This bigraphical sketch adapted from "News of the
Church: Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Seventy" from the Ensign, August
1992, page 78 on the occasion of his call to the Second Quorum of the Seventy.
“One of my earliest memories is of my father reading
the Book of Mormon to us at home,” says Elder Jay E. Jensen. Combined with
his mother’s love of books in general, this home atmosphere pointed him
toward the work he loves so well: teaching the scriptures.
“Of all callings in the Church, I am most at home
in front of a class with the scriptures in my hand.”
Elder Jensen was the Church’s director of Scriptures
Coordination at the time of his call to the Seventy; he handled the details
of scripture authorizations, translation, publication, and distribution
worldwide, under the direction of the General Authorities.
Elder Jensen says his feelings about serving among
the General Authorities echo sentiments once expressed by Elder A. Theodore Tuttle, now deceased, of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Then-President
Jay Jensen of the Cali Colombia Mission
listened while Elder Tuttle reflected on the deep love and respect
he felt for the General Authorities. “You know,” Elder Tuttle said, “I
have to pinch myself sometimes to remind myself that I’m one of them.”
Elder Jensen was bishop of the Suncrest Third Ward,
Orem Utah Suncrest Stake, at the time of his call. In addition to being
a mission president, he has been a counselor in a stake presidency, a stake
executive secretary, a high councilor, a counselor in a bishopric, a branch
president at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, and a counselor
in the presidency there.
He has worked for many years in the Church Educational
System, the Missionary Department, and the Curriculum Department. He holds
a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and history, a master’s in Church history
and doctrine, and a doctor of education degree from Brigham Young University.
Born 5 February 1942, he grew up in Mapleton, Utah.
He married Lona Lee Child on 1 November 1963 in the Manti Temple. They
had six children.
Elder Jensen served in the Second Quorum of the Seventy
until April 1, 1995 when he was sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy.
Then in October 2008, he was sustained a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Elder Jensen was released from the Presidency on August 1, 2012
and designated as an Emeritus General Authority during general conference in
October 2012
