David Eugene Sorensen (June 29, 1933 – August 26, 2014) was a general authority of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

(LDS Church) from 1992 until his death. He served in the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy and as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. He was the executive director of the church's Temple Department during the temple building boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Sorensen was born in Aurora, Utah. He grew up working on the family ranch. As a young man he served as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

in the Central Atlantic States Mission (centered on Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, Washington DC and probably some adjacent parts of Virginia were then in the Eastern States Mission headquartered in New York City) from 1954-1956."Elder David E. Sorensen Of the Seventy,"
''

Ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...

'', September 1992, p. 78. After his mission, he served for two years in the United States military. He married Verla Anderson in 1958 and they had seven children. He studied at

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

, the

University of Utah The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...

and

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...

but went to work full time to overcome debt associated with the family ranch before receiving a degree. Sorensen spent his career as a business owner, operating a healthcare services company while living in California.. He previously served in the LDS Church as a

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

stake president A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in certain denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The name "stake" derives from the Book of Isaiah: "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine ha ...

, and as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of the

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Halifax Mission. He also served as vice chair of the Nevada Community Bank in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sorensen was called as a general authority and member of the

Second Quorum of the Seventy Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Traditionally, a church member holding this priesthood office is a "traveling minister" and an "especial witness" of J ...

in June 1992. He was transferred to the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1995. Sorensen's assignments as a general authority included service as Executive Director of the church's

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

Department. He oversaw development of the new standardized temples announced by Gordon B. Hinckley in October 1997 and the associated construction program that saw the number of temples more than double from 1998 to 2000. Sorensen also served as president of the church's

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

West and

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North areas as well as serving as a counselor in other area presidencies. From 1998 to 2005, Sorensen was a member of the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy. After being designated as an

emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

general authority in 2005, Sorensen served as

of the church's

San Diego California Temple The San Diego California Temple is the 47th constructed and 45th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is located in San Diego, California. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 7, 1984, by Gor ...

from 2005 to 2008. Sorensen died at his home in

San Juan Capistrano, California San Juan Capistrano (also known colloquially as San Juan or SJC) is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 35,253 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census. Named for Saint John of Capistrano, San Ju ...

. Peggy Fletcher Stack
"Temple-building Mormon leader dies at 81"
''

The Salt Lake Tribune ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." History ...

'', 2014-08-29.

Notes

References

*''2008 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Morning News, 2007) p. 89 *''2005 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Morning News, 2004) p. 29

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sorensen, David E. 1933 births American general authorities (LDS Church) American Mormon missionaries in the United States Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church) Members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church) Mission presidents (LDS Church) American Mormon missionaries in Canada People from Sevier County, Utah Temple presidents and matrons (LDS Church) 20th-century Mormon missionaries 2014 deaths Presidents of the Seventy (LDS Church) Brigham Young University alumni University of Utah alumni Utah State University alumni