M. Russell Ballard

M. Russell Ballard
M. Russell Ballard
	Ballard speaking at the BYU Church History Symposium in 2012
Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
	January 14, 2018 – November 12, 2023
Called by	Russell M. Nelson
Successor	Jeffrey R. Holland
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
	October 6, 1985 – November 12, 2023
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
LDS Church Apostle
	October 10, 1985 – November 12, 2023
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
Reason	Death of Bruce R. McConkie
Reorganization; at end of term	Patrick Kearon ordained
Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy
	February 22, 1980 – October 6, 1985
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
End reason	Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
First Quorum of the Seventy
	April 3, 1976 – October 6, 1985
Called by	Spencer W. Kimball
End reason	Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Military career
Service/branch	United States Army Reserve
Rank	First lieutenant
Personal details
Born	Melvin Russell Ballard Jr.; October 8, 1928; Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Died	November 12, 2023 (aged 95); Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Utah
Occupation	Businessman
Spouse(s)	Barbara Bowen (m. 1951; died 2018)
Children	7
Signature
	Biography portal LDS movement portal
	Biography portal LDS movement portal

Melvin Russell Ballard Jr. (October 8, 1928 – November 12, 2023) was an American businessman and religious leader who served as the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 2018 until his death in 2023.^[3] He had been a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since 1985. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ballard was accepted by church members as a prophet, seer, and revelator. At the time of his death, he was the third most senior apostle in the church.^[4]

^ Due to quorum president Dallin H. Oaks serving as First Counselor in the First Presidency.
^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (January 16, 2018). "President Russell M. Nelson". Newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
^ "M. Russell Ballard". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
^ Apostolic seniority is generally understood to include all ordained apostles (including the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Seniority is determined by date of ordination, not by age or other factors. If two apostles are ordained on the same day, the older of the two is typically ordained first. See Succession to the presidency and Heath, Steven H. (Summer 1987). "Notes on Apostolic Succession" (PDF). Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. 20 (2): 44–56. doi:10.2307/45216003. JSTOR 45216003. S2CID 254390532..