President Ballard, a man of ‘incredible faith’

Friday, Nov. 24, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY — President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away Nov. 12 at the age of 95.

For 47 years President Ballard engaged in fulltime service for the LDS Church. In 1974, he was called as president of the church’s Canada Toronto Mission. Two years later, he was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy. President Ballard continued to serve in various leadership positions in the church until he became an apostle on Oct. 10, 1985. He was named as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Jan. 16, 2018. 

Prior to his service as a full-time church leader, he was a businessman with interests in the automotive, real estate and investment industries.

President Ballard was known for cultivating strong relationships with leaders of other faiths and had close relationships with several members of the Catholic clergy, including the Most Rev. John C. Wester, ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City and current Archbishop of Santa Fe. During the years Archbishop Wester was in Utah, he and President Ballard became close friends and golfing buddies who often had dinner together. In addition, each Christmas, President Ballard or his assistant would deliver a gift of honey butter and Lion House rolls to Archbishop Wester and other members of the Catholic clergy.

“We just really hit it off,” Archbishop Wester said of their close relationship. “We shared a lot in common: caring for people, especially in charitable works; reaching out to people in need. We had some wonderful times, and we really had a good friendship.”

“He was a good man,” Archbishop Wester said of President Ballard. “He was very authentic; he was very genuine. He was a man of his word, and when he said he was your friend, he was your friend. He meant it.”

“We were able to find common ground with each other,” the archbishop added. “Sometimes people emphasize differences, but we emphasize commonalities — our love for the Lord, our reaching out to people. If there was ever anything that we needed help with, he would be there to help us. It went a long way toward deepening our friendship and deepening our relationship between the two faiths.”

President Ballard was a man of “incredible faith, which was a great quality,” and he had a great sense of humor, Archbishop Wester said. 

When Archbishop Wester was installed as Archbishop of Santa Fe, President Ballard traveled to New Mexico for the ceremony. He also met personally with Pope Francis on March 15, 2019 during a visit to Rome for the dedication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple there. 

Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus, first met President Ballard more than 30 years ago. While serving as director of Catholic Community Services of Utah, Msgr. Fitzgerald collaborated with President Ballard on a number of projects, and over the years President Ballard attended most of the organization’s annual awards dinner. 

“He was very thoughtful; he was very humble,” Msgr. Fitzgerald said of President Ballard. “He could also poke fun at himself — those are wonderful qualities.”

Bishop Oscar A. Solis, 10th Bishop of Salt Lake City; Msgr. Fitzgerald and Monsignor Joseph M. Mayo, a retired priest of the diocese, were among those who attended the funeral services for President Ballard, which were held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square on Nov. 17.

During the funeral two of President Ballard’s children, Craig B. Ballard and Holly B. Clayton, enumerated many of their father’s qualities. 

“When my father came to my mission, I will never forget what he told the missionaries in no uncertain terms,” Craig Ballard said, adding that he was expecting his father to share some great spiritual manifestation, but “Instead, he simply said, ‘I know Jesus Christ, because I serve Jesus Christ.’ I’ll never forget that moment. I knew he spoke the truth because I had witnessed his selfless service throughout my life.”

Clayton said her father always supported his family.

“Dad always gave us wise counsel and advice when we were confused and needing direction,” she said. “He gave us encouragement to move forward with a positive mental attitude and internal perspective. He always helped us feel that things would work out. He shared in and celebrated family moments from his own children down to his first great-great-grandchild. It has been nearly 50 years of full-time service to the Savior for dad. He never stopped pushing, never stopped ministering, never stopped loving. He was motivated in all things by his love of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Three church leaders then shared some of their experiences serving with President Ballard over the years. Quentin L. Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke of Ballard’s “epic efforts to overcome divisions, and honor pioneers of all faiths.”

During a recent five-week hospital stay President Ballard “gave me blessings or visited or called the hospital every single day for those touch-and-go weeks while my life hung in the balance,” Jeffrey R. Holland, new acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve said. “How do you thank a man for that?”

Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, shared a letter from the First Presidency to President Ballard’s family. 

“How we love President Ballard, how glorious it has been to associate with him, to be inspired by his loving care for his beloved Barbara, to hear his resounding witness of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “Until we meet again, dear friend and brother, we thank you for a lifetime of tireless service-inspired teaching and genuine kindness. May we strive to follow your extraordinary example as a covenant-keeping disciple of Jesus Christ.”

President Ballard was laid to rest at the Salt Lake City Cemetery in a private burial service immediately following the funeral. As the funeral cortege passed the Cathedral of the Madeleine on its way to the cemetery, the bells of the cathedral rang out in tribute to the religious and community leader.

President Ballard is survived by seven children, 43 grandchildren 105 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.