David F. Evans
Encyclopedia
David Frewin Evans has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since April 2005. In 2008, he was serving as president of the church's Asia
North Area
. On October 1, 2011, he succeeded Elder Richard G. Hinckley
as Executive Director of the Church's Missionary Department.
. He grew up in Los Angeles
, California
, where his father David C. Evans
worked for Bendix Corporation
. His mother Joy F. Evans
was as a counselor to Barbara W. Winder
in the general presidency of the church's Relief Society
from 1984 to 1990.
Evans served as a Mormon missionary
in the church's Japan
Mission
from 1970 to 1972. After his mission, he received a bachelor's degree
in community health education from the University of Utah
and a juris doctorate from Brigham Young University
. He then worked as a member of the Salt Lake City law firm of Durham, Jones and Pinegar. He later worked as an executive with SEI USA in Newport Beach, California
and was a partner in the law firm of Snell and Willmer.
president and scout master
. From 1998 to 2001, Evans was the president
of the church's Japan Nagoya Mission.
In early 2002, Evans became the president of the Salt Lake University 4th Stake, a stake for married students of the University of Utah who were living off-campus. In August 2004, it was decided these individuals should attend the regular geographical ward in which they resided, so the stake was disbanded. At this point, Evans became the president of the Salt Lake Emigration Stake, a position that he remained in until his call as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy at the April 2005 general conference of the church.
Evans and his wife, the former Mary Dee Shepherd, have eight children.
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) since April 2005. In 2008, he was serving as president of the church's Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
North Area
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
. On October 1, 2011, he succeeded Elder Richard G. Hinckley
Richard G. Hinckley
Richard Gordon Hinckley has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2005. In 2011, he became an emeritus general authority. He is the son of Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the fifteenth President of the Church.-Early life, mission, education:Hinckley was...
as Executive Director of the Church's Missionary Department.
Early life, education, and career
Evans 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...
. He grew up in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where his father David C. Evans
David C. Evans
David Cannon Evans was the founder of the computer science department at the University of Utah and co-founder of Evans & Sutherland, a computer firm which is known as a pioneer in the domain of computer-generated imagery.-Biography:Evans attended the University of Utah and studied electrical...
worked for Bendix Corporation
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
. His mother Joy F. Evans
Joy F. Evans
Beverly Joy Frewin Evans was a leader in the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . From 1984 to 1990, she was the first counselor to Barbara W. Winder, the president of the Relief Society....
was as a counselor to Barbara W. Winder
Barbara W. Winder
Barbara Ann Woodhead Winder was the eleventh general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1984 to 1990....
in the general presidency of the church's Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
from 1984 to 1990.
Evans served as a Mormon missionary
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 church's 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...
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...
from 1970 to 1972. After his mission, he received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in community health education from 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 a juris doctorate from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. He then worked as a member of the Salt Lake City law firm of Durham, Jones and Pinegar. He later worked as an executive with SEI USA in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
and was a partner in the law firm of Snell and Willmer.
LDS Church service
In the LDS Church, Evans has served as a bishop, stake young menYoung Men (organization)
The Young Men is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
president and scout master
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
. From 1998 to 2001, Evans was the 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...
of the church's Japan Nagoya Mission.
In early 2002, Evans became the president of the Salt Lake University 4th Stake, a stake for married students of the University of Utah who were living off-campus. In August 2004, it was decided these individuals should attend the regular geographical ward in which they resided, so the stake was disbanded. At this point, Evans became the president of the Salt Lake Emigration Stake, a position that he remained in until his call as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy at the April 2005 general conference of the church.
Evans and his wife, the former Mary Dee Shepherd, have eight children.