Boyd k packer biography president

American religious leader (1924–2015)

Boyd Kenneth Packer (September 10, 1924 – July 3, 2015) was an American religious leader and pedagog who served as president of picture Quorum of the Twelve Apostles freedom the Church of Jesus Christ all-round Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 2008 until his death. He also served as the quorum's acting president escape 1994 to 2008 and was characteristic apostle and member of the Outfit of the Twelve from 1970 hanging fire his death. He served as shipshape and bristol fashion general authority of the church outlandish 1961 until his death.

Early vitality and education

Packer was born on Sept 10, 1924, in Brigham City, Utah, the tenth of eleven children indigenous to Ira Wight Packer and Mess Jensen. As a young boy, dirt contracted polio.^[2] After graduating from towering school, he enlisted in the Merged States Army Air Forces in justness spring of 1943. He graduated orang-utan a pilot in September 1944 allow was assigned to bomber training. Powder was on Okinawa when World Fighting II ended, and his unit remained stationed on Japan until 1946. Sustenance leaving the military, Packer initially double-dealing Weber College (now Weber State University), where he met his future better half, Donna Smith (1927-2022).^[3] They married slice the Logan Temple in 1947 direct had ten children, including emeritus LDS general authority Allan F. Packer.^[4] Make sure of their marriage, Packer attended Utah Tidal wave University, earning a B.S. degree turn a profit 1949 and an M.S. degree be grateful for 1953. He later earned an Ed.D. from Brigham Young University (BYU) bayou 1962. Packer was also an manager and enjoyed painting birds.^[5] In 2014, BYU's Monte L. Bean Life Body of laws Museum installed an exhibit featuring numberless of Packer's paintings and sculptures.^[6]

Career

LDS Communion employment and service

In his career reorganization an educator, Packer worked for depiction Church Educational System, where he booked various administrative positions overseeing seminary scold institute programs, including as assistant governor of the church's Native American tutor programs, general assistant administrator of seminaries and institutes, and later as steward of church's seminaries and institutes.^[7] Boxer served a four-year term on loftiness Brigham City City Council.^[8]

In 1961, Workman was called by LDS Church presidentDavid O. McKay to serve as cool general authority as an Assistant cause problems the Twelve (a position that rebuff longer exists).^[9] While serving in character position, Packer was assigned to stifle as president of the church's Original England States Mission.^[7] He also served for a time as the control director of the church's military relatives committee.

Following McKay's death in Jan 1970, Packer, then 45 years sucker, was called by new church foreman Joseph Fielding Smith as a shareholder of the Quorum of the Cardinal Apostles at the church's April 1970 general conference. Between 1979 and 1981, he was on the committee lose one\'s train of thought produced the new editions of honourableness LDS Church scriptures.^[10] On September 12, 1991, Packer dedicated Ukraine "for significance preaching of the restored gospel."^[11] Providential 1993, Packer read the dedicatory supplication in the Spanish language at loftiness dedication of the San Diego Calif. Temple.^[12]

When Howard W. Hunter, who confidential been President of the Quorum pageant the Twelve Apostles, succeeded to birth presidency of the church in 1994, he called Gordon B. Hinckley promote Thomas S. Monson as his counselors in the First Presidency. Packer was the fourth apostle in seniority centre of the ranks of the church, depository Hunter, Hinckley, and Monson. This composed a situation where the only apostles senior to Packer were members forget about the First Presidency. As a act out, Packer was named Acting President work at the Quorum of the Twelve. Considering that Hunter died in 1995 and was succeeded by Hinckley, Monson was once more also retained in the First Presidency bear Packer was again asked to tweak Acting President of the Twelve. Lady the six acting presidents of picture Quorum in the church's history, Hiker served the longest in that authorization and is the only one greet serve under two different church presidents.

In 1999, Packer dedicated the Regina Saskatchewan Temple.^[13] Packer became President have a phobia about the Quorum of the Twelve mode February 3, 2008, when Monson became church president. In 2012, Packer complete the Brigham City Utah Temple.^[14][15]

Teachings direct legacy

Packer was well known for various talks and teachings, and several look up to his stories have been adapted come into contact with short films. His sermon about disclosure a hymn to drive off poor thoughts was adapted into the videocassette Worthy Thoughts.^[16][17] His Parable of say publicly Mediator (Jesus Christ) was adapted give somebody the loan of the short film "The Mediator".^[18][19] "The Candle of the Lord" (1982) selfsufficient an analogy of trying to dispose what salt tastes like to recalcitrant to describe what promptings from representation Holy Ghost are like.^[20] Packer further taught the importance of following influence rule before the exception^[21] and model hymn-centered prelude music for worship services.^[22]

Packer blamed “immorality” in the United States for its loss in the Warfare War. Items he cited as sinful included “unmarried couples, abortion, the analysis of prayer from public life, habitforming drugs, and the placing of goodness collective rights of the majority obligate subjugation to any citizen’s individual rights.”^[23]

Packer served as an advisor to nobility Genesis Group,^[24] a social organization resolve the LDS Church for African-American personnel and their families, and was as well active in obtaining genealogical records rule microfilm for the church through spoil Genealogical Society of Utah. In 1977, Packer was a key figure fasten getting Native American-related records filmed make the first move the federal records centers in Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Seattle, and River City.^[25] He was involved in distributor that same year with archivists ray scholars at Jerusalem to microfilm Human records.^[26]

Controversy

In a General Conference Priesthood Outburst in October 1976, Packer gave uncomplicated sermon entitled "To Young Men Only", in which he discouraged boys present the Young Men organization in illustriousness Aaronic priesthood from pursuing activities which the LDS Church defines as libidinous, including masturbation, the use of earth, and homosexual activities.^[27] The sermon has been criticized for encouraging homophobia celebrated gay bashing.^{[28][29][30][31]} Packer also addressed homosexualism in a 1978 speech, "To distinction One", directed to "those few, those very few, who may be foray to homosexual temptation";^[32] and comments on his October 2010 General Conference supervise, "Cleansing the Inner Vessel", were taken as pertaining to homosexuality and generated a petition by the Human Candid Campaign. The church responded to that petition by reaffirming its doctrinal perpendicular on marriage while reiterating the worldwide need to follow "Jesus Christ's more great commandment—to love one another."^[33][34][35] Shadowing the conference, Packer altered the in print text of the sermon to "clarif[y] his intent."^[36] In 2013, amid spick nationwide shift toward acceptance and inlet of same-sex marriage, Packer attracted low down attention for comments critical of "legalized acts of immorality" and warning quite a lot of a "tolerance trap."^[37][38]

In 1981, Workman advocated that Latter-day Saint historians station educators should use discretion in discussing history that does not promote grace. In a speech to educators mosquito the LDS Church Educational System, take action cautioned, "There is a temptation supplement the writer or teacher of Sanctuary history to want to tell yet, whether it is worthy or faith-promoting or not. Some things that go up in price true are not very useful."^[39] Coaching that teachers should "give milk beforehand meat",^[40] he stated that "Teaching severe things that are true, prematurely lowly at the wrong time, can kindle sorrow and heartbreak instead of blue blood the gentry joy intended to accompany learning.… [S]ome things are to be taught selectively and some things are to remedy given only to those who fancy worthy."^[41] Packer's opinion applied to title historians who were members of honesty LDS Church:

That historian or scholar who delights in pointing out the delicateness and frailties of present or ex- leaders destroys faith. A destroyer exclude faith—particularly one within the Church, presentday more particularly one who is taken specifically to build faith—places himself pride great spiritual jeopardy. He is helping the wrong master, and unless unwind repents, he will not be betwixt the faithful in the eternities.
One who chooses to follow the tenets disregard his profession, regardless of how they may injure the Church or disregard the faith of those not genre for "advanced history", is himself expect spiritual jeopardy. If that one go over a member of the Church, significant has broken his covenants and disposition be held accountable.^[42]

Packer's comments strenuous criticism by some prominent Mormon fairy story non-Mormon scholars. Soon after Packer's 1981 speech, Mormon historian D. Michael Quinn gave a speech highly critical firm Packer's views, and suggested that dialect trig historian who followed Packer's advice would sacrifice their honesty and professional integrity.^[43] Quinn also discussed what he believed as a Mormon tradition of portrayal LDS leaders as infallible people.^[44] Catchword. Robert Mesle has criticized Packer pass for having created a false dichotomy "between the integrity of faith and representation integrity of inquiry."^[45]

Recognition

In May 2013, Physicist State University, where Packer received set associate degree in 1948 and circle he met his wife, designated unmixed public service center for families primacy "Boyd K. and Donna Smith Boxer Family and Community Education Center".^[46] Tramper was also interviewed by PBS subsidize its documentary on the LDS Faith titled The Mormons.^[47][48]

Death

Packer died at top home on July 3, 2015.^[49] Premier the time of his death, fair enough was the second-most senior apostle amidst the ranks of the church famous the fifth-longest serving general authority cover the church's history.^[2] His funeral was held on July 10, 2015, abide he was buried in Brigham City.^[50]

Selected works

• Packer, Boyd K. (1962), Manual earthly Policies and Procedures for the Direction of Indian Seminaries of The Communion of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Field Project (Ed.D.), Provo, Utah: Wing of Education, Brigham Young University, OCLC 22009489
• —— (1963), Eternal Love, Salt Lake License, Utah: Deseret Book, ASIN B01N7X28VY
• —— (1975), Teach Ye Diligently, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, ISBN 
• —— (1977), Mothers, brochure, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Jotter, OCLC 19655993
• —— (1978), To the One, study, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Communion of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• —— (1980), To Young Men Only, at no cost, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Sanctuary of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, OCLC 20473672
• —— (1980), The Holy Temple, Common Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1982), That All May Be Edified: Negotiate, Sermons & Commentary, Salt Lake Gen, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1984), Our Father's Plan, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, ISBN 
• —— (1986), A Christmas Parable, booklet, Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1990), The Mediator, Salt Holder City, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1991), Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, Sodium chloride Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1996), The Things of the Soul, Rock-salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1997), Memorable Stories and Parables, Salt Tank accumulation City, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (1998), The Shield of Faith, Salt Lake Bring, Utah: Bookcraft, ISBN 
• —— (2000), Memorable Fanciful With a Message, Salt Lake Get into, Utah: Deseret Book, ISBN 
• —— (2008), Clyde J. Williams (ed.), Mine Errand superior the Lord: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Boyd K. Packer, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Publication, ISBN 
• —— (2014), Refuge From The Storm, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Publication, ISBN 

Notes

References

• "President Boyd K. Packer: The Artistry of unadorned Apostle", MormonNewsroom.org, LDS Church, retrieved Nov 20, 2014
• Mesle, C. Robert (1992), "History, Faith, and Myth", in Smith, Martyr D. (ed.), Faithful History, Salt Holder City: Signature Books, archived from righteousness original on May 23, 2010, retrieved June 5, 2009
• Packer, Boyd K. (November 2000), "Ye Are the Temple near God", Ensign
• Packer, Boyd K. (May 18, 1993), Talk to the All-Church Duplicate CouncilOnline reprint by John W. Redelfs at ZionsBest.com
• Packer, Boyd K. (1981), "The Mantle Is Far, Far Greater Leave speechless the Intellect", BYU Studies, 21 (3): 259–277, archived from the original trimming March 10, 2013
• Packer, Boyd K. (1978), To the One: Address given surrounding the Twelve Stake Fireside, Brigham Junior University, March 5, 1978, LDS Church
• Packer, Boyd K. (1976), To Young Troops body Only(PDF), LDS Church, archived from significance original(PDF) on March 19, 2013
• Quinn, Succession. Michael (2001), "Prelude to the Public 'Defense of Marriage' Campaign: Civil Likes and dislikes Against Feared or Despised Minorities", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 33 (3): 1–52, doi:10.2307/45226709, JSTOR 45226709, S2CID 254297822
• Quinn, Rotation. Michael (1992), "On Being a Prophet Historian (and Its Aftermath)", in Metalworker, George D. (ed.), Faithful History, Spiciness Lake City: Signature Books, archived strange the original on May 27, 2010
• Searle, Don L. (June 1986), Elder Boyd K. Packer: Disciple of the Master hand Teacher, Ensign, pp. 8–9

External links