private junior college in the United States, Ricks College, to a four-year university, BYU–Idaho. LDS Church service Bednar has served in the LDS Church as a bishop (Fayetteville Ward, 1987), twice as stake president (Fort Smith Arkansas Stake, 1987–91 and Rogers Arkansas Stake, 1991–95), regional representative (1994–95), and area seventy (1997–2004). In 2016, Bednar dedicated the Star Valley Wyoming Temple, the LDS Church's 154th temple. Bednar attended the 2019 dedication of the Rome Italy Temple with all 15 of the LDS Church apostles. This is believed to be the first time the entire First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were in the same location outside the United States. Controversy In 2016, Bednar attracted media attention when he claimed the church doesn't discriminate against gay and lesbian people because "there are no homosexual members of the church." He stated that being gay or lesbian is not the primary identity of individuals, but rather that each individual is first a child of God. Personal life Bednar married Susan Kae Robinson in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1975. He and his wife are currently living in the Salt Lake area. The Bednars have three sons. Works Books Academic articles Awards Burlington Northern Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching (1994) See also Council on the Disposition of the Tithes References Further reading External links General Authorities and General Officers: Elder David A. Bednar Bednar on Special Witnesses of Christ 1952 births 20th-century Mormon missionaries American general authorities (LDS Church) American Mormon missionaries in Germany Apostles (LDS Church) Area seventies (LDS Church) Brigham Young University alumni Living people People from Oakland, California Presidents of Brigham Young University–Idaho Purdue University alumni Regional representatives of the Twelve Texas Tech University faculty University of Arkansas faculty Latter Day Saints from California Latter Day Saints from Arkansas