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Harold David Burton (born 25 April 1938) has been the thirteenth Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1 January 1996. He has been a general authority of the Church since October 1992. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Latter-day Saint parents, Burton served as a missionary for the Church in southern Australia in the late 1950s. He graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in economics and completed his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. Before beginning his work for the Church, Burton worked for the Utah Tax Commission and for Kennecott Utah Copper. In 1977, Burton was hired as the assistant budget officer for the Church. A year and a half later, he accepted a position as the executive secretary to the Church's Presiding Bishopric. In October 1992, Burton was called by Presiding Bishop Robert D. Hales to be the first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. In 1994, he was again called as first counselor to the new Presiding Bishop, Merrill J. Bateman. In 1995, when Bateman was asked by the Church to become the president of Brigham Young University, Burton was elevated to position of Presiding Bishop. He formally began his tenure on 1 January 1996. Burton called Richard C. Edgley as his first counselor and Keith B. McMullin as his second counselor. Burton married Barbara Matheson in September 1960. They have five children and nineteen grandchildren. [ citation needed ] Burton is the great-great-grandson of Robert T. Burton, who was a counselor to Presiding Bishops Edward Hunter and William B. Preston between 1874 and 1907.
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