David A. Bednar

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David A. Bednar

David Allan Bednar (b. June 15, 1952) is the junior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Bednar was sustained on October 2, 2004 as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the youngest man named to that body since Dallin H. Oaks in 1984. He was ordained an Apostle on October 7, 2004 by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. Bednar filled the vacancy occasioned by the death of Apostle David B. Haight on July 31, 2004.

1 Prior church service
2 Personal history
3 Common themes
4 Published works
5 References
6 Conference talks
7 External resources

[edit] Prior church service

Bednar has served as a Bishop (Fayetteville Ward, 1987), a Stake President twice (Fort Smith Arkansas Stake, 1987-1991 and Rogers Arkansas Stake, 1991-1995), a Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles (1994-1995), and an Area Seventy. During his time as a Bishop, Stake President, and Regional Representative, Bednar was an associate dean at the University of Arkansas. In 1997, Bednar became president of what was then Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. He was president of the college during its transition into becoming a four year university, which is now known as Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-I).

[edit] Personal history

Bednar was born on 15 June 1952, in San Leandro, California. He served as a full-time missionary in Southern Germany and then attended Brigham Young University, where he received a bachelors degree and a masters degree. He also received a doctoral degree in organizational behavior from Purdue University.

After completing his education, Bednar was a professor of business management at Texas Tech University and at the University of Arkansas. He then served as the president of Brigham Young University-Idaho (formerly Ricks College) from 1997 to 2004.

Bednar married Susan Kae Robinson in the Salt Lake Temple on 20 March 1975. They are the parents of three sons.

[edit] Common themes

The Enabling Power of the Atonement

"please pay particular attention to the word grace as it is used in the verse I just read. In the Bible Dictionary we learn that the word grace frequently is used in the scriptures to connote a strengthening or enabling power: The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

".. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts” (p. 697).

"Thus, the enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity. I testify and witness that the enabling power of the Savior’s Atonement is real. Without that strengthening power of the Atonement, I could not stand before you this morning." Excerpt from David A. Bednar, “In the Strength of the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 2004, 76

[edit] Published works

Donald D. White, David A. Bednar (1991). Organizational Behavior: Understanding and Managing People at Work. Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0-205-12851-3.
Ronald R. Sims, Donald D. White, David A. Bednar (compiler) (1992). Readings in Organizational Behavior. Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 0-205-12857-2.