Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. (b. October 8, 1928 in
Salt Lake City, Utah) 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 membership as a prophet, seer, and revelator.
As a young man, Ballard served as a missionary in a church mission in England. 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. 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. When he left in 1957, he held the rank of first lieutenant.
In the late 1950s, Ballard won the right to be the Edsel car
dealer for Salt Lake City. His dealership became the most successful in the
country, and Ford Motor Company invited him and his associates to Detroit to tell other dealers how they did it.
One of the highlights of his business career was his responsibility as president of the Valley Music Hall in Bountiful, Utah. The theater offered high-quality family entertainment, and he worked in association
with Art Linkletter, Danny Thomas, Bob Cummings, and other Hollywood
celebrities who were advisers to the enterprise. Although the music hall failed financially, he made sure that investors had
opportunities to recover the money they had put into it.
Published works
- Ballard, M. Russell (2002). As Women of God. Deseret Book Company. ISBN
2002.
- --- (2002). Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might (Classic
Talk series). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ISBN B0006S3QSY.
- --- (1997). Counseling with Our Councils: Learning to Minister Together in
the Church and in the Family. Deseret Book Company. ISBN 1-57345-209-2.
- --- (1998). The law of sacrifice and What came from Kirtland. Deseret
Book Company. ISBN 1-57345-403-6.
- --- (1993). Our Search for Happiness: An Invitation to Understand the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Deseret Book Company. ISBN 0-87579-917-5.
- --- (2001). Staying the Course: Ten Keys to Gospel Commitment. Deseret
Book Company. ISBN ?.
- --- (1993). Suicide: Some Things We Know and Some We Don't. Deseret Book
Company. ISBN 0-87579-766-0.
- --- (2001). When Thou Art Converted: Continuing the Search for Happiness.
Deseret Book Company. ISBN 1-57345-813-9.
See also
- Council on the Disposition of the Tithes
References
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