sainthood Blog, Religion News Service, September 11, 2014.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ LDS.org: Prophets and Apostles: What are Prophets? Bio: M. Russell Ballard, retrieved 26 July 2015.

References

External links

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles
Preceded by
Dallin H. Oaks		 Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 10, 1985 – 		Succeeded by
Joseph B. Wirthlin
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