Bernard P. Brockbank
Encyclopedia
Bernard P. Brockbank, Sr. (May 9, 1909 – October 11, 2000) was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1962 to his death. Brockbank was an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve from 1962 to 1976 and a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1976 to 1980. One of his major contributions was heading the Mormon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair
in 1964 and 1965.
to Taylor P. Brockbank and Sarah LeCheminant. He attended Utah State University
, George Washington University
and the University of Utah
and became employed in the real estate business in Utah.
When the North British
(now the England
Leeds
) Mission
of the LDS Church was organized in 1960, Brockbank served as its first president
. This was the first division of the British Mission in more than a century. Less than a year later, the Scottish
–Irish
(now the Scotland Edinburgh
) Mission was organized with Brockbank also the president of that mission. During his time as president of this mission, Brockbank oversaw the building of chapels in Aberdeen, Scotland and other locations. In 1962, Brockbank became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
.
Brockbank was the head of the Managing Director of the Mormon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair
in 1964 and 1965. This pavilion majorly increased the amount of notice the church had in New York City and led to a major increase in the number of baptism
s performed by the missionaries
in the area. Brockbank was also involved with the later Mormon Pavilion at the 1970 World's Fair
in Osaka
, Japan
. In 1973, Brockbank was called as president of the International Mission of the church, with responsibility for all areas where the church was not then organized. In 1975, Brockbank was among seven Assistants to the Quorum of the Twelve assigned to live outside the United States
.
When the position of Assistant to the Twelve was eliminated in 1976, Brockbank became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He served in this capacity until 1980, when he was made an emeritus
general authority of the LDS Church. He died in Holladay, Utah
in 2000.
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1962 to his death. Brockbank was an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve from 1962 to 1976 and a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy from 1976 to 1980. One of his major contributions was heading the Mormon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
in 1964 and 1965.
Early life
Brockbank was born in Salt Lake City, UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to Taylor P. Brockbank and Sarah LeCheminant. He attended Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
, George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and became employed in the real estate business in Utah.
Family
Brockbank married Nada Rich. They had six children. The year after she died he married Frances Morgan (Rivero) and adopted her four children.Church service
As a young man Brockbank served a mission for the LDS Church in Great Britain. He later served as a bishop and later as a stake president.When the North British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(now the England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
) Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the LDS Church was organized in 1960, Brockbank served as its first president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
. This was the first division of the British Mission in more than a century. Less than a year later, the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
–Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(now the Scotland Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
) Mission was organized with Brockbank also the president of that mission. During his time as president of this mission, Brockbank oversaw the building of chapels in Aberdeen, Scotland and other locations. In 1962, Brockbank became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976...
.
Brockbank was the head of the Managing Director of the Mormon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
in 1964 and 1965. This pavilion majorly increased the amount of notice the church had in New York City and led to a major increase in the number of baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
s performed by the missionaries
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the area. Brockbank was also involved with the later Mormon Pavilion at the 1970 World's Fair
Expo '70
was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese Expo '70 is often referred to as Ōsaka Banpaku...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In 1973, Brockbank was called as president of the International Mission of the church, with responsibility for all areas where the church was not then organized. In 1975, Brockbank was among seven Assistants to the Quorum of the Twelve assigned to live outside the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
When the position of Assistant to the Twelve was eliminated in 1976, Brockbank became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He served in this capacity until 1980, when he was made an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
general authority of the LDS Church. He died in Holladay, Utah
Holladay, Utah
Holladay is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 26,472 at the 2010 census, a significant increase from 14,561 in 2000. The city was incorporated on November 29, 1999 as Holladay-Cottonwood, and the...
in 2000.