Jean A. Stevens

First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Jean Alldredge Stevens believes that feeling love early in life has a profound effect on all children. Experiencing love helps children to know and understand the great love that Heavenly Father and the Savior have for them.

Sister Stevens was born in November 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, to Claron and Helen Alldredge.

“I was raised by parents of great faith,” Sister Stevens says. “They loved the Lord and they taught the gospel in our home. My mother especially had an amazing ability to love people.” She can remember feeling from an early age that her parents loved her and loved to serve the Lord.

Sister Stevens established that same pattern with her own family after marrying Mark Stevens in the Salt Lake Temple on September 12, 1973. They have five children.

Sister Stevens feels grateful to serve the Lord and is particularly grateful for the opportunity to serve Primary children.

“Children have such a sensitivity to spiritual things,” Sister Stevens says. “They come into this life with believing hearts. You can feel their divine nature as they come to this earth having so recently left the presence of their Heavenly Father.”

Sister Stevens believes Primary leaders and teachers play an important role in helping parents teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Primary is a wonderful place for children to feel love and for teachers and leaders to reinforce lessons taught in the home,” she says.

Before being called to serve as first counselor in the Primary general presidency, Sister Stevens served on the Primary general board. She has also served as a ward Relief Society president, counselor in a ward Primary presidency, and Gospel Doctrine teacher. Sister Stevens graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a teaching certificate.