Brent H. Nielson
Encyclopedia
Brent Hatch Nielson is an American
religious leader and has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since April 2009.
. Nielson is a great-grandson of Horton D. Haight
and a cousin to David B. Haight
, who was a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As a young man he was a missionary
for the LDS Church in Finland
.
Nielson graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University
in 1978, and received a law degree from the University of Utah
in 1981.
From 1985 to 2009, Nielson was a partner in Roy, Nielson, Barini-Garcia and Platts, a law firm in Twin Falls, Idaho
. He specialized in workers compensation, bankruptcy
, business and personal injury law.
, including as president of the Twin Falls Idaho
West Stake. In April 2005, he became an area seventy in southern Idaho and a member of the church's Fifth Quorum of the Seventy. In this position, he was involved with the planning and development of the church's Twin Falls Temple, for which he served as committee coordinator. In April 2009, he was called to full-time church service in First Quorum of the Seventy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
religious leader and has been a general authority
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 2009.
Background
Nielson was born in Burley, IdahoBurley, Idaho
Burley is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 10,345 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Cassia County....
. Nielson is a great-grandson of Horton D. Haight
Horton D. Haight
Horton David Haight was a Mormon pioneer. He first came to Utah at age 14 in 1847 as a member of Daniel Spencer's immigrant company. He was in charge of a freight company that came to Utah Territory in 1859 and led four "down-and-back" companies in the 1860s...
and a cousin to David B. Haight
David B. Haight
David Bruce Haight was the oldest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Life and career:...
, who was a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As a young man he was a 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...
for the LDS Church in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Nielson graduated magna cum laude 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...
in 1978, and received a law degree 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...
in 1981.
From 1985 to 2009, Nielson was a partner in Roy, Nielson, Barini-Garcia and Platts, a law firm in Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
. He specialized in workers compensation, bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, business and personal injury law.
LDS Church leadership
In the LDS Church, Nielson has served in many callings in Twin Falls, IdahoTwin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
, including as president of the Twin Falls Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
West Stake. In April 2005, he became an area seventy in southern Idaho and a member of the church's Fifth Quorum of the Seventy. In this position, he was involved with the planning and development of the church's Twin Falls Temple, for which he served as committee coordinator. In April 2009, he was called to full-time church service in First Quorum of the Seventy.