Neal A. Maxwell

Vorlage:LDSApostleshipinfo Neal Ash Maxwell (July 6, 1926 – July 21, 2004) was an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1981 until his death.

Life

In 1967, Maxwell was called to be one of the first 69 regional representatives of the Twelve when that position was created.^[1] From 1970 to 1974, he served as the tenth Commissioner of Church Education overseeing the Church Educational System. Maxwell began serving as a general authority of the church in 1974, when he was called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In 1976, Maxwell became one of the seven presidents of the seventy when the calling of Assistant to the Twelve was eliminated.

Maxwell was ordained an apostle by N. Eldon Tanner on July 23 1981, following the calling of Gordon B. Hinckley as a counselor in the First Presidency. He was sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the church on October 3, 1981. Among the many assignments Maxwell had as a general authority was to preside over the organization of new stakes of the church. One of the more notable of these was the organizing of the Aba Nigeria Stake in 1988 with David W. Eka as president. This was the first stake in the church staffed entirely by people of African descent.

Before serving full time in the Church, Maxwell taught at the University of Utah, where he became Executive Vice-President and also served as a legislative assistant to United States Senator Wallace F. Bennett of Utah.

Maxwell wrote approximately thirty books concerning religion and authored numerous articles on politics and government for local, professional and national publications. He is well known for his extensive vocabulary and elegant style of speaking and writing. His highly alliterative talks have always presented a great challenge to translators. During one General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the translators had categorized each of the talks to be given into five levels of difficulty. All of the talks were assigned to levels one through four, except Maxwell’s. His talk was alone at level five.Vorlage:Fact Commenting on his speaking and writing styles at Maxwell's eulogy, Church President Gordon B. Hinckley said, Vorlage:Cquote

Maxwell earned bachelors and masters degrees in political science from the University of Utah and also received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Utah; an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Westminster College, Salt Lake City; an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Utah State University, Logan, Utah; an Honorary Degree from Ricks College, Rexburg, Idaho; and an Honorary Degree from Salt Lake Community College.

The University of Utah established the Neal A. Maxwell Presidential Endowed Chair in Political Theory, Public Policy and Public Service in the fall of 1998.

As a young man, Maxwell served a two year mission in eastern Canada and later served in the Church in myriad positions, including bishop of Salt Lake City’s University Sixth Ward; a member of the General Board of the YMMIA, the Church’s youth organization; a member of the Adult Correlation Committee; one of the first Regional Representatives of the Twelve; and director of the Church’s Church Educational System.

During World War II he served as an infantryman in the United States Army, where he saw action on Okinawa.

Maxwell's business career included serving as a director of several business firms, including Questar Corporation, Questar Pipeline, and Deseret News Publishing Company. He also was active in public service, such as his service as chairman of the Utah Constitutional Revision Commission.

Maxwell received the Liberty Bell award from the Utah State Bar in 1967 for public service. In 1973, the Institute of Government Service at Brigham Young University named him Public Administrator of the Year.

Death

Maxwell died in his native Salt Lake City, Utah, from leukemia. He was originally diagnosed with leukemia in 1996, eight years before his death. According to President of the Church Gordon B. Hinckley, Maxwell "accomplished more in these last eight years than most men do in a lifetime."^[2] Maxwell was survived by his wife, the former Colleen Hinckley, 4 children, 24 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. The vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve caused by his death was filled by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

The BYU Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts was renamed the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship after Maxwell's death.

Publications

Maxwell, Neal A.: Of One Heart: The Glory of the City of Enoch. Deseret Book Company, 1975, ISBN 0-87747-604-7.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Notwithstanding My Weakness. Deseret Book Company, 1981, ISBN 0-87747-855-4.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Of One Heart: The Glory of the City of Enoch. Deseret Book Company, 1981, ISBN 0-87747-298-X. (republication of ISBN 0-87747-604-7)
Maxwell, Neal A.: Plain and Precious Things. Deseret Book Company, 1983, ISBN 0-87747-979-8.
Maxwell, Neal A.: We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ. Deseret Book Company, 1984, ISBN 0-87747-762-0.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Sermons Not Spoken. Bookcraft Publications, 1985, ISBN 0-88494-571-5.
Maxwell, Neal A.: But For a Small Moment. Bookcraft Publications, 1986, ISBN 0-88494-585-5.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Meek and Lowly. Deseret Book Company, 1987, ISBN 0-87579-071-2.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Things as They Really Are. Deseret Book Company, 1989, ISBN 0-87579-206-5.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Wonderful Flood of Light. Bookcraft Publications, 1990, ISBN 0-88494-728-9.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Even as I Am. Deseret Book Company, 1991, ISBN 0-87579-499-8.
Maxwell, Neal A.: That Ye May Believe. Bookcraft Publications, 1992, ISBN 0-88494-843-9.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Lord, Increase Our Faith. Bookcraft Publications, 1994, ISBN 0-88494-919-2.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Women of Faith. Deseret Book Company, 1997, ISBN 1-57345-259-9.
Maxwell, Neal A.: All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience. Deseret Book Company, 1998, ISBN 0-87579-613-3.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Lord, Increase Our Faith. Bookcraft Publications, 1998, ISBN 1-57008-583-8. (paperback of ISBN 0-88494-919-2)
Maxwell, Neal A.: The Collected Works of Neal A. Maxwell. Eagle Gate Publishers, 2000, ISBN 1-57345-896-1.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book. Bookcraft Publications, 2001, ISBN 1-57008-325-8.
Maxwell, Neal A.: The Promise of Discipleship. Deseret Book Company, 2001, ISBN 1-57345-983-6.
Maxwell, Neal A.: If Thou Endure It Well. Bookcraft Publications, 2002, ISBN 1-57008-233-2.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Not My Will, but Thine. Deseret Book Company, 2002, ISBN 0-88494-672-X.
Maxwell, Neal A.: One More Strain of Praise. Deseret Book Company, 2002, ISBN 1-57008-679-6.
Maxwell, Neal A.: The Precious Promise: A Message for Women. Deseret Book Company, 2003, ISBN 1-59038-167-X.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Whom the Lord Loveth: The Journey of Discipleship. Deseret Book Company, 2003, ISBN 1-59038-206-4.
Maxwell, Neal A.: Moving In His Majesty And Power. Deseret Book Company, 2004, ISBN 1-59038-393-1.
Maxwell, Neal A.: The Enoch Letters. Deseret Book Company, 2006, ISBN 1-59038-647-7. (republication of ISBN 0-87747-298-X)