J. Richard Clarke

Who is J. Richard Clarke?

John Richard Clarke has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1976. He has been a member of the church's presiding bishopric and a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.

Clarke was born in Rexburg, Idaho. As a young man he served as an LDS Church missionary in South Africa. Prior to his call as a general authority, he served as a bishop, stake president, and regional representative in Idaho. He also returned to South Africa as the president of the church's South Africa Cape Town Mission.

In 1976, Clarke became the second counselor to presiding bishop Victor L. Brown. He served in this capacity until Brown was released in 1985. Clarke was retained as a general authority and became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He became a member of the Presidency of the Seventy in 1988, and served in that capacity until 1997, when he was released and given general authority emeritus status.

From 1998 to 2001, Clarke was president of the church's Laie Hawaii Temple.