RAYMOND, Alberta — When Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve visited Raymond June 30-July 1, he followed in the footsteps of both his grandfathers and his great-grandfather.
Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Oct. 6, 1985, Elder Ballard descends from Hyrum Smith, brother to the Prophet Joseph Smith. President Joseph F. Smith, his great-grandfather, as well as both his grandfathers, Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Elder Melvin J. Ballard, also served in the Quorum of the Twelve.
The weekend of Canada Day, which was July 1, Elder Ballard presided at a conference in Raymond commemorating a century of Latter-day Saints here. Early in the 20th Century his apostle forefathers also visited the predominantly LDS town of Raymond. Elder M. Russell Ballard was accompanied by his wife, Barbara, and several other family members.
Raymond, about a 20-minute drive southeast of Lethbridge, was settled in 1901 by Utah industrialist and Church member Jesse Knight. A ward was organized later that year. In the spring of 1903, President Joseph F. Smith sent his eldest son, Hyrum M. Smith, an apostle, to Raymond to make a recommendation regarding the creation of a stake. Later that year, while presiding at stake conference in Cardston, President Smith created the Taylor Stake, centered in Raymond. The third stake organized outside the United States, it was named after apostle John W. Taylor, who was instrumental in getting Jesse Knight to come to Canada to settle the area.
A decade later, in 1913, while on a tour of Canada in conjunction with the dedication of the site for the Alberta Temple in Cardston, President Joseph F. Smith presided at a conference in Raymond. Some older residents still remember President Smith's visit.
During his 20 years of service as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Melvin J. Ballard visited Raymond 13 times to preside at conferences. He often spent a week in Canada, speaking at conferences in different stakes on different weekends. On several occasions, he stayed a day or so longer to speak at funerals of saints who had passed away at the time of his conference visits.
During his visit, Elder M. Russell Ballard rode and walked the same streets of Raymond his grandfathers traveled years ago.
The main purpose of his visit was to take part in Raymond's centennial celebrations. Also, he presided at a special conference in Raymond on July 1, and that evening offered the dedicatory prayer for the recently completed Taylor Street meetinghouse. Just prior to the dedication, the town of Raymond held a ceremony officially naming the street beside the meetinghouse "Taylor Street," in memory of apostle John W. Taylor, son of Church President John Taylor, who played such a significant role in the early settlement of Raymond. Several descendants of Elder Taylor attended the ceremony and dedication.
During his visit, Elder Ballard spoke of his grandfathers. Although he never met his great-grandfather, President Joseph F. Smith, or his maternal grandfather, Elder Hyrum M. Smith, they both influenced his life.
At the centennial conference, Elder Ballard spoke of how very close the spirit world is to those in mortality. He explained how he hoped his great-grandfather and both his grandfathers might be able to look in on the congregation that day. He said he felt impressed to pray regarding extreme drought conditions. During his prayer, Elder Ballard pleaded with the Lord that He would change weather patterns in this part of the hemisphere and to send rains to fill the rivers and reservoirs. He prayed that that the people would live lives worthy of the blessings they seek.
