Bruce R. McConkie
Born: 29 July 1915
Called to First Council of the Seventy (Presidency of the Seventy): 6 October 1946
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 12 October 1972
Died: 19 April 1985
Called to First Council of the Seventy (Presidency of the Seventy): 6 October 1946
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 12 October 1972
Died: 19 April 1985
Biographical Articles
Improvement Era, November 1946, Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy
Relief Society Magazine, December 1946, Bruce Redd McConkie Sustained a Member of the First Council of the Seventy
Improvement Era, November 1967, Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy
Ensign, January 1973, Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Council of the Twelve
Ensign, May 1985, Elder Bruce R. McConkie Dies
Ensign, June 1985, Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "Preacher of Righteousness"
Relief Society Magazine, December 1946, Bruce Redd McConkie Sustained a Member of the First Council of the Seventy
Improvement Era, November 1967, Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy
Ensign, January 1973, Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Council of the Twelve
Ensign, May 1985, Elder Bruce R. McConkie Dies
Ensign, June 1985, Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "Preacher of Righteousness"
Smith, Henry A. "Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy." Improvement Era. November 1946. pg. 692, 730.
Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy By Henry A. Smith, Editor, Church News Section Seated at the press table of the Salt Lake Tabernacle during each session of the 117th semi-annual general conference was a capable, young member of The Deseret News editorial staff. He had come to the News from other fields of activity, including four years of service in the army, and had had less than a year of actual newspaper experience. He was assisting for the first time in "covering" the conference. This young man was Bruce Redd McConkie. As time came to commence the final session, Bruce was called into conference with the First Presidency and informed that his name was to be presented to fill the existing vacancy among the General Authorities. Still stunned from this shocking news, he returned to the press table and carried on his assignment. As the General Authorities were presented at the close of the session, he was sustained as the junior member of the First Council of the Seventy. Elder McConkie filled the vacancy occasioned by the death last May of Elder John H. Taylor. Thus was added to the presiding councils of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a young man, who despite his thirty-one years, had earned an enviable reputation in Church service, especially in the fields of gospel study, teaching, and seventies' quorum leadership. To those who had worked many months with Bruce and who knew of his sterling character, his sincerity, his loyalty to the Church, and his outstanding ability, the appointment to this new position of responsibility was not unexpected. He will bring a viewpoint of the young people of the Church into his new duties. He presents a commanding appearance, standing six feet four inches and weighing about two hundred ten pounds. He has a deep voice and is a most capable speaker, having been in much demand in sacrament meetings of Salt Lake City for the past several years. The new member of the First Council of the Seventy is educated and trained as an attorney. He had four years of service with the Ninth Service Command Headquarters at Fort Douglas, Utah, where he was in the security and intelligence division. He was a lieutenant colonel at the time of his release. Despite his training and experience his chief interest has been, and still is, a study of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has undertaken a subject study of the standard works of the Church and has several loose-leaf books filled with an analytical study of the Book of Mormon and is now at work on the Doctrine and Covenants. He has searched the scriptures carefully and gleaned from them every bit of information available on a total of one hundred fifteen subjects. For example, under "Faith," he has, he thinks, every reference contained in the Book of Mormon on that subject, written fully enough so that he need not again refer to the original source. This scriptural study has taken years to do, but he has found it a most valuable training in preparation for preaching and teaching the gospel. Conducting of gospel doctrine classes in Sunday School and teaching lessons to seventies' classes as well as standing in the pulpits of many wards have all been constant outlets for the accumulated knowledge resulting from this systematic study of the scriptures. His sermons have all been doctrinal, and he has thus been in continuous preparation for his new duties as one of the General Authorities of the Church which will take him into all the stakes and missions to give counsel and inspiration to the membership of the Church. Bruce Redd McConkie was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on July 29, 1915, while his father was studying law at the University of Michigan. His father is Oscar W. McConkie, a prominent Utah attorney, who has devoted his life to Church service. His mother is Vivian Redd McConkie. His parents are now presiding over the California Mission with headquarters in Los Angeles. The active missionary career of the new General Authority began in the Eastern States Mission from 1934 to 1936 under President Don B. Colton. Bruce spent thirteen months of his mission in the area of Palmyra and the Hill Cumorah. He returned home to take up active service in his seventies' quorum and to resume his studies of law at the University of Utah. He received his A.B. degree in 1937 and his law degree in 1939. Soon after, he passed the state bar examination and became, in 1940, Salt Lake City's prosecutor, holding that position until he resigned to go into the service of his country in 1942. After spending four years in uniform he was released. Instead of taking up his legal work, his personal interests and love of writing led him into the newspaper field. While gaining experience in news reporting, Elder McConkie wrote a number of editorials both for the daily Deseret News and for the Church News Section. A quotation from one of these Church editorials gives us evidence of the direct forcefulness of his testimony: "The testimonies of the Saints are the strength of the 'Mormon' position. No person has to rely on what another man claims to have seen or heard or known. Every man stands on a footing of divine equality before our Father in heaven. He may see and know and hear for himself. When it has been revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and that Joseph Smith was his Prophet, it matters not what others may think or say. Apostates, liars, and deceivers may write and speak untruths, but so persecuted they the prophets in all ages. "God has spoken in this day. The gospel has been restored. Joseph Smith was pure and unstained in his life. George Albert Smith is the successor of Joseph Smith and the mouthpiece of the Almighty on earth. These things are true. We have not followed cunningly devised fables. Every person who will obey the law can know of these things. God has so decreed it. The Saints have not been deceived. They know. God has revealed it to them." Elder McConkie has been active in Church circles ever since he was old enough to hold positions of responsibility. At the time of his appointment he was senior president of the 340th quorum of seventy in the Monument Park Ward, and had been assistant chairman of the stake genealogical committee. Another joy to this new General Authority is his lovely family. He is married to Amelia Smith, a daughter of Elder Joseph Fielding Smith of the Council of the Twelve. They have four attractive young children, two sons and two daughters, Joseph Fielding, Stanford Smith, Vivian, and Mary Ethel. Elder McConkie was set apart as a member of the First Council of the Seventy in the Salt Lake Temple on Thursday, October 10, by President George Albert Smith. |
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Amelia S. McConkie, wife of Bruce R. McConkie, and their four children.
Left to right, Vivian, Stanford Smith, Mary Ethel, and Joseph Fielding. |
Sharp, Marianne C. "Bruce Redd McConkie Sustained a Member of the First Council of the Seventy." Relief Society Magazine. December 1946. pg. 818-819.
Bruce Redd McConkie Sustained a Member of First Council of Seventy Counselor Marianne C. Sharp ON October 6, 1946, Bruce Redd McConkie was sustained as a member of the First Council of Seventy, filling the vacancy caused by the death, last May, of Elder John H. Taylor. This action brings to the Council a man thirty-one years of age, one in the full vigor and power of mind and body, called to become one of the "traveling ministers unto the Gentiles first and also unto the Jews." Elder McConkie comes to this high calling richly endowed by native ability, parental training, and self-improvement. He was reared in a house of faith where his parents, Oscar W. McConkie and Vivian Redd McConkie, taught the gospel by precept and also by daily example. As a young boy, Bruce exhibited those traits of character that a Latter-day Saint teacher would wish in a student. He was a thoughtful, obedient lad of a sober disposition, faithful and true, courteous in all his actions, but ever ready to defend the truth. Even as a child, he possessed an unusual knowledge of the scriptures, and, as he has grown to full maturity, his early promise has been realized, until today he is of such a stature that the Lord, through his servants, has chosen him as one to help carry on his great work in these latter days. Brother McConkie has had thorough training and outstanding experience in his chosen profession--the law. He spent four years in the army engaged in security and intelligence work and, during those years, he was promoted from a first lieutenant to a lieutenant colonel. He comes well trained to his new calling, for he has been serving as senior president of the 340th Quorum of Seventy in Monument Park Ward of Bonneville Stake. He will receive full support in his new Church assignment from his devoted wife, Amelia Smith McConkie, daughter of Elder Joseph Fielding Smith of the Quorum of the Twelve and the late Ethel Reynolds Smith. Sister McConkie's home training has been such as to give her an understanding and appreciation of the added responsibilities which, as the wife of a General Authority, will be hers in rearing her children during the times when her husband will be absent from home on his Church duties. Relief Society women will feel particularly well-acquainted with the McConkie family since the mothers of both Brother and Sister McConkie served, for many years, as faithful and capable members of the Relief Society General Board. Elder McConkie assumes his new duties with a keen sense of the honor and responsibility, which have come to him so early in life, and he can be relied upon to give to the Lord's work full measure, running over, of his great faith, devotion, loyalty, and capabilities. |
THE BRUCE R. McCONKIE FAMILY
Elder Bruce R. McConkie, new member of the First Council of Seventy, with his wife, Amelia Smith McConkie, and their children: Vivian, age six; Stanford Smith, age three; Mary Ethel, age five months; Joseph Fielding, age five. |
"Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy." Improvement Era. November 1967. pg. 57.
Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy “There is nothing in this world I that I would rather do than have the privilege of preaching the gospel and of devoting such time and abilities as the Lord may bless me with to the building up of his kingdom." These words of Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy strike the guiding keynote of his life. Elder McConkie was born to Oscar W. and Vivian Redd McConkie on July 29, 1915, at Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his father was studying law at the University of Michigan. At age 11, young Bruce would gather his brothers and sisters about him to read to them the Book of Mormon. After returning to Salt Lake City, he attended LDS High School during its last two years of existence, and in 1934-36 he served in the Eastern States Mission. He was graduated from the University of Utah in 1937 with a bachelor of arts degree and in 1939 with a bachelor of laws degree. In June 1967 he received his doctorate in the same field. On October 13, 1937, he married Amelia Smith, daughter of President Joseph Fielding Smith. They have nine children. He was set apart on October 10, 1946, as a member of the First Council of the Seventy. Elder McConkie has been a member of the Utah State Bar and a practicing attorney, assistant city attorney and city prosecutor, and a security and intelligence officer in the U.S. Army's Ninth Service Command. He joined the American Legion and at present holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Field Artillery Reserves. For many years he was servicemen's coordinator for the Church. He has also served as president of the Southern Australian Mission. His knowledge and continual study of the scriptures have thrilled Church audiences and classes, and his keen sense of humor adds reality to his teachings. In a conference address President McConkie said, "The great compelling necessity, the overwhelming obligation that rests upon us as members of this great latter-day kingdom is to come to a knowledge of the law of the Lord." To this end Elder McConkie has worked and studied diligently. In October 1951 general conference, he reported the following experience: "Six months ago in the solemn assembly, when the First Presidency of the Church were sustained, as I sat here, the voice of the Lord came into my mind as certainly, I am sure, as the voice of the Lord came into the mind of Enos, as it said: 'These are they whom I have chosen as the First Presidency of my Church. Follow them.' That witness was an added assurance of the divinity of the work." To this theme, "follow the brethren," Bruce McConkie has dedicated his life. |
Bruce R. McConkie of the First Council of the Seventy
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