Biography at a glance
- Born: 1873 in Huntsville, Utah
- Family: Married Emma Ray Riggs in 1901
- Church service: Apostle from 1906; President of the Church from 1951 to 1970
- Earlier work: Teacher at Weber Stake Academy
Education and Church service
McKay studied at the University of Utah, taught at Weber Stake Academy, and served a mission in the British Isles. After his call to the Twelve, he helped lead Sunday School work. An extended tour of Church missions in 1920 and 1921 took him through Asia, the Pacific, and Europe. The Church’s history overview describes his travels and the growing international scope of his ministry.
President of a growing Church
During his presidency, more members lived outside the traditional centers of Latter-day Saint settlement. McKay’s teaching repeatedly returned to the home, learning, and the example members set in ordinary life. His long tenure bridged significant changes in communication, travel, and Church growth.
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Quotes by David O. McKay
33 quotes
“What you sincerely in your heart think of Christ will determine what you are, will largely determine what your acts will be. No person can study this divine personality, can accept his teachings without becoming conscious of an uplifting and refining influence within himself. In fact, every individual may experience the operation of the most potent force that can affect humanity.”
Cherished Experiences from the Writings of President David O. McKay p. 24
— David O. McKay
Some of us look forward to a time in the future—salvation and exaltation in the world to come—but today is part of eternity.
Pathways to Happiness, comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1957), 291–92.
— David O. McKay
“Marriage is a relationship that cannot survive selfishness, impatience, domineering, inequality, and lack of respect. Marriage is a relationship that thrives on acceptance, equality, sharing, giving, helping, doing one’s part, learning together, enjoying humor.”
Experiencing Happiness in Marriage
— David O. McKay
“The Father of all mankind expects parents, as his representatives, to assist him in shaping and guiding human lives and immortal souls. That is the highest assignment which the Lord can bestow upon man.”
— David O. McKay
“Let us be more determined to make [righteous] homes, to be kinder husbands, more thoughtful wives, more exemplary to our children, determined that in our homes we are going to have just a little taste of heaven here on this earth.”
— David O. McKay
“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. . . . Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give. It is inherent in the spirit of man. It is a divine gift to every normal being. . . . Everyone has this most precious of all life’s endowments – the gift of free agency – man’s inherited and inalienable right.”
Improvement Era, Feb. 1962, p. 86
— David O. McKay
“No nobler work in this world can be performed by any mother than to rear and love the children with whom God has blessed her. That is her duty.”
— David O. McKay
“This ability and willingness properly to rear children, the gift to love, and eagerness, yes, longing to express it in soul development, make motherhood the noblest office or calling in the world. . .”
Gospel Ideals, Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953, pp. 453-54
— David O. McKay
“The Savior himself declared that he came to fulfill the law, not to do away with it, but with the law he brought the principle of mercy to temper its enforcement, and to bring hope and encouragement to [the] offenders for forgiveness through [mercy and] repentance.”
Conference Report, 3 Apr. 1954, p. 11.
— David O. McKay
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