It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of President M. Russell Ballard,

acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We dedicate this special memorial episode of the Church News podcast to President Ballard

as we remember his words and celebrate his life and teachings.

Melvin Russell Ballard Jr. was born to Melvin Russell Ballard and Geraldine Smith

Ballard in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 8, 1928.

He grew up in Salt Lake City where he had many good friends who influenced him.

His decision to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Isles from 1948 to 1950 was a hinge point in his life. During that time, he gained a sure knowledge of the

love God has for him and of the divinity of the Savior Jesus Christ. He defended the church while

speaking publicly and served as a counselor in the mission presidency. When he returned from his mission,

he attended the University of Utah,

where he met and then married Barbara Bowen in the Salt Lake Temple on August 28, 51. They became

the parents of two sons and five daughters. Professionally, President Ballard was a businessman

with interests in the automotive, real estate, and investment businesses.

In 1974, he was called as president of the Canada-Toronto Mission, and while serving in that

capacity, was called to the quorum of the 70 in April 1976, beginning his full-time service as a church

leader. He served as a member of the Presidency of the 70 from February 1980 to October

1985, overseeing the Church's Corms of the 70 before his call to the Corm of the 12 Apostles

in October 1985.

He was sustained and set apart as acting president of the Corm of the Twelve Apostles by President

Russell M. Nelson on January 14, 2018. He is remembered for his deep commitment to the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his focus on missionary work, his teachings on councils,

...