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Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Ronald A. Rasband was named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on October 3, 2015. He was serving as the senior president in the Presidency of the Seventy at the time of his call.

Elder Rasband was born on February 6, 1951, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Rulon Hawkins Rasband and the former Verda Anderson. He attended Olympus High School and then the University of Utah. He left after a year to fulfill a mission call to the Eastern States Mission. After Elder Rasband returned from his mission and resumed his studies at the University of Utah, he met Melanie Twitchell. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 4, 1973. They have five children. Ronald became a bishop and later a high councilor while a student at the University. When he completed his education, he went to work for Jon Huntsman, Sr.. Elder Rasband eventually became president and chief operating officer of Huntsman Chemical, which position he held until called into full-time service for the Church.

In 1996 Elder Rasband accepted a call to serve as president of the New York, New York North Mission. He served with honor and distinction and might have thought of resuming his career with Huntsman upon being released in 1999. However, in the April 2000 general conference, Elder Ronald A. Rasband was given an indefinite call to serve full-time as a General Authority in the Church of Jesus Christ and received into membership in the First Quorum of the Seventy.

While a member of the Seventy, Elder Rasband served as first counselor in the Europe Central Area and president of the Utah Salt Lake City Area. He was executive director of the Temple Department when in August of 2005 he was called into the Presidency of the Seventy.

Apostleship

In May and June 2024, Elder Rasband met with Latter-day Saints in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela in training meetings and devotionals. In March, he ministered in four countries in the South Pacific—he met with Latter-day Saints, Church leaders and missionaries, government leaders, and humanitarian collaborators during his travels in Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, and Fiji. He traveled with Elder Paul V. Johnson, a General Authority Seventy; members of the Pacific Area Presidency; Bishop Gérald Caussé of the Presiding Bishopric; and their wives.

Elder and Sister Rasband visited Armenia and Georgia for two days in April 2023. He ministered to the missionaries in the Armenia Georgia Mission and virtually with missionaries in Russia. Previously, he visited Armenia professionally.

They ministered in Africa for ten days in May 2022 in three central and eastern nations, including Mozambique and Kenya.[1] Leaders from Malawi to Madagascar congregated in Johannesburg in a historic meeting during their visit to receive instruction from Elder Rasband. This four-hour long Annual Instruction Meeting was the first of its kind to be held in the Area, and is expected to take place every year going forward. Joining him were Elders S. Mark Palmer, Christoffel Golden, and Ciro Schmeil. “The experience was exceptional,” said Elder Chadambuka, an Area Seventy from Zimbabwe. “I don’t know who came up with this idea, but I definitely know it was inspired of the Lord.” The opportunity to commune with leaders from around the Area helped motivate them in their service, he said. “We felt a new brotherhood; a new love for one another, and a desire to go and do better and do more. This has really lifted the brethren up.”[2]

Elder Rasband ministered in Asia in 2022, visiting the Latter-day Saints in India and Singapore, and through technology Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and Taichung and Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Pakistan and Sri Lanka. “There is a lot of excitement where we have been relative to the temple. [There is a] temple being built in Bengaluru, India, [and a] temple being built in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, [and] one announced for Singapore, so there was a buzz everywhere about temples,” he said.

Temples dedicated by Elder Rasband

Durban South Africa Temple  · Bangkok Thailand Temple  · Mendoza Argentina Temple

Books by Elder Rasband

• Led by Divine Design (2018)
• Be Not Troubled (2021)

Quotes from Elder Rasband

• “If you come upon a person who is drowning, would you ask if they need help—or would it be better to just jump in and save them from the deepening waters? The offer, while well meaning and often given, ‘Let me know if I can help’ is really no help at all.”

April 2012 General Conference, "Special Lessons"

• "Keeping promises is not a habit; it is a characteristic of being a disciple of Jesus Christ."

November 2019 General Conference, "Standing by Our Promises and Covenants"

• “To be of good cheer is to trust Him when things don’t work as planned. It means to carry on when difficult twists in life take us in unexpected directions or when tragedy and hardship shatter our ideals."

Facebook post, February 4, 2024

• "I am confident that there is no choice, sin, or mistake that you or anyone else can make that will change His love for you or for them."

October 2015 General Conference, "I Stand All Amazed"

Videos with Elder Rasband

More on Elder Ronald A. Rasband

• Ronald A. Rasband
• "Elder Ronald A. Rasband: Gifted Leader, Devoted Father," by Elder M. Russell Ballard
• Ensign, May 2000; "News of the Church: Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Seventy"
• Church News, "Youthful commitment made to his mother has lasted a lifetime" by Jason Swensen
• Special Witnesses of Christ, Heritage of Faith
• All General Conference Talks by Ronald A. Rasband
• All Talks by Ronald A. Rasband