An apostle gains understanding, testimony and spiritual gifts in the same way as any church member does — through prayer, supplication, scripture study, pondering, obedience "and living a life that makes it such that the Lord can communicate with him," he added. "So I take it as a very heavy responsibility to live up to what those words (apostle, prophet, seer and revelator) mean — more so than I have ever thought of it before."

Born Aug. 9, 1951, in Logan as the third of five children of Lyle P. and Kathryn Andersen, Elder Andersen grew up on a Pocatello dairy farm, quipping Saturday, "most of my time on the farm was spent thinking how to get off the farm."

While studying at Brigham Young University, Elder Andersen met and later married Kathy Sue Williams in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1975; they are the parents of four children and have 12 grandchildren. He received a bachelor's degree from BYU in 1975 and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University in 1977.

Elder Andersen's business interests have included advertising, real estate development and health care, all while residing in Tampa, Fla.

When called to the Presidency of the Seventy, Elder Andersen — who also speaks French, Portuguese and Spanish — was president of the Brazil South Area, having served previously as executive director in the church's audiovisual department and counselor in several Sunday School general presidencies. Also during his time in the First Quorum of the Seventy, he served in area presidencies in the Utah North, Utah South, North America Southwest, North America Northeast and Europe West areas.

He also presided over the France Bordeaux Mission from 1989 to 1992, having served in France as a missionary from 1970 to 1972.

E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com