Bruce R. McConkie

Bruce R. McConkie (July 29, 1915--April 19, 1985) was an influential Apostle of the Church. He is remembered by the many doctrinal books he wrote, such as Mormon Doctrine and The Messiah Series, and for writing the chapter headings for the Standard Works.

Elder McConkie was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Oscar Walter McConkie and Margarat Vivian Redd.

Elder McConkie famously wrote the note "It is my province to teach to the Church what the doctrine is. It is your province to echo what I say or to remain silent."

Elder McConkie died a few weeks after giving a talk in General Conference titled, The Purifying Power of Gethsemane. In it he said "I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God's Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."

At Elder McConkie's funeral, President Hinckley was the closing speaker. He said, "I felt like a puppy trying to keep up with McConkie, as he took his long measure steps, so it has been with most of us in keeping up with the stride of his mind in scholarship in the gospel."