William R. Bradford
Encyclopedia
William Rawsel Bradford (born October 25, 1933) has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1975.
Bradford was born in Springville, Utah
to Rawsel W. Bradford and his wife Mary Waddoups. During the 1940s Bradford went to Hawaii as his parents served as missionaries
in the Laie Hawaii Temple
Visitors Center. He graduated from Springville High School and then began studies at Brigham Young University
. From 1953 to 1955 Bradford was a missionary for the LDS Church in Japan
. He then married Mary Ann Bird, a native of Mapleton, Utah
in the Salt Lake Temple
.
Bradford then served for a time in the United States military. After this he moved to McAllen, Texas
and began a fruit growing operation. He organized a company called International Fruit Growers and Shippers, Inc. He later served as mission president
in Santiago, Chile
. In 1975, he became a general authority as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He was a member of this quorum until 2003, when he was granted general authority emeritus
status.
Bradford and his wife were the parents of six children.
From 2006 to 2009 Bradford served as president
of the Houston Texas Temple
.
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 1975.
Bradford was born in Springville, Utah
Springville, Utah
Springville is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 20,424 at the 2000 census, while the 2008 estimates placed it at 28,520. Just minutes south of Provo, Springville is a bedroom community for...
to Rawsel W. Bradford and his wife Mary Waddoups. During the 1940s Bradford went to Hawaii as his parents served as missionaries
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 Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on the northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean in the town of Lāie, from Honolulu...
Visitors Center. He graduated from Springville High School and then began studies at 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...
. From 1953 to 1955 Bradford was a missionary for the LDS Church in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He then married Mary Ann Bird, a native of Mapleton, Utah
Mapleton, Utah
Mapleton is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,809 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mapleton is located at ....
in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
.
Bradford then served for a time in the United States military. After this he moved to McAllen, Texas
McAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
and began a fruit growing operation. He organized a company called International Fruit Growers and Shippers, Inc. He later served as mission 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...
in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. In 1975, he became a general authority as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He was a member of this quorum until 2003, when he was granted general authority 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:...
status.
Bradford and his wife were the parents of six children.
From 2006 to 2009 Bradford served as 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 Houston Texas Temple
Houston Texas Temple
The Houston Texas Temple is the 97th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.After the September 1997 announcement that the LDS Church would build a temple in Houston, the search began for an appropriate site. The site eventually chosen formerly belonged to a developer...
.