Elder M. Russell Ballard Visits Church Members in Canada
Contributed By Marianne Holman Prescott, Church News staff writer
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, right, stands with Elder Wilford W. Andersen, General Authority Seventy, center; and his wife, Sister Kathleen Andersen. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Article Highlights
- Elder Ballard visited the Saints in Edmonton, Canada, an area to which he has strong personal ties.
- Elder Ballard’s example reminded Church members of the importance of missionary work and kindness.
“Elder Ballard has a great missionary heart. He preached with power as he loved and lifted the Canadian Saints, and he left Canada with a pocket full of referrals for the missionaries.” —Elder Wilford W. Andersen, General Authority Seventy
Related Links
Nearly a century after his grandfather Elder Melvin J. Ballard visited Church members living in the Alberta, Canada, area as part of his ministry as an Apostle, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles traveled to the same area on assignment to teach and visit with Church members living in the Edmonton area.
In a part of the world that has a temple, a mission, and many multigenerational members of the Church—the first ward was established in 1888—Elder Ballard’s message reminded Church members to live the gospel, repent, and “be kind.”
“There is safety in living the gospel,” Elder Ballard said. “There is safety in the Book of Mormon. There is safety in not listening to what’s on the blogs.”
A history of gospel strength
Joining Elder Ballard in his travels on June 10–11 were Elder Wilford W. Andersen, General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Sister Kathleen B. Andersen.
“The Church presence is strong in Edmonton,” Elder Andersen said. “The meetings were well attended. They filled the chapels and had more participating through video conferences.”
During the visit, the leaders met with missionaries, held a special meeting for members of ward and stake councils, and held two stake conferences and a youth devotional.
Like the Church, Elder Ballard’s association with Canada goes back for generations.
“Elder Ballard has a special love for Canada and for the Canadian Saints,” said Elder Andersen. “He served there with Sister Ballard as a mission president many years ago.”
In 1974, he was called to preside over the Canada Toronto Mission, and was accompanied by his wife, Sister Barbara B. Ballard.
His grandfather Elder Melvin J. Ballard, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1919 to 1939, often visited Church members in Alberta. Although traveling from Utah to Canada was long and hard—especially when done during the snowy, cold winter season—Elder Melvin J. Ballard often volunteered to visit the Canadian Latter-day Saints. He became known as the “Canadian Apostle” by many of the Canadian members of the Church.
16 years later
In his time as an Apostle, Elder M. Russell Ballard has responded to the assignment to travel to Canada many times. One experience he had 16 years ago impacted his most recent visit.
In 2001, Elder Ballard was visiting Raymond, Alberta, in celebration of the town’s 100th birthday on July 1. While there, the Apostle visited with Cindy and Christopher Smith.
The Smiths were expecting their first child and had learned several months earlier that their son was to be born with a severe form of spina bifida—a failure of the spinal cord to close during its development.
“The future for us and our son felt very uncertain at the time, as we did not know the extent and severity of the difficulties he would have,” the Smiths recently recalled in a letter written to Elder Ballard.
The Apostle gave Cindy a blessing, giving her and her husband comfort that “whatever transpired would be the will of the Lord.”
Years later at a stake conference on June 11 during his most recent visit in Edmonton, Elder Ballard was able to greet Sister Smith, her son Nathan, who was sitting in his wheelchair at the back of the chapel, and the Smiths’ other children. Brother Smith watched from the choir seats.
“Nathan was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to shake Elder Ballard’s hand and excitedly tell him, ‘You gave me a blessing a long time ago when I was in my mom’s tummy.’ … Elder Ballard was very kind and took the time to listen to Nathan share this with him,” the Smiths wrote in a letter to Elder Ballard. “He was very encouraging and positive with Nathan, and we all left with a tremendous amount of love and gratitude in our hearts.”
Ready to share the gospel
During the special youth devotional in Alberta, nearly 1,000 youth and their parents gathered to hear the Apostle speak.
“As he spoke to the young men and young women, he connected with them because they felt his love,” Elder Andersen said.
Elder G. Lawrence Spackman, Area Seventy, said Elder Ballard’s visit was “inspiring” as he ministered to all people, “wherever he saw children of God.”
“On this trip, I saw his example of how he ‘walked the talk,’” Elder Spackman said. “I was amazed at how easily he used every opportunity with people to introduce the gospel.”
Elder Spackman said the moment Elder Ballard walked off the plane, he was focused on getting his first referral for the missionaries.
“He talked to the lady who was helping us, told her who we were, invited her to learn more, pulled out a copy of a book he had written, signed it, gave it to her, and told her to show the signature to the missionaries when they taught her. [He] then called over … the mission president and introduced him and asked him to send the missionaries to her. That was just the first example where he showed how to do what I always pray to be able to do.”
Elder Andersen added, “Elder Ballard has a great missionary heart. He preached with power as he loved and lifted the Canadian Saints, and he left Canada with a pocket full of referrals for the missionaries.”
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visits with Nathan Smith during his visit to Edmonton, Canada, June 10–11. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visits with a family during his visit to Edmonton, Canada, June 10–11. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Elder M. Russell Ballard shakes hands with missionaries during his visit to Edmonton, Canada, on June 10. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Elder M. Russell Ballard shakes hands with missionaries during his visit to Edmonton, Canada, on June 10. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks to youth during a special devotional held in the Edmonton Alberta Riverbend Stake Center in Edmonton, Canada, on June 10. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during a stake conference held in the Sherwood Park Alberta Stake Center on June 11. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Edmonton, Canada, June 10–11. Photo by Linda J. Purnell.
