David S. Baxter
Encyclopedia
David Steward Baxter has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 2006. A native of Scotland
, and a resident of England
at the time of his call, he is only the third general authority
who was native to the United Kingdom
and also living there at the time of his call.
Baxter joined the LDS Church along with his mother and siblings when he was twelve. Shortly after this, his mother remarried and the family moved to Surrey
. This is where Baxter first met his future wife. He and his wife, Dianne Lewars were in the same ward and were two of only five Latter-day Saints at their school. Baxter then attended the University of Wales
where he graduated with a BSc in Economics.
After graduating Baxter served a mission
in the Scotland Edinburgh
Mission
, starting in 1976. For ten months of this mission he was branch president
in Lerwick
in the Shetland Islands
. After returning from his mission, Baxter and Dianne Lewars were married.
Baxter became a bishop at age 25. He has also served as president of the Ipswich
England Stake, and as a counselor in the England London
Mission presidency. From 2002 to 2006 he was an area seventy. While still an area seventy he served as a counselor in the church's Europe
West Area
presidency.
Baxter served for a time as a senior director at British Telecom. He also served as the UK Government's Director for international trade and Investment for Greater London and as a member of the Board of Capacity Builders, a UK Home Office
Agency. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Business Link for London (small business advice service), and as a member of the Board of London First, on the CBI London Council, and as Deputy Chairman of the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust.
The Baxters have four children and six grandchildren. Baxter recently served as the president of the Pacific Area for the Church, and is now assigned to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 2009, Baxter was diagnosed with brain cancer after suffering a seizure while touring a mission
in Australia. He underwent brain surgery and radiation therapy for the treatment of this illness. Baxter has since resumed his schedule and responsibilities in the LDS Church.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and a resident of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the time of his call, he is only the third general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
who was native to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and also living there at the time of his call.
Baxter joined the LDS Church along with his mother and siblings when he was twelve. Shortly after this, his mother remarried and the family moved to Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. This is where Baxter first met his future wife. He and his wife, Dianne Lewars were in the same ward and were two of only five Latter-day Saints at their school. Baxter then attended the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
where he graduated with a BSc in Economics.
After graduating Baxter served a mission
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the Scotland Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
, starting in 1976. For ten months of this mission he was branch president
Branch President
A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, the branch president presides over a branch...
in Lerwick
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
in the Shetland Islands
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
. After returning from his mission, Baxter and Dianne Lewars were married.
Baxter became a bishop at age 25. He has also served as president of the Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
England Stake, and as a counselor in the England London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Mission presidency. From 2002 to 2006 he was an area seventy. While still an area seventy he served as a counselor in the church's Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
West Area
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
presidency.
Baxter served for a time as a senior director at British Telecom. He also served as the UK Government's Director for international trade and Investment for Greater London and as a member of the Board of Capacity Builders, a UK Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
Agency. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Business Link for London (small business advice service), and as a member of the Board of London First, on the CBI London Council, and as Deputy Chairman of the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust.
The Baxters have four children and six grandchildren. Baxter recently served as the president of the Pacific Area for the Church, and is now assigned to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 2009, Baxter was diagnosed with brain cancer after suffering a seizure while touring a mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
in Australia. He underwent brain surgery and radiation therapy for the treatment of this illness. Baxter has since resumed his schedule and responsibilities in the LDS Church.