Antoine Ridgeway Ivins, one of the First Seven Presidents
of Seventies from 1931 to 1967, was born May 11, 1881, at St. George, Washington
Co., Utah, a son of Anthony Woodward Ivins and
Elizabeth Ashby Snow.
Being instructed from early childhood in the principles
of faith and repentance, the boy was baptized in the St. George Temple
Sept. 24, 1889, by Walter Granger, and confirmed by David H. Cannon. In
due time he was ordained a Deacon and, having moved to Mexico with his
parents, he was ordained a Teacher in Colonia Juarez, Mexico. He was ordained
an Elder by his father in Salt Lake City Oct. 10, 1901, and a Seventy Dec.
28, 1914, by Fred E. Barker.
Bro. Ivins received his endowments in the Salt Lake
Temple Oct. 10, 1901, and on June 26, 1912, in that holy house, was united
in marriage to Vilate Ellen Romney, daughter of Orson D. Romney and Emma
Phillips. The Ancestral File lists no issue from this marriage.
On Aug. 5, 1931, Bro. Ivins was set apart by Pres.
Heber J. Grant to preside over the Mexican Mission, succeeding Elder Rey L. Pratt, deceased, in that position. Having spent several years in
Mexico he was highly trained in Spanish and was much endeared
to the Mexican people, in whose behalf his father, Pres. Anthony W. Ivins,
labored with so much fidelity.
On Oct. 8, 1931, in the Salt Lake Temple, Bro. Ivins
was set apart as a member of the First Council of the Seventy by Pres. Heber
J, Grant, assisted by Pres. Anthony W. Ivins.
As a general authority and as a former president
of the Mexican Mission Elder Ivins was privileged to help bring a great
blessing to the Mexican people and indeed to all speakers of the Spanish
language. It was under his direction that Temple Ordinance ceremonies were
translated into Spanish. Brother Eduardo Balderas, a translator with whom
Elder Ivins worked, recorded, "The opportunity of translating the sacred
ordinances within the confines of the Salt Lake Temple was, of course,
a wonderful privilege and blessing... the influence of the Holy Spirit...
guided [us] in [our] challenging but enjoyable labors." When the translation
was complete, temple workers were called and trained in the Mesa, Arizona
temple. For the first time since the Meridian of Time the endowment was
presented in a language other than English.
In 1961, as part of a restructuring of authority
and assignments given the First Council of the Seventy, Elder Ivins and
other members of the First Council were ordained High Priests so that they
could preside over Stake Conferences, ordain High Priests, set apart Stake
Presidencies, and in other areas more fully function as General Authorities.
President David O. McKay performed the ordination.
Following his wife Vilate's death in 1964, Elder
Ivins married Edna Robbins.
President Ivins continued his selfless service until
his death October 18, 1967 at Salt Lake City, Utah.
