Elder Vern P. Stanfill

First Quorum of the Seventy

Elder Vern Perry Stanfill believes there is no such thing as a coincidence. He believes that there are intersections in this life between people for a purpose and that the Lord can inspire His children to be a blessing to others.

Elder Stanfill enjoys ministering to others in the gospel, especially working with people one-on-one.

Born on August 8, 1957, to Jed and Peggy Stanfill, Elder Stanfill grew up on a cattle ranch near Townsend, Montana. He learned the value of hard work and cultivated a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. The third of four children, Elder Stanfill has two older brothers and a younger sister who have faithfully served in the Church.

“The hand of the Lord is present in our lives despite our weaknesses,” he said. “My wife and I are not perfect people. We don’t have a perfect family. We are just ordinary people who have tried to live our lives day by day and allow the Lord to be part of it.”

After serving a full-time mission in Toulouse, France, and pursuing a degree in agricultural economics at Brigham Young University, he met and married Alicia Cox. They were married on December 17, 1980, in the Salt Lake Temple.

After graduation, the Stanfills moved back to Montana so he could help manage the family ranch, dealing in cattle, hay, and grain operations. He sold the business in 1998 and began managing a portfolio of real estate and financial instruments, as well as structuring philanthropic and estate matters.

Elder Stanfill has been involved in aviation for both business and pleasure and holds both commercial fixed wing and rotorcraft ratings.

In addition to raising four daughters with his wife, Elder Stanfill had opportunities to serve in the Church as an elders quorum president, bishop, high councilor, stake president, and Area Seventy. He was serving in the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy at the time of his call to the First Quorum.