We’re about to be washed over by the semi-annual flood of inspired opinions which we commonly refer to as General Conference. There’s always a lot to digest, some of which is difficult to relate to. The addresses given by the General Authorities are of their own design and are determined by their opinions of the World. So, in order to understand what they are talking about, I’m presenting ten factors for each of the top fifteen, that have shaped their points of view.

“People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession
of character.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The factors are:

1- Birth date/ age (incidentally, this is the oldest average group of GA’s in the entire history of the Church!)
2- Astrological sign, Zodiac and Chinese.

Moses 2: 14 “And I, God, said: Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years…”

3- Birthplace and where they’ve lived.
4- Birth order and number of siblings. (This info was surprisingly hard to find and consequently incomplete for some)
5- Military and/ or Missionary service.
6- Significant World events that happened when they were fifteen-years-old. (Fifteen is a very impressionable age and significant events should give you an idea of the cultural environment.)
7- Occupation-Education-Career.
8- Spouse(s) and length of marriage. (no divorces.)
9- Number of children.
10- Years of service as a General Authority.

Thomas Spencer Monson

1- Born August 21, 1927- 87 years old.
2- Leo- ruling, warm, generous, faithful. Rabbit- timid, attractive, compassionate, sentimental.
3- Born and lived in SLC, Utah.
4- One older sister.
5- No mission, he served in the Naval Reserve, 1945-46
6- 15 in 1942. WWII is in full-swing and Americans of Japanese ancestry are forced into internment camps.
7- He was a newspaper Ad Executive, with a Batchelor’s degree in Business Management from the U of U and an MBA from BYU. He taught for a bit at the U but spent the rest of his career working for the Deseret News.
8- He married Frances Beverly Johnson in 1948, she died in 2013. They were married 65 years.
9- They had three children
10- He served as a Mission President of the Canadian Mission at age 31, and was ordained an apostle at the age of 36 in 1963. (The year the Beatles came to the US) He has been a GA for 51 years.

Henry Bennion Eyering

1- Born May 31, 1933- 81 years old.
2- Gemini- communicative, indecisive, inquisitive, intelligent. Rooster- strutting, practical, resourceful, observant.
3- Born in New Jersey, he moved to SLC when he was 13.
4- Two brothers, he is the middle.
5- He served two years in the Air Force, stationed in New Mexico where he also served as a district missionary.
6- 15 in 1948. Gandhi was assassinated, the Big Bang Theory was introduced by George A. Gamow
7- He was a Teacher and an Education Administrator, he attended the U of U and Harvard where he got a PhD in Business Administration. He taught Business at Stanford and MIT and was the Commissioner of Church Education for 13 years.
8- He married Kathleen Johnson in 1962, they have been married 52 years.
9- They have 6 children, 4 boys, 2 girls.
10 He served as President of Ricks College from 1971-75, he was a counselor to the Presiding Bishop from 1985- 19992, in the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1992-95 and was ordained an Apostle in 1995. He has been a GA for 29 years.

Dieter Friederich Uchtdorf

1- Born November 6, 1940- 74 years old.
2- Scorpio- transient, self-willed, purposeful, unyielding. Dragon- giving, intelligent, tenacious, powerful, brash.
3- Born in Czechoslovakia, he grew up in Germany but he spent his early life fleeing the war.
4- He is the youngest of four, 2 brothers, 1 sister.
5- No mission, He served six years in the German Air Force as a Fighter Pilot. (1959-65)
6- 15 in 1955. West Germany becomes a sovereign state, seven of the Eastern-European countries sign the Warsaw Pact.
7- He worked as a Pilot for Lufthansa airlines from 1965-96. He earned an MBA in Germany.
8- He married Harriet Reich in 1962, they have been married for 52 years.
9- They have two children, one of each.
10- He has served in the Quorums of Seventy since 1994, including the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He was ordained an Apostle in 2008. He has been a GA for 20 years.

Boyd Kenneth Packer

1- Born September 10, 1924- 90 years old.
2- Virgo- analytical, practical, reflective, thoughtful. Rat- clever, lucky, charming, loyal.
3- Born in Brigham City, Utah and lived here his whole life.
4- 10th of 11 children.
5- No mission, he was an Army Pilot 1942-46. He flew bombing missions over the Pacific during WWII.
6- 15 in 1939. Germany invaded Poland, initiating WWII. The Yankees beat Cincinnati in the World Series.
7- He was an Education Administrator. He attended Weber State, USU and BYU where he earned a Ed.D. in Education Administration. He worked for CES including Supervisor of Seminaries and Institutes.
8- He married Donna Nee Smith in 1947. They’ve been married 67 years.
9- 10 children
10- He served as President of the New England States Mission, He was called as an assistant to The Twelve in 1961 and called as an Apostle in 1970. He has been a GA for 53 years.

Lowell Tom Perry

1- Born August 5, 1922- 92 years old.
2- Leo- ruling, warm, generous, faithful. Dog- loyal, faithful, honest.
3- Born in Logan, Utah, he has lived in Idaho, California, New York, Washington and Massachusetts.
4- He has three sisters and two brothers.
5- He served a mission to the northern States Mission, headquartered in Chicago. He was drafted, and volunteered for the Marine Corps. He served a year on Saipan during WWII and then Japan after the war. (1943-46)
6- 15 in 1937. The Hindenburg explodes in Lakehurst New Jersey. Amelia Earhart vanished during her circumnavigation attempt. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” hits theaters.
7- He was a very successful retail manager. He earned a BS in Finance from Utah State Agricultural College.
8- He married Virginia Lee in 1947, she died in 1974. They were married for 27 years. He married Barbara Taylor Dayton in 1976, they’ve been married for 38 years.
9- He has two girls and one boy with Virginia.
10- He served as an assistant to The Twelve from 1972-74 when he was called as an Apostle. Hes been a GA for 42 years.

Russell Marion Nelson

1- Born September 9, 1924- 90 years old. (one day older than Packer)
2- Virgo- analytical, practical, reflective, thoughtful. Rat- clever, lucky, charming, loyal.
3- Born in Brigham City, Utah and lived in Washington D.C. and Massachusetts.
4- Two sisters and one brother.
5- No mission, He served as an Army medic for two years during the Korean war, in Korea, Japan and Washington D.C.
6- 15 in 1939. WWII begins, “Gone With the Wind” debuts in theaters.
7- He was a world-renowned heart surgeon. He earned his M.D. from the U of U in 1947 (23 years old!) and his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1954. He pioneered the use of the Heart-Lung machine during heart surgery.
8- He married Dantzel White in 1945, she died in 2005. They were married 50 years. He married Wendy L. Watson in 2006.
9- 10 children with Dantzel. (nine girls and one boy)
10- He served eight years as the general Sunday School President, four years as a regional representative For the Kearns, Utah and then BYU regions. He was called to be an Apostle in 1984. He has been a GA for 42 years.

Dallin Harris Oaks (Named after the Artist Cyrus Dallin)

1- Born August 12,1932- 82 years old.
2- Leo- ruling, warm, generous, faithful. Monkey- charming, energetic, fun.
3- Born and raised in Provo, Utah, he went to school and worked in Chicago.
4- He is the oldest of three, he has one of each.
5- No mission, He served in the National Guard 1949-54.
6- His father died when he was seven, his single mother graduated from BYU, and then earned a graduate degree from Columbia University. She worked for the Provo School District, she was the first woman to serve on the Provo City Council where she served two terms and she served briefly as Provo’s Assistant Mayor.
He was 15 in 1947. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, the House Un-American Activity Committee is established and Jackie Robinson joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
7- He is a lawyer. He earned a BS from BYU then a J.D. from the University of Chicago in 1957. He was a professor of law at the U of C and practiced law in Chicago. He was the President of BYU from 1971-80, and sat on the Utah Supreme Court from 1980-84. He was a co-founder of “Dialogue a journal of Mormon thought”(1968) and was on the editorial board.
8- He married June Dixon in 1952, she died in 1998. they were married for 46 years. He married Kristen Meredith McMain in 2000.
9- He has 6 children with June.
10- He was ordained an Apostle in 1984. He has been a GA for 30 years.

Melvin Russell Ballard

1- Born October 8, 1928- 85 years old.
2- Libra- balance, justice, truth, beauty, reflection. Dragon- giving, intelligent, tenacious, powerful, brash.
3- Born and lived in SLC.
4- Three sisters.
5- He served a mission in England. He also served in the Army Reserve.
6- 15 in 1943. WWII, Mussolini is arrested, Roosevelt freezes prices and wages, the Pentagon is completed.
7- He was a car salesman and investor. He attended the University of Utah.
8- He married Barbara Bowen in 1951. They’ve been married 63 years.
9- they have seven children.
10- He served in the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1976-85 including some time in the presidency. He was ordained an Apostle in 1985. He has been a GA for 38 years.

Richard Gordon Scott

1- Born November 7, 1928- 85 years old.
2- Scorpio- transient, self-willed, purposeful, unyielding. Dragon- giving, intelligent, tenacious, powerful, brash.
3- Born in Pocatello, Idaho, lived in Washington D.C., Long Island, New York, Utah.
4- Four brothers.
5- No military (except as a civilian), Uruguay Montevideo Mission (at 22)
6- 15 in 1943. WWII, Oklahoma opens in theaters, the term “Antibiotic” is introduced in Medicine. He loves Art and Jazz and was less-active as a youth.
7- He was a Nuclear Engineer for the Navy. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from George Washington University and then worked for the Navy as a Nuclear Reactor Designer. He earned a Doctorate that was never awarded due to the classified nature of his work. From 1969-77 he worked for a private nuclear engineering consulting firm in Washington D.C.
8- He married Jeanene Watkins in 1953, she died in 1995. They were married for 42 years, he has never remarried.
9- They had seven children, two died.
10- He served as President of the Argentina North mission 1965-69, He was called and served in the First Quorum of the Seventy, including some time in the presidency from 1977-88 when he was called as an Apostle. He has been a GA for 37 years.

Robert Dean Hales

1- Born August 24, 1932- 82 years old.
2- Virgo- analytical, thoughtful, reflective, practical. Monkey- charming, energetic, fun.
3- Born and raised in Queens, New York, he’s lived in Utah, Massachusetts, Illinois, Germany, and Spain.
4- He is the youngest of three.
5- No mission, He served in the Air Force from 1954-58 where he was a pilot.
6- 15 in 1947. Yankees beat the Dodgers in 7, Anne Frank’s “Diary of a Young Girl” is published, carbon dating is developed.
7- He was an Executive for Gillette, Paper Mate, Max Factor, Hughes Television and Cheesebrough-Ponds. He earned a BS from the U of U, and an MBA from Harvard.
8- He married Mary Crandall in 1953, They’ve been married for 61 years.
9- They have two sons.
10- He served as President of the London Mission, Assistant to The Twelve 1975-76, First Quorum of the Seventy 1976-85 and Presiding Bishop from 1985-94 when he was called to serve as an Apostle. He has been a GA for 38 years.

Jeffrey Roy Holland

1- born December 3, 1940- 73 years old.
2- Sagittarius- philosophical, experimental, optimistic. Dragon- giving, intelligent, tenacious, powerful, brash.
3- Born in Saint George, Utah, he has lived in Hayward California, Seattle Washington and New Haven, Connecticut.
4- He is one of four but one died. He has one of each surviving.
5- No military, He served in the British Mission.
6- 15 in 1955. Rosa Parks says “No”, “Rebel Without a Cause” hits theaters.
7- He was a Teacher and an Education Administrator. He earned a BA in English and an MA in Religious Education from BYU, and a MA and PhD in American Studies from Yale. He taught Institute in California, He was an Institute Director in Seattle and in Salt Lake, The Dean of Religious Education at BYU, the Commissioner of Church Education, and the President of BYU from 1980-89.
8- He married Patricia Terry in 1963, they’ve been married for 51 years.
9- They have three children.
10- He served in the First Quorum of the Seventy 1989-94, he served in the Young Mens General Presidency and was called to be an Apostle in 1994. He has been a GA for 25 years.

David Alan Bednar

1- Born June 15, 1952- 62 years old.
2- Gemini- communicative, inquisitive, intelligent, indecisive. Dragon- giving, intelligent, tenacious, powerful, brash.
3- Born in Oakland, California, lived in Arkansas, Texas, Idaho.
4- He is the youngest of three, one of each.
5- No military, he served a mission to Southern Germany.
6- 15 in 1967. The Civil Rights movement was in full-swing, there were race riots in Detroit, New York, Birmingham and Connecticut. Rolling Stone Magazine debuts.
7- He was a Business Educator. He earned a BA, then MA in Organizational Communication from BYU, and A PhD in Organizational Behavior from Purdue. He taught Management at the University of Arkansas and at Texas Tech. He became the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at the U of A until he took a position there as…The Director of the Management Decision Making Lab. He was called to be the President of Ricks College in 1997 Where he served as it transitioned to a university.
8- He married Susan Kae Robinson in 1975. They have been married for 39 years
9- They have 3 children.
10-He has served as a Regional Representative, and an Area Seventy. He was ordained an Apostle in 2004, He has been a GA for 20 years.

Quentin Lamar Cook

1- Born September 8, 1940- 74 years old.
2- Virgo- analytical, practical, reflective, thoughtful. Dragon- giving, intelligent, tenacious, powerful, brash.
3- Born in Logan, Utah and raised in California.
4- He is one of three.
5- No military, he served a mission to Britain where he was companions with Holland.
6- 15 in 1955. U.S. sends aid to Vietnam, Albert Einstein Dies. Elder Cooks Father was not active in the Church.
7- He was a lawyer with a BS in Political Science from Utah State and a Law degree from Stanford. He worked in Corporate Law for a firm in San Francisco for 27 years. He Became the CEO of the California Health care System and later the Vice-Chair of Sutter Heath System (a non-profit HMO). He also volunteered as the S.F. City Attorney.
8- He married Mary Gaddie in 1962, They’ve been married for 52 years.
9- They have three children.
10- He has served in the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy including time in the Presidency. He was ordained an Apostle in 2007, he has been a GA for 18 years.

David Todd Christofferson

1- Born January 24, 1945- 69 years old.
2- Aquarius- knowledge, insight, humanitarian, serious. Monkey- charming, energetic, fun.
3- Born in American Fork, Utah, lived in New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington D.C., Tennessee and Virginia.
4- He has four brothers.
5- No military, He served a mission to Argentina where Elder Scott was his President.
6- 15 in 1960. Kennedy beats Nixon, “Psycho” comes out in theaters, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is published and the first laser is built.
7- He was a lawyer with a BS from BYU, and a J.D. from Duke University. He served as a clerk to Sirica during Watergate and worked as an Attorney in several eastern states. He was General Counsel to Nations Bank which later became Bank of America.
8- He married Katherine Jacob in 1968, they have been married for 46 years.
9- They have five children.
10 He served in the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1993- 2008, during which time he served as the Executive Director of Church and Family history. He negotiated with Jewish leaders over Temple work for Holocaust victims. He was ordained an Apostle in 2008, he has been a GA for 21 years.

Neil Linden Andersen

1- Born August 9, 1951- 63 years old.
2- Leo- ruling, warm, generous, faithful. Rabbit- timid, attractive, compassionate, sentimental.
3- Born in Logan, Utah, he has lived in Idaho, Utah, Massachusetts, Mexico, Brazil, Western Europe and Colorado.
4- He is the third of five.
5- No military, he served a mission to France.
6- 15 in 1966. Watts riots, Star Trek is broadcast for the first time, The FDA okays “The Pill” and Walt Disney dies.
7- He worked in Advertising, Real Estate and he became the Vice President of Morton Plant Health Care. He graduated from BYU where he was the Student Body Vice President, and received an MBA from Harvard.
8- He married Kathy Sue Williams in 1975, they have been married for 39 years.
9- They have four children.
10- He served as president of the France Bordeaux Mission from 1989-92, and then he was called to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy where he served in the Presidencies of the following areas: Utah north, North America Southwest, North America Northeast, Europe West, Brazil South and Idaho. He was ordained an Apostle in 2009, he has been a GA for 21 years.

So there it is, make of it what you will.

Daniel Lewis

Daniel is a Sunday School President who enjoys punk rock and skateboarding.

All posts by Daniel Lewis