Steven E. Snow

Steven Erastus Snow (born November 23, 1949) has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 2001. He served as the Church Historian and Recorder from 2012 until 2019.

Steven E. Snow
First Quorum of the Seventy
March 31, 2001 (2001-03-31)
Called byGordon B. Hinckley
Presidency of the Seventy
August 1, 2007 (2007-08-01) – January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20)
Called byGordon B. Hinckley
End reasonReleased to become Church Historian and Recorder
Personal details
BornSteven Erastus Snow
(1949-11-23) November 23, 1949
St. George, Utah, United States
Spouse(s)Phyllis Squire
Children4

Snow was born in St. George, Utah into a Latter-day Saint family. Snow has an accounting degree from the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and a juris doctorate from Brigham Young University. He has been a deputy county attorney for Washington County, Utah, president and a senior partner in the Snow Nuffer law firm. He served as president of his local school board, chairman of the Utah State Board of Regents, and chairman of the Western States Commission of Higher Education.[1]

On July 26, 2012, he was appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama as a member of the President's Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.[2] Membership on the council is generally a one-year appointment, though members may serve longer and are eligible for reappointment, as they serve at the pleasure of the President.[3]

LDS Church service

As a young man, he served as a missionary for the LDS Church in West Germany. Prior to his call as a general authority, Snow was a bishop, stake president, and president of the church's California San Fernando Mission. In 1999, he became an area seventy in the church's Utah South Area.

Snow became a general authority and a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 2001. He began service as a member of the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2007. In that capacity, Snow was responsible for overseeing the work of the church in the North America Central Area and later the three areas in Utah.

Church Historian and Recorder

In January 2012, Snow was announced to replace Marlin K. Jensen, as Church Historian and Recorder.[1] To effect a smooth transition, Snow was released from the Presidency of the Seventy on January 20, 2012, in order to begin working immediately with Jensen. Snow replaced Jensen in August 2012 and Jensen was designated an emeritus general authority in October 2012. Snow continued to serve as Church Historian and Recorder until August 2019, at which point, he was replaced in that assignment by LeGrand R. Curtis Jr.

Snow was instrumental in updating the Priesthood Restoration Site that was dedicated by Russell M. Nelson on September 19, 2015.[4] He was also credited with the introduction of the planned four-volume narrative history of the LDS Church called, Saints.[5]

In 2017, Snow confirmed the $35 million purchase of the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon from the Community of Christ.[6] Snow explained the importance, "The printer’s manuscript is the earliest surviving copy of about 72 percent of the Book of Mormon text, as only about 28 percent of the earlier dictation copy survived decades of storage in a cornerstone in Nauvoo."[6]

He was designated as an emeritus general authority in October 2019.[7]

Personal life

Snow married Phyllis Squire in June 1971. They are the parents of four sons. Snow's great-great-great grandfather is 19th century church apostle Erastus Snow.

References
  1. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "Changing of the guard in Mormon history", The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 January 2012. Retrieved on 25 March 2020.
  2. Burr, Thomas. "Obama names first Mormon to faith-based council", The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 July 2012. Retrieved on 26 March 2020.
  3. Walker, Joseph (July 26, 2012). "Obama appoints first Mormon, Elder Snow, to presidential faith council". Deseret News. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  4. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "Mission accomplished: This leader got a more unvarnished LDS history to members, with the blessing of his bosses", The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 August 2019. Retrieved on 26 March 2020.
  5. "General authority talks about his tenure as church historian and tricky topics like Brigham Young on race, Joseph Smith’s polygamy, the LGBTQ policy", The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 August 2019. Retrieved on 26 March 2020.
  6. Caldwell, Tiffany and Mims, Bob. "$35 million Book of Mormon manuscript sale called the ‘biggest game-changer in Mormon history’", The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 September 2017. Retrieved on 26 March 2020.
  7. Eyre, Aubrey. "These 9 General Authority Seventies received emeritus status during general conference", Church News, 5 October 2019. Retrieved on 26 March 2020.

See also
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