Elder David A. Bednar was born on June 15, 1952, in Oakland, California, and has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since Oct. 7, 2004.
He served as a young full-time missionary in Southern Germany, and after entering Brigham Young University he met a young woman while playing flag football for home evening. He and Susan Robinson were married March 20, 1975, in the Salt Lake Temple, and they are the parents of three sons.
Elder Bednar received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University, and a doctorate in organizational behavior from Purdue University. He was a professor of business management at Texas Tech University and at the University of Arkansas and later served as the president of Brigham Young University–Idaho (formerly Ricks College) from 1997 to 2004.
In honor of his 72nd birthday today, here are nine quotes from Elder Bednar in the past year.
1. Reminded, renewed, reinvigorated in the house of the Lord
“We do not go to the house of the Lord to escape. We go there to be reminded, to be renewed, to be reinvigorated, so we can take what we learn there and bring it into our homes.”
— Corona California Stake conference, June 9, 2024
2. The purpose of sacred time and holy places
“The principal purposes of sacred time and holy places are exactly the same: to repeatedly focus our attention upon our Heavenly Father and His plan, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the edifying power of the Holy Ghost, and the promises associated with the sacred ordinances and covenants of the Savior’s restored gospel.”
— “Be Still and Know That I Am God,” April 2024 general conference
3. Being yoked with the Savior
“The Savior is beckoning us to rely upon and pull together with Him, even though our best efforts are not equal to and cannot be compared with His.”
— Easter video series, March 26, 2024
4. The Holy Ghost guides, protects and inspires
“The only filter we need is the Holy Ghost. If the Holy Ghost leaves you, you need to stop what you are doing. The Holy Ghost will guide you, protect you and inspire you.”
— Youth devotional in Accra, Ghana, Feb. 25, 2024
5. Engaged in God’s work
“Importantly, as we learn about and become anxiously engaged in God’s holy work, then you and I ultimately become the works of His work. We become the results of God’s work as we strive with His help to fulfill our eternal destiny.”
— BYU devotional, Jan. 23, 2024
6. God ‘will bless you in remarkable ways’
“I am a witness that God the Eternal Father, through the merits, mercy and grace of His Beloved Son and His atoning sacrifice, and by the power of the Holy Ghost, will bless you in remarkable ways. I hope that begins tonight.”
— Devotional in Ephraim, Utah, Oct. 15, 2023
7. Pressing forward
“They of the last wagon, all who are no less serviceable, and you who today are pressing forward in the path of your duty are the strength of the Savior’s restored Church.”
— “In the Path of Their Duty,” October 2023 general conference
8. Focus on the covenants and ordinances
“Understandably, the dedication of each new house of the Lord is a source of great joy and a reason to give thanks to God. But our primary focus should be on the covenants and ordinances that can change our hearts and deepen our devotion to the Savior and not simply on the location or beauty of the building.”
— Bentonville Arkansas Temple dedication, Sept. 17, 2023
9. Teach to build faith in Jesus Christ
“Our work is quite straightforward. We are to help friends focus their faith on and in the Lord Jesus Christ, learn correct gospel principles for themselves and respond affirmatively to invitations to act.”
— Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 23, 2023
