Elder James W. McConkie III

General Authority Seventy

When Elder James W. McConkie III arrived in Czechoslovakia in 1990 as a young missionary, the country was coming out of communism and ready to start exploring religious expression and faith again. “I was in the right place at the right time with the right people,” he said.

He later returned to the area as a young professional, cofounded a nonprofit foundation, and then served as president of the Czech/Slovak Mission.

When he was 12 years old, his parents invited him to study books by Church leaders and then discuss what he had read. “My dad and my mom believed in the importance of teaching their children the gospel, as suggested in the Doctrine and Covenants,” said Elder McConkie. “Section 68 invites parents to teach their children ‘the doctrine of repentance’ and ‘faith in Christ’ (verse 25). My parents took that very seriously.”

His sense for the power of the gospel to change people entered deep into his soul. He saw that same thing happen to Saints in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Elder James Wilson McConkie III was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on August 27, 1971, to James Wilson McConkie II and Judith Miller McConkie. He married Laurel Springer in July 1995 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have four children.

Elder McConkie graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1995 and earned a law degree in 1999 from the National Law Center at George Washington University. Most recently he worked as an attorney at Workman Nydegger and as director of the Wallace Toronto Foundation, which he helped found.

Elder McConkie was serving as a stake president at the time of his call. He has also served as a bishop, high councilor, bishopric counselor, ward mission leader, elders quorum presidency counselor, mission preparation teacher, Gospel Doctrine teacher, and ward Young Men president.