Boyd K. Packer
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Boyd Kenneth Packer (born September 10, 1924) is the current Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Packer has been an apostle and a member of the Quorom of the Twelve since 1970 and a general authority of the church since 1961.
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[edit] Background
Packer was born in Brigham City, Utah, the tenth of eleven children born to Ira W. Packer and Emma Jensen. In 1947, Packer married Donna Smith in the Logan Utah Temple and they are the parents of ten children and grandparents to over 50 grandchildren.
From 1942 to 1946 Packer served in the United States Air Force.[1]
[edit] Education
Packer has bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State University and an Ed.D. degree from Brigham Young University.[1]
[edit] Early work
Packer worked as an assistant supervisor of the LDS Church's Indian (Native American) seminary program before he was called as a general authority. He also served as a general assistant administrator of seminaries and institutes.[2]
[edit] Church service
Packer has been a general authority of the church since becoming an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1961. While serving in this capacity, Packer was assigned to serve as the mission president of the New England States Mission of the church.[2] He also served for a time as the managing director of the church's military relations committee. In April 1970, Packer was made an apostle to the church. Packer was 45 years old when he became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
On September 12, 1991, Packer dedicated Ukraine "for the preaching of the restored gospel".[3]
Packer has served as an advisor to the Genesis Group. He has the distiction as having ordained the first person of African descent to be ordained a high priest.[4] He is credited with having suggested singing a hymn to drive off bad thoughts.[5]
[edit] Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve
When Howard W. Hunter, who had been President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, succeeded to the presidency of the church in 1994, he called as his counselors in the First Presidency Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson, who were the only two apostles senior to Packer. As a result, Packer was named Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve. When Hunter died in 1995 and was succeeded by Hinckley, Monson was again retained in the First Presidency and Packer was again asked to be Acting President of the Twelve. Conforming to the usual seniority-based succession pattern, the death of either Hinckley or Monson would make Packer the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, while if Packer should survive both Hinckley and Monson he would become president of the church.
As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Packer is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator.
[edit] Artist
Packer is also known for his artwork. He has created sculptures and paintings which were briefly on show in the Museum of Church History and Art and now are in the family holdings. Packer's wildlife paintings and sculptures created over seven decades reveal his love of nature and also portray his life experiences and religious convictions.
Packer was on the committee that found the stored Mormon panorama of C. C. A. Christensen and later expressed how he was impressed by the power this work transferred to the viewer.[6]
[edit] Microfilming
Packer has been one of the leading figures in obtaining genealogical records on microfilm for the LDS Church through its Genealogical Society of Utah. In 1977, Packer was the key figure in getting Native American-related records filmed from the federal records centers in Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Seattle and Kansas City.[7] He was also involved in negotiations that same year with archivists and scholars at Jerusalem to microfilm Jewish records.[8]
[edit] Controversy
Packer's LDS Church general conference sermon from October 1976 has caused controversy among some commentators. In the speech, Packer encourages teenage boys to avoid immoral activities, which Packer says includes viewing pornography, masturbating, participating in homosexual behavior, and participating in heterosexual behavior outside of marriage.[9] Packer encourages young Latter-day Saints to "vigorously resist" any males "who entice young men to join them in these immoral acts."[9] Packer cites the example of a male missionary he had known who assaulted ("floored") his missionary companion when the companion made a homosexual advance toward him. After telling the story, Packer comments, "I am not recommending that course to you, but I am not omitting it. You must protect yourself."[9]
Some critics have argued that Packer's comments constitute an endorsement of gay bashing, and that the LDS Church itself endorses such behavior by continuing to publish Packer's speech in pamphlet form.[10][11]
Neither Packer nor the LDS Church have officially responded directly to these charges; however, other leaders of the church have since stated that the church strongly opposes any form of violence against homosexuals. For example, Apostle Dallin H. Oaks has said, "Our doctrines obviously condemn those who engage in so-called 'gay bashing'—physical or verbal attacks on persons thought to be involved in homosexual or lesbian behavior."[12]
[edit] Publications
Packer's most prominent book is The Holy Temple. This book gives a doctrinal description of LDS Church temples and also explains the importance of family history work. Other books by Packer include Teach Ye Diligently (1991), and Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b NNDB: Boyd K. Packer
- ^ a b "Boyd K Packer", Improvement Era, May 1970.
- ^ Marina Mikhailovskaya and Benjamin Gaines, “Putting Family First in Ukraine,” Ensign, Sep. 2004, 46.
- ^ Lloyd, R. Scott. "Revelation Rewarded Those Who Waited", LDS Church News, 1999-12-18.
- ^ Ezra Taft Benson has acknowledged that this idea originated with Packer: see Ezra Taft Benson, "First Presidency Message: Think on Christ", Ensign, March 1989.
- ^ Boyd K. Packer,"The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord", Ensign, Aug. 1976, 60.
- ^ Allen, James B., Jessie L. Embry and Kahlile B. Mehr. Hearts Turned to the Fathers: A History of the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1894-1994 (Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, 1995) p. 247.
- ^ Allen. Hearts Turned to the Fathers. p. 250–251.
- ^ a b c Boyd K. Packer, To Young Men Only.
- ^ D. Michael Quinn, "Prelude to the National 'Defense of Marriage' Campaign: Civil Discrimination Against Feared or Despised Minorities", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 33:3, p. 1–52 (2001).
- ^ David E. Hardy. "BYU's Dismissal of Gay Students Continues Confusion for Gays, Parents (opinion)", Salt Lake Tribune, 2001-04-15, p. AA3. , Hardy previously criticized the pamphlet at the 26th Sunstone Symposium, see Hilary Groutage Smith. "Mormon Pamphlets on Gays Criticized", Salt Lake Tribune, 2000-08-06, p. B2.
- ^ Dallin H. Oaks, "Same-Gender Attraction", Liahona, Mar. 1996, 14.
[edit] References
- LDS Church biography
- Searle, Don L. (June 1986). Elder Boyd K. Packer: Disciple of the Master Teacher. Ensign, 8-9.
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages" Boyd K. Packer
[edit] See also
| Preceded by Thomas S. Monson | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 9, 1970— | Succeeded by Marvin J. Ashton |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
|---|
| Packer • Perry • Nelson • Oaks • Ballard • Wirthlin • Scott • Hales • Holland • Uchtdorf • Bednar • Cook |
Assistants to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
|---|
| Romney • McKay • Young • Sonne • Smith • Morris • S. Richards • Christiansen • Longden • Brown • Sill • Hinckley • Taylor • Critchlow • Dyer • Tanner • F.D. Richards • Burton • Isaacson • Packer • Brockbank • Cullimore • Hanks • Ashton • Anderson • Haight • Bennett • Vandenburg • Simpson • Stone • Faust • Perry • Fyans • Maxwell • Bangerter • Hales • Komatsu • Wirthlin |
Categories: Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | General authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 1924 births | American Latter Day Saints | Genealogy and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Latter Day Saint writers | Living people | Mormonism-related controversies | People from Box Elder County, Utah | Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | Utah artists
