M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 6, 1985 (1985-10-06) – incumbent
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
LDS Church Apostle
October 10, 1985 (1985-10-10) – incumbent
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. October 8, 1928 (1928-10-08) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Occupation	Businessman
Spouse	Barbara Bowen (1951-present)
Children	7

Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. (born October 8, 1928) is an American businessman and a religious leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was called to serve in the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1985. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ballard is accepted by the church members as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Currently, he is the sixth most senior apostle among the ranks of the Church.

Church service

Ballard was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Melvin Russell Ballard Sr. and his wife Geraldine Smith Ballard. As a young man he 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 to be the president of the Canada Toronto Mission of the church. He served as mission president and 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.

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 of the LDS Church on October 10, 1985.

Ballard is the grandson of apostles Melvin J. Ballard and Hyrum M. Smith and is a descendant of Hyrum Smith, brother of church founder Joseph Smith, Jr.

Business activities

Professionally, Ballard became 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.

One highlight of his business career was his presidency of the Valley Music Hall in Bountiful, Utah, which offered high-quality 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

Ballard married Barbara Bowen in 1951 in the Salt Lake Temple. The Ballards 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 LDS Church area seventy and billionaire philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman.

Works

Books

• Ballard, M. Russell (2009), Daughters of God, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9781606410431, OCLC 268547494 
•    (2002), As Women of God, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9781570088322, OCLC 51605089 
•    (2001), Staying the Course: Ten Keys to Gospel Commitment, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9781573458139, OCLC 232700082 
•    (2001), When Thou Art Converted: Continuing the Search for Happiness, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9781573458139, OCLC 47831370 
•    (1998), The law of sacrifice and What came from Kirtland, Classic talk series, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9781573454032, OCLC 40736766 
•    (1997), Counseling with Our Councils: Learning to Minister Together in the Church and in the Family, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9781573452090, 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 9780875798042, OCLC 28889507 
•    (1993), Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, ISBN 9780875797663, OCLC 29378984 

See also

• Church Educational System
• Council on the Disposition of the Tithes

References

• Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Leader Biographies: Official Biographies for leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", Newsroom (LDS Church), http://newsroom.lds.org/leader-biographies/elder-m-russell-ballard 
• Lubeck, Kathleen (March 1986), "Elder M. Russell Ballard: True to the Faith", Ensign: 6, http://lds.org/ensign/1986/03/elder-m-russell-ballard-true-to-the-faith?lang=eng 

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
Preceded by Dallin H. Oaks	Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 10, 1985—	Succeeded by Joseph B. Wirthlin