President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will preside and speak atBYU-Hawaii's December 2005 Commencement Exercises Saturday, Dec. 17, at 9 a.m.in the Cannon Activities Center.
Other special guests in attendance will include state and government officials along with many church leaders: Elder W. Rolfe Kerr, Commissioner of theChurch Education System; Jack Johnson, who will be presented with a DistinguishedServiceAward; Seini Vamanrav, who will be accepting a Distinguished Service Award for her late husband, Elder Pita Vamanrav; and Paul Freebairn, who has been a faculty member for 30 years and will be acting as the Grand Marshal.
Elder Eric B. Shumway, president of BYU-Hawaii and Area Authority Seventywill conduct the exercises.
Biography of President Boyd K. Packer
Prior to becoming Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve on June5, 1994, he served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, having been ordained an Apostle on April 9, 1970. Before this he served as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for almost nine years.
An educator by profession, his career includes service as supervisor of seminaries and institutes of religion for the Church and as a member of the AdministrativeCouncil of Brigham Young University.
He studied at Weber College and subsequently received his bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Utah State University.He received anEd.D. in educational administration from Brigham Young University.
President Packer was born September 10, 1924, in Brigham City, Utah.He served as a bomber pilot during World War II in the Pacific theater. He has been active in community and civic affairs, including service as a city councilman. He has received several awards from civic and educational organizations and institutions.
President Packer served as president of the New England Mission.He is the author of a number of books and other published works.He is an artist, particularly birds. He is married to the former Donna Smith. They are the parents of ten children.