Elder Craig C. Christensen

Of the Seventy

“Our family has an acronym taken from Alma 32:28—SEED—Spiritual Exercise Every Day,” says Elder Craig C. Christensen, recently sustained as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy.

Exercise has been a large part of Elder Christensen’s life. As a family that is very physically active, even enjoying scuba diving together on family vacations, Elder Christensen, his wife, Debora, and their four children get spiritual exercise through family devotionals and scripture study. In addition, Elder Christensen has his own routine of spiritual development. “Over time,” Elder Christensen says, “that process of reflection and searching the scriptures has strengthened me and built my testimony.”

Elder Christensen was born on 18 March 1956 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Sheron Glen and Colleen Cloward Christensen. His family moved to Concord, California, before he was in middle school. He later returned to Utah as a college student to play football for Brigham Young University.

“Football was my focus before my mission to Chile,” says Elder Christensen. “Becoming a missionary changed all that. It gave me great love for people and the desire to really serve.”

Married in the Salt Lake Temple on 28 March 1978 to Debora Jones—“my example of living the gospel”—he studied accounting and business. As the owner of automobile dealerships, he is committed to “living the principle of integrity and teaching it to others.”

He learned this principle from mentors throughout his life, including his father, who was his bishop and stake president; his brother; and his mission president.

These mentors also helped prepare him to serve as a bishop, mission president, and an Area Authority Seventy. Through these examples and experiences, Elder Christensen says, “I’ve learned that the Spirit really teaches us and those we teach. In any calling, we need to look for what the Lord would have us do.”