Born on Feb. 6, 1951, in Salt Lake City, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles turns 68 years old today. Before Elder Rasband was called as an an Apostle on Oct. 3, 2015, he served as a General Authority Seventy for 15 years. He and his wife, Sister Melanie Twitchell Rasband, are the parents of five children.
As a young man, Elder Rasband attended the University of Utah, though he never graduated due to a business opportunity. However, in 1995 he received an honorary doctorate of business and commerce from Utah Valley State College.
To commemorate Elder Rasband's birthday, here are seven memorable quotes from his general conference addresses throughout the years.
After being called to the Quorum of the Twelve in October 2015 general conference, Elder Rasband had the opportunity to bear his testimony to members worldwide. In his address, "I Stand All Amazed," Elder Rasband thanked the many leaders, teachers and family members who helped him grow his testimony of Jesus Christ. Encouraging members to do likewise and to understand God's love for them, he also reminded people to love others as the Savior would.
In Oct. 2016 general conference, Elder Rasband gave a talk entitled "Lest thou Forget," where he told a story about a close friend who was sincerely wondering if God really loved him and knew him personally. Elder Rasband pleaded for members to remember times when they have experienced powerful spiritual moments and to never question them.
Elder Rasband promised that "if you will do this, avoiding things that do not build and strengthen your testimony or that mock your beliefs, those precious times when your testimony prospered will return again to your memory through humble prayer and fasting. I assure you that you will once again feel the safety and warmth of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
In his Oct. 2017 general conference talk called "By Devine Design," Elder Rasband testified that the Lord doesn't do anything by accident. He said, "What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving Father in Heaven, who can number the hairs of every head."
Elder Rasband encouraged members to come unto Christ and to understand God's will for them. When people do this, they draw closer to God and help build up his kingdom.
In his April 2017 geneal conference address "Let the Holy Spirit Guide," Elder Rasband emphasized the importance of being led by the Holy Ghost and learning to recognize and act on spiritual promptings.
He said, "The Holy Ghost binds us to the Lord. By divine assignment, He inspires, testifies, teaches, and prompts us to walk in the light of the Lord. We have the sacred responsibility to learn to recognize His influence in our lives and respond." He counseled members to live worthy of the Spirit, be willing to receive the Spirit, recognize the Spirit when it comes and act on the first prompting.
In April 2012 general conference, Elder Rasband gave a talk entitled "Special Lessons," where he counseled members to remember that in times of trial, God is always present and offering His mercy to His children.
"Some might ask when faced with such suffering, 'How could Almighty God let this happen?'" he stated. "And then that seemingly inevitable question, 'Why did this happen to me? Why must we experience disease and events that disable or call precious family members home early or extend their years in pain? Why the heartaches?'"
Explaining that challenges are a part of life, Elder Rasband stated that it is "training for eternal exaltation, and that process means tests and trials. It has always been so, and no one is spared."
This past fall, in his Oct. 2018 general conference address "Be Not Troubled," Elder Rasband told members to not be debilitated by fear. As they stay on the path and seek joy, he promised that their lives will be blessed.
