J. Thomas Fyans
Encyclopedia
Joseph Thomas Fyans was a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1974 until his death.
, Fyans was the son of Joseph Fyans and Mae Farnsworth . From 1940 to 1943, Fyans served as a missionary
in the Spanish American Mission
of the LDS Church, which had jurisdiction missionary work among the Spanish-speaking
population of the southwestern United States
. After his returned from his mission he married Helen Cook, and they eventually became the parents of five children.
Prior to his call as a general authority, Fyans worked as director of distribution and translation for the LDS Church. He then served as an administrator with the office of the church's presiding bishop
and in March 1972 became the managing director of the church's internal communications department.
.
During the time he was a full-time church employee, Fyans was also a regional represetentative
for the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. While serving as director of internal communications, Fyans was involved with the initial steps of developing the LDS Church's edition
of the King James Bible.
Fyans served as president
of the Uruguay
an Mission of the church from 1960 to 1964. As the president of this mission, Fyans also oversaw missionary work in Paraguay
. While mission president Fyans saw a shift from most branches in Uruguay and Paraguay being led by full-time missionaries
to having local men lead them.
Fyans also served as the coordinator for the area conferences in Manchester, England; Mexico City
; Munich, Germany; and Stockholm, Sweden.
. He held this position until 1976, when the position of Assistant to the Twelve was discontinued. At this time, Fyans remained a general authority and was transferred to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He served in the latter position until 1989, when he was given general authority emeritus
status. For part of his time as a general authority, he served as one of the seven presidents of the seventy.
For part of 1978, Fyans worked as the Executive Director of the Genealogy Department of the church.
Fyans served for a time as president of the South America
South Area
of the church. He was released as one of the presidents of the seventy to take on this assignment. He also served as president of the Utah North and Utah Central Areas
of the church.
Fyans became the president
of the St. George Utah Temple
in 1992. He died at his home in Salt Lake City.
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) from 1974 until his death.
Early life
Born in Moreland, IdahoMoreland, Idaho
Moreland is a census-designated place in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 1,278 as of the 2010 census....
, Fyans was the son of Joseph Fyans and Mae Farnsworth . From 1940 to 1943, Fyans served as a missionary
Missionary (LDS Church)
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 Spanish American 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...
of the LDS Church, which had jurisdiction missionary work among the Spanish-speaking
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
population of the southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After his returned from his mission he married Helen Cook, and they eventually became the parents of five children.
Employment
Prior to becoming a mission president Fyans worked at ZCMI for 20 years eventually becoming the head of their school supply department. After returning from serving as a mission president he returned to ZCMI but later accepted full-time employment with the church.Prior to his call as a general authority, Fyans worked as director of distribution and translation for the LDS Church. He then served as an administrator with the office of the church's presiding bishop
Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:...
and in March 1972 became the managing director of the church's internal communications department.
Church service
Fyans served in the bishop of the Butler Ward in Salt Lake City. He then served for nine years as a counselor in the presidency of the East Jordan Stake, which was headquartered in Midvale, UtahMidvale, Utah
Midvale is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 27,029 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Midvale is located at ....
.
During the time he was a full-time church employee, Fyans was also a regional represetentative
Regional representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve, commonly shorted to regional representative or regional rep, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1968 and 1995...
for the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. While serving as director of internal communications, Fyans was involved with the initial steps of developing the LDS Church's edition
LDS edition of the Bible
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints publishes editions of the Bible in English and Spanish that it encourages its members to use. The text of the LDS Church's English-language Bible is the Authorized King James Version and the church's Spanish-language Bible is a revised Reina-Valera...
of the King James Bible.
Fyans 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 Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an Mission of the church from 1960 to 1964. As the president of this mission, Fyans also oversaw missionary work in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. While mission president Fyans saw a shift from most branches in Uruguay and Paraguay being led by full-time missionaries
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...
to having local men lead them.
Fyans also served as the coordinator for the area conferences in Manchester, England; Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
; Munich, Germany; and Stockholm, Sweden.
General authority
In 1974, Fyans became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve ApostlesAssistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976...
. He held this position until 1976, when the position of Assistant to the Twelve was discontinued. At this time, Fyans remained a general authority and was transferred to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He served in the latter position until 1989, when he was given general authority 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:...
status. For part of his time as a general authority, he served as one of the seven presidents of the seventy.
For part of 1978, Fyans worked as the Executive Director of the Genealogy Department of the church.
Fyans served for a time as president of the South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
South 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...
of the church. He was released as one of the presidents of the seventy to take on this assignment. He also served as president of the Utah North and Utah Central 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.
Fyans became 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 St. George Utah Temple
St. George Utah Temple
The St. George Utah Temple is the first temple completed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the forced exodus of the body of the Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, after the death of its founder Joseph Smith, Jr.-Description:The building is located in the SW Utah city of St....
in 1992. He died at his home in Salt Lake City.