9 5 , ▁J ensen ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁church ' s ▁Public ▁Affairs ▁Committee . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁he ▁was ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁Historical ▁Department . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Qu orum ▁of ▁the ▁Se vent y ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pres iden cy ▁of ▁the ▁Se vent y , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁he ▁also ▁became ▁the ▁general ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁church ' s ▁Sunday ▁School . ▁J ensen ▁served ▁in ▁these ▁positions ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁he ▁replaced ▁D . ▁Tod d ▁Christ off erson ▁as ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Family ▁and ▁Church ▁History ▁Department , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁previously ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁just ▁the ▁Historical ▁Department . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Church ▁Histor ian ▁and ▁Rec order ▁to ▁serve ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁this ▁capacity ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁and ▁was ▁designated ▁an ▁emer it us ▁general ▁authority ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁J ensen ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁general ▁authorities ▁of ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁who ▁self - ident ifies ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁ ▁Area ▁Pres iden cies ▁J ensen ▁has ▁served ▁in ▁various ▁area ▁presiden cy ▁positions . ▁As ▁a ▁new ▁Se