Biographical Sketches of Authors

Marvin Jeremy Ashton

• Born May 6, 1915 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Sustained as an Assistant to the Twelve October 3, 1969 at age 54.
• Ordained an apostle December 2, 1971 at age 56.
• Sustained to the Council of the Twelve April 6, 1972.
• Died February 25, 1994 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 78.

Samuel Otis Bennion

• Born June 9, 1874 in Taylorsville, Utah.
• Ordained a seventy March 14, 1904 by Samuel Gerrard.
• Sustained as one of the First Seven Presidents of the Seventy April 6, 1933 at age 58.
• Died March 8, 1945 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 70.

Ezra Taft Benson

• Born August 4, 1899 in Whitney, Idaho.
• Called to the Council of the Twelve on October 7, 1943 at age 44.
• Became the President of the Council of the Twelve on December 30, 1973.
• Ordained and set apart as the 13th President of the Church on November 10, 1985 at age 86.
• Died May 30, 1994 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 94.

Richard Louis Evans

• Born March 23, 1906 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Sustained as a member of the First Council of the Seventy October 7, 1938 at age 32.
• Ordained an apostle October 8, 1953 at age 47.
• Died November 1, 1971 at Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 65.

Gordon Bitner Hinckley

• Born June 23, 1910 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Sustained an Assistant to the Twelve April 6, 1958.
• Ordained an apostle October 5, 1961 at age 51.
• Called as a counselor to Spencer W. Kimball in the First Presidency July 23, 1981.
• Sustained as the President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles October 1, 1994.
• Ordained and set apart as the President of the Church March 12, 1995 at age 84.

Howard William Hunter

• Born November 14, 1907 in Boise, Idaho.
• Sustained to the Council of the Twelve October 10, 1959 and ordained an apostle October 15, 1959, at age 51.
• Set apart as the Acting President of the Council of the Twelve November 10, 1985.
• Set apart as the President of the Council of the Twelve June 2, 1988.
• Ordained and set apart as President of the Church June 5, 1994 at age 86.
• Died March 3, 1995 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 87.

Spencer Wooley Kimball

• Born March 28, 1895 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Ordained an apostle October 7, 1943 at age 48.
• Became the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after the death of President David O. McKay on January 18,1970.
• Became President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles July 7, 1972.
• Ordained and set apart as the President of the Church December 30, 1973 at age 78.
• Died November 5, 1985 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 90.

David Oman McKay

• Born September 8, 1873 in Huntsville, Utah.
• Ordained an apostle April 9, 1906 at age 32 by Joseph F. Smith.
• Sustained as second counselor to President Heber J. Grant in the First Presidency October 6, 1934.
• Sustained as second counselor to President George Albert Smith in the First Presidency May 21, 1945.
• Sustained as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles September 30, 1950.
• Sustained as the President of the Church April 9, 1951 at age 77.
• Died January 18, 1970 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 96.

William A. Morton

• Brother Morton is not a General Authority of the Church, so I have no biographical information about him.

Russell Marion Nelson

• Born September 9, 1924 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Sustained to the Council of the Twelve April 7, 1984.
• Ordained an apostle April 12, 1984 at age 61.

Boyd Kenneth Packer

• Born September 10, 1924 in Brigham City, Utah.
• Named an Assistant to the Twelve September 30, 1961.
• Sustained to the Council of the Twelve April 5, 1970.
• Ordained an apostle April 9, 1970 at age 45.
• Sustained as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 8, 1995.

Mark Edwards Petersen

• Born November 7, 1900 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Ordained an apostle April 20, 1944 at age 43 by Heber J. Grant.
• Died January 11, 1984 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 83.

LeGrand Richards

• Born February 6, 1886 in Farmington, Utah.
• Sustained Presiding Bishop of the Church April 6, 1938 at age 52.
• Ordained an apostle April 10, 1952 at age 66 by David O. McKay.
• Died January 11, 1983 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 96.

Stephen Louis Richards

• Born June 18, 1879 in Mendon, Utah.
• Ordained an apostle January 18, 1917 at age 37 by Joseph F. Smith.
• Sustained as first counselor to President David O. McKay April 9, 1951 at age 71.
• Died May 19, 1959 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 79.

Brigham Henry Roberts

• Born March 13, 1857 in Warrington, England.
• Ordained a seventy March 8, 1877 by Nathan T. Porter.
• Sustained as one of the First Seven Presidents October 7, 1888 at age 31.
• Died September 27, 1933, at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, at age 76.

Joseph Smith

• Born December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont.
• Received the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordained an apostle in May 1829 at age 23 by Peter, James, and John.
• Sustained as First Elder of the Church April 6, 1830 at age 24.
• Ordained high priest June 3, 1831 by Lyman Wight.
• Sustained as president of the High Priesthood January 25, 1832 at a conference at Amherst, Loraine County, Ohio.
• Martyred June 27, 1844 at Carthage Jail, Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, at age 38.

Joseph Fielding Smith

• Born July 19, 1876 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Ordained an apostle April 7, 1910 at age 33 by Joseph F. Smith.
• Sustained as acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles September 30, 1950.
• Sustained as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 9, 1951.
• Sustained as counselor in the First Presidency October 29, 1965.
• Ordained and set apart as president of the Church January 23, 1970 at age 93.
• Died July 2, 1972 in Salt Lake City, Utah at age 95.

Nathan Eldon Tanner

• Born May 9, 1898 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Sustained as Assistant to the Twelve October 8, 1960 at age 62.
• Ordained an apostle October 11, 1962 at age 64.
• Sustained as second counselor to President David O. McKay October 4, 1963.
• Sustained as second counselor to President Joseph Fielding Smith January 23, 1970.
• Sustained as first counselor to President Harold B. Lee July 7, 1972.
• Sustained as first counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball December 30, 1973.
• Died November 27, 1982 at Salt Lake City, Utah at age 84.

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