▁trust ed ▁within ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁by ▁" histor ians ▁who ▁write ▁from ▁different ▁points ▁of ▁view ". ▁ ▁J ensen ▁stra ined ▁to ▁make ▁archive ▁materials ▁more ▁public ly ▁available ▁and ▁to ▁set ▁the ▁tone ▁of ▁" un fl inch ing ▁hon esty ▁... ▁for ▁a ▁whole ▁new ▁generation ▁of ▁L DS ▁academ ics ." ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁academic ▁con ferences ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁L DS ▁general ▁authority ▁at ▁the ▁M orm on ▁History ▁Association ▁annual ▁meeting . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that , ▁after ▁a ▁transition ▁period , ▁Steven ▁E . ▁Snow ▁would ▁replace ▁J ensen ▁as ▁the ▁Church ▁Histor ian ▁and ▁Rec order ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁year . ▁Snow ▁succeeded ▁J ensen ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁J ensen ▁was ▁then ▁released ▁from ▁the ▁First ▁Qu orum ▁of ▁the ▁Se vent y ▁and ▁designated ▁as ▁an ▁emer it us ▁general ▁authority ▁at ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ' s ▁semi - ann ual ▁general ▁conference . ▁ ▁L DS ▁Church ▁practice ▁is ▁to ▁release ▁Se vent ies ▁from ▁service ▁following ▁their ▁ 7 0 th ▁birth days , ▁which ▁J ensen ▁had ▁observed ▁in ▁May ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁Major ▁statements ▁ ▁J ensen ▁at ▁times ▁addressed ▁the ▁press ▁or ▁public ▁as ▁a ▁church ▁representative . ▁He ▁often ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁pe ac em aker , ▁attempting ▁to