Robert E. Wells
Encyclopedia
Robert Earl Wells has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1976.
Wells was born in Las Vegas
, Nevada
. He grew up in Logandale, Nevada
. As a young man, Wells was a missionary
for the LDS Church in Argentina
. He then served in the United States Navy
. Following this he earned a degree in accounting from Brigham Young University
.
Wells married Meryl Leavitt and then four months latter took a job with First National City Bank in South America
. He lived in Paraguay
, Ecuador
, Argentina
, Brazil
and Uruguay
.
Wells wife Meryl died in a plane crash. About two years latter he married Helen Walser.
From 1968 to 1971 Wells was president
of the Mexico
Monterrey
Mission
of the LDS Church. From 1971 to 1976 he worked for the church's central purchasing department. Prior to his call as a general authority, Wells had served as a Regional Representative
in several Latin America
n countries. In 1976, he became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and held this position until 1997, when he was made an emeritus
general authority. From 1998 to 2001, Wells was the president
of the Santiago Chile Temple
of the LDS Church.
Wells had a total of seven children. He is the father of Sharlene Wells, Miss America
1985.
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...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1976.
Wells was born in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. He grew up in Logandale, Nevada
Logandale, Nevada
Logandale is an unincorporated town located in Clark County, Nevada. The community is the home of the annual Clark County Fair and Rodeo. It began as a railroad station in 1912. It was originally named Logan but renamed to avoid confusion with Logan, Utah....
. As a young man, Wells was a missionary
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...
for the LDS Church in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. He then served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Following this he earned a degree in accounting from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
Wells married Meryl Leavitt and then four months latter took a job with First National City Bank in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. He lived in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
.
Wells wife Meryl died in a plane crash. About two years latter he married Helen Walser.
From 1968 to 1971 Wells was president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
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...
of the LDS Church. From 1971 to 1976 he worked for the church's central purchasing department. Prior to his call as a general authority, Wells had served as a Regional Representative
Regional representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve, commonly shorted to regional representative or regional rep, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1968 and 1995...
in several Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries. In 1976, he became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and held this position until 1997, when he was made an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
general authority. From 1998 to 2001, Wells was the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Santiago Chile Temple
Santiago Chile Temple
The Santiago Chile Temple is the 26th constructed and 24th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the Chilean capital, Santiago, it was built with a modern single-spire design....
of the LDS Church.
Wells had a total of seven children. He is the father of Sharlene Wells, Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1985.