David E. Sorensen
Encyclopedia
David Eugene Sorenson is a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who served in the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy and a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Sorensen was born in Aurora
, Sevier County
, Utah
. As a young man he served as a Mormon missionary
in the Central Atlantic States Mission
.
Sorensen was a business owner prior to his call as a general authority. Prior to becoming a general authority, he was a bishop and a stake president in the LDS Church. He also served as president
of the Canada
Halifax Mission
.
Sorensen was called as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy in June 1992. He was then called as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1995. Sorensen served as Executive Director of the church's Temple
Department while he was a general authority. He oversaw the construction of the new standardized temple announced by Gordon B. Hinckley
in October 1997, and thus was directly responsible for the construction program that saw the number of temples double from 1998 to 2000.
Sorensen also served as president of the North America
West and the Asia
North Areas
of the church at various times as well as serving as counselor in other area presidencies. From 1998 to 2005, Sorensen was a member of the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy.
After being made an emeritus
general authority in 2005, Sorensen served as the president
of the church's San Diego California Temple
from 2005 to 2008.
Sorensen and his wife Verla Anderson have seven 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) who served in the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy and a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Sorensen was born in Aurora
Aurora, Utah
Aurora is a city in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 947 at the 2000 census.Aurora is predominantly supported by agriculture, coal mining, and the service sector. Most residents commute to one of the neighboring communities to work. Children are schooled in Salina at one of...
, Sevier County
Sevier County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,842 people, 6,081 households, and 4,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Utah
Utah
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...
. As a young man he 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 Central Atlantic States 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...
.
Sorensen was a business owner prior to his call as a general authority. Prior to becoming a general authority, he was a bishop and a stake president in the LDS Church. He also served as 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 Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Halifax 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...
.
Sorensen was called as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy in June 1992. He was then called as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1995. Sorensen served as Executive Director of the church's Temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
Department while he was a general authority. He oversaw the construction of the new standardized temple announced by Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
in October 1997, and thus was directly responsible for the construction program that saw the number of temples double from 1998 to 2000.
Sorensen also served as president of the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
West and the 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 Areas
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...
of the church at various times as well as serving as counselor in other area presidencies. From 1998 to 2005, Sorensen was a member of the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy.
After being 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 in 2005, Sorensen served as the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the church's San Diego California Temple
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. Located near the La Jolla community of San Diego, it was built with two main spires, but unique to this temple are four smaller spires at the base of each main spire...
from 2005 to 2008.
Sorensen and his wife Verla Anderson have seven children.