H. Verlan Andersen
Encyclopedia
Hans Verlan Andersen was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Andersen was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church in April 1986. On April 1, 1989 he was transferred to the newly-created Second Quorum of the Seventy. On October 5, 1991, he was released from his service as a general authority
. He died of cancer
on July 16, 1992.
but mainly grew up in Virden, New Mexico
. He served a mission in the North Central States Mission, which covered basically the northern great plains states. He then studied at Gila Junior College (now Eastern Arizona College
) and Brigham Young University
. After this he worked in Phoenix where he met Shirley Hoyt, who he married in the Salt Lake Temple
in 1943.
Andersen then received a law degree at Stanford University
and also did advanced legal studies at Harvard Law School
.
When the BYU Training School closed in 1968, Dr. H. Verlan Andersen met with a group of other BYU professors and parents with the intent of establishing a private school. They desired to have their children's academic learning enhanced and enlightened by principles of morality, religion, liberty and patriotism. The founders purchased an L.D.S. chapel in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and opened American Heritage School (Utah)
in 1970 with 80 students enrolled.
Andersen also warned that citizens in general, and members of his own church were being seduced into accepting principles of socialism, which he believed uses the police power of government to take money from one class of citizen to service another class.(The Book of Mormon and the Constitution)
He taught at the Business College at Brigham Young University
. His son records that "the first day of class he would give his students an ungraded questionnaire of 25-30 questions to get their beliefs regarding the proper role of government. Unknown to the students [which consisted largely of returned missionaries], the questions included the famous 10 points of Marx
's Communist Manifesto of 1848
. To his surprise, the students, on average, accepted 2/3 of Marx's plans to destroy a capitalist society."
and Peru
.
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).
Andersen was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church in April 1986. On April 1, 1989 he was transferred to the newly-created Second Quorum of the Seventy. On October 5, 1991, he was released from his service as 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...
. He died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on July 16, 1992.
Early Life and education
Andersen was born in Logan, UtahLogan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
but mainly grew up in Virden, New Mexico
Virden, New Mexico
Virden is a village in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 143 at the 2000 census. The nearby community of Summit, essentially belongs to Virden, and is included in the population...
. He served a mission in the North Central States Mission, which covered basically the northern great plains states. He then studied at Gila Junior College (now Eastern Arizona College
Eastern Arizona College
Eastern Arizona College , is a community college located in Graham County, Arizona. The main campus is in Thatcher, with satellite locations in Gila County, and Greenlee County...
) and 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...
. After this he worked in Phoenix where he met Shirley Hoyt, who he married in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
in 1943.
Andersen then received a law degree at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and also did advanced legal studies at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
When the BYU Training School closed in 1968, Dr. H. Verlan Andersen met with a group of other BYU professors and parents with the intent of establishing a private school. They desired to have their children's academic learning enhanced and enlightened by principles of morality, religion, liberty and patriotism. The founders purchased an L.D.S. chapel in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and opened American Heritage School (Utah)
American Heritage School (Utah)
American Heritage School and Family Education Center is a private elementary and secondary school located in American Fork, Utah, that enrolls approximately 600 students in grades K-12...
in 1970 with 80 students enrolled.
Political views
Andersen was a supporter of the original intent of the U.S. Constitution, and a staunch anti-communist.
"As originally interpreted, the United States Constitution denied government the right to regulate and control the citizen in the use of his property. Over the years the commerce clause and the general welfare clause have been so interpreted as to permit both the state and Federal governments to regiment labor, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, communication, finance and all other forms of economic activity. Today, if there is any limit on the power of government to regulate, no one knows what that limit is."(Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen)
Andersen also warned that citizens in general, and members of his own church were being seduced into accepting principles of socialism, which he believed uses the police power of government to take money from one class of citizen to service another class.(The Book of Mormon and the Constitution)
He taught at the Business College at 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...
. His son records that "the first day of class he would give his students an ungraded questionnaire of 25-30 questions to get their beliefs regarding the proper role of government. Unknown to the students [which consisted largely of returned missionaries], the questions included the famous 10 points of Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
's Communist Manifesto of 1848
The Communist Manifesto
The Communist Manifesto, originally titled Manifesto of the Communist Party is a short 1848 publication written by the German Marxist political theorists Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It has since been recognized as one of the world's most influential political manuscripts. Commissioned by the...
. To his surprise, the students, on average, accepted 2/3 of Marx's plans to destroy a capitalist society."
Anecdote
Andersen is probably well known to most Latter-day Saints by the following, often told story that speaks of Andersen's strict devotion to keeping all of the commandments.
At the funeral service of a noble General Authority, H. Verlan Andersen, a tribute was expressed by a son. He related that, years earlier, he had a special school date on a Saturday night. He borrowed from his father the family car. As he obtained the car keys and headed for the door, his father said, “Remember, tomorrow is Sunday. The car will need more gas before then. Be sure to fill the tank before coming home.”
Elder Andersen’s son then related that the evening activity was wonderful. Friends met, refreshments were served, and all had a good time. In his exuberance, however, he failed to follow his father’s instruction and add fuel to the car’s tank before returning home. He simply forgot.
Sunday morning dawned. Elder Andersen discovered the gas gauge showed empty. The son saw his father put the car keys on the table. In the Andersen family the Sabbath day was a day for worship and thanksgiving, and not for purchases.
As the funeral message continued, Elder Andersen’s son declared, “I saw my father put on his coat, bid us good-bye, and walk the long distance to the chapel, that he might attend an early meeting.” Duty called. Truth was not held hostage to expedience.
In concluding his funeral message, Elder Andersen’s son said, “No son ever was taught more effectively by his father than I was on that occasion. My father not only knew the truth, but he also taught the truth and lived the truth.”
Missions
After his retirement but before his call as a general authority, Andersen and his wife served as LDS missionaries in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Published works
- Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen (1967)
- The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil (1972)
- The Book of Mormon and the Constitution
- The Moral Basis of a Free Society