St. George • Steven E. Snow, the emeritus general authority and former historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a bit of an outlier.
Despite Washington County’s status as über-Trump country and the fact that many members of his church lean heavily Republican, the St. George native remains a staunch Democrat and a passionate environmentalist.
As often as he goes against the grain, though, the ever genial and modest Snow rarely creates friction. The retired attorney seldom rubs others — whatever their politics or views — the wrong way, which may help explain his myriad successes.
As the faith’s historian from 2012 to 2019, Snow is widely credited with helping bring openness and transparency to the church history department. He helped shepherd to completion the Gospel Topics essays, which tackled some of the thorniest of the faith’s historical and doctrinal issues.
Snow’s other signature achievements include overseeing the publication of the landmark Joseph Smith Papers and “Saints,” the new multivolume narrative history of the church. With Snow at the helm, the history department also took over supervision of church historical sites, where he placed a premium on education over proselytizing.
As gratified as he is by such achievements, Snow does not dwell on them. Five years after gaining emeritus status, the 74-year-old has moved on to a new set of circumstances and challenges.
His beloved wife of 52 years, Phyllis, died from post-COVID-related issues eight months ago. As he grapples with that loss, Snow continues to stay busy and find purpose in serving others, pursuing hobbies, golfing with friends and, most importantly, spending time with his four sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The Salt Lake Tribune met with Snow at his St. George home recently to talk about his life as an emeritus general authority. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
How did you and Phyllis meet? Is it tough being alone since her death?
That was really hard. We’ve been good friends ever since we were in junior high school. I had met her before, but that was when I fell for her, like when I was 15 … I stay as busy as I can, and the days are fine. It is the nights that are tough.
(Steven E. Snow) Steven Snow and his wife, Phyllis, who died in January, visit Pompeii, Italy.
What was growing up in St. George like?
I grew up just a few blocks from here. I loved playing baseball, and my summer days were filled with playing baseball. When I was young, I helped my father at his dry cleaner [business] here in town. Then I worked at a service station. I used to fill [customers’] cars with gas and wash their windshields. It was a great job … and I met some really interesting people.
Where did you serve a church mission?
I served in the North German Mission. I met a lot of great missionaries and had a great experience, but it was tough. We used to say, “Get out and hit the doors, elders. For every door you knock on, somebody will be baptized in Mexico.” … I had a little success. A lot of guys went home and didn’t have a [single] baptism.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Steven Snow discusses the the first volume of "Saints" in 2018, another major effort during his stint as church historian.
What is life like now as an emeritus general authority? How do you occupy your time?
Churchwise, I work a shift in the [St. George] temple as a sealer, and I teach the elders quorum lesson once a month. It’s pretty easy duty. And the stake [a regional cluster of Latter-day Saint congregations] asked me to teach an institute class on the Book of Mormon for members who are people my age and even older. I really enjoy it [because] it causes me to get into the Book of Mormon [the faith’s signature scripture] a little more seriously than just reading it.
(Steven E. Snow) Steven Snow is pictured with family members at an open house for the St. George Temple.
I also play golf a couple of times a week. I have a lot of good friends — friends I grew up with, and that’s been a real blessing. I love the game. No game has [captured] my imagination like golf. I like the socialization with my friends, the conviviality and so forth.
Other than golf, do you have any other hobbies?
I have some old cars [I restore]. I’ve got a 1950 Chevy truck that I’ve fixed up really nice and … a ’67 Camaro. In high school, I had a 1959 Pontiac. I found one back in Florida recently, so I bought it and had it shipped here. It is just like the one I had in high school.
(Steven E. Snow) Steven Snow is pictured in the '67 Camaro he restored. The car is sitting on a trailer he uses to haul the muscle car long distances.
Were you surprised to be called as a full-time general authority?
I was absolutely shocked. First of all, I was an attorney [in St. George], and I was happy and things were going fine. I didn’t think anybody up north even knew me.
Do you remember what you were doing when that call came in 2001?
I was just getting ready to go to work as an attorney when the phone rang. It was Don Staheli, the secretary to church President Gordon B. Hinckley. He said, “Brother Snow.” Then President Hinckley came on and asked, “How are you?” I said, “Well, I’m fine, president.”
Then he asked: “Are you making a lot of money practicing law in St. George?” I said, “Well, we have been fortunate, president.” He said, “Well, we are going to change all that. … We are calling you to the First Quorum of the Seventy. Will you accept the call?” I said, “Yes, if you need me.”
He asked, “You got anything going on this summer?” I said, “Well, three of our four boys are engaged to get married this summer.” He said, “We’ll work around that. Don’t worry … [It] looks like your first assignment will be in Johannesburg, South Africa. Is that OK?” I said, “That’s fine, president.”
This [call came] in March, about a week before General Conference. So I told my wife and her knees just buckled. She went down to the floor. Then I went to work, and I got another call from Salt Lake City about 9:30 a.m., telling me we needed to be up there for a meeting at 4 that afternoon and prepared to stay a couple of weeks.
We didn’t have any kids living at home then. It was just my wife and myself. So that was life-changing.
What are some common misconceptions church members have about general authorities?
(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Steven E. Snow, then a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks during Brigham Young University's commencement in 2015.
I’m not sure people realize how many general authorities and area Seventies there are. I don’t think [members] give much thought about how the church is run internationally. We all kind of worry about our own little ward [congregation] or stake. As long as that’s working, I don’t think there’s a lot of thought given to what’s going on in the international church. It’s very complicated and a lot of logistics are involved.”
Was there a lot of pressure to set a great example or to live to a very high standard?
There is pressure that way — not that I am that well-known because there are so many general authorities. [Church officials were] pretty fussy about us being in public. As long as I was on 2700 South and 1100 East, where my house was [at the time], I could go to Home Depot and pick up what I needed and go grocery shopping in casual clothing. But if I was four blocks from [church] headquarters, I wore a suit just in case somebody saw or worried about me.
You are not a trained historian. Were you surprised to be called to serve as the church historian?
I was surprised ... And that is always a little confusing. When you go to a conference or some museum or something, people think you are a trained historian. But that is not really the tradition of the church. That was a wonderful assignment. I enjoyed those seven years.
Was Marlin K. Jensen still the church historian when the Gospel Topics essays came out?
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Marlin Jensen, shown in 2012 at his home in Huntsville, was Snow's immediate predecessor as church historian.
He and I were both together. I was doing an apprenticeship with Marlin for about six months. The Gospel Topics came up, if I remember correctly, in May [2013], and then he left at the end of June. So we went in together and met with [members of] the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and kind of whittled down the questions we decided to take on to about 13.
Were these controversial questions that caused members some difficulties?
They were questions people have jumped the tracks over [left the church] in the past or had been a concern to them. These are the types of issues that detractors or disaffected members want to put online and sensationalize a lot. That’s why we really needed to give a position to the seminary and institute [teachers] so they could answer these questions appropriately. That proved to be a very valuable exercise. And then we followed that up with “Saints.” It’s going to be a four-volume work … and we incorporated all that controversial stuff into the context of the [gospel’s] whole story, and then it made a lot more sense.
Do you think addressing those questions helped or hurt with respect to keeping people in the church?
It helped a lot of the millennials, the young people. I think it rocked the world of some of the older members. I don’t think some of the older members were quite ready for that level of candor. But, in the long term, I think this will be very good for the church.
Are the essays being used the way they were intended?
I think so. CES (Church Educational System) and institutes use [the essays] a lot and immediately incorporated them into their curriculum. Because these are the kinds of questions that kids asked a lot, and they were really grateful to have some answers.
Are a lot of people still unaware of the essays or ‘Saints?’
When you push stuff out, you think everyone knows about it. But it takes a long time for people to really become acquainted with a series of books like “Saints,” even though we made them affordable and wrote them at a ninth- or 10th-grade level.
Do you still consider yourself a Democrat?
Yes, for sure. I tried not to create any embarrassment or controversy for the church while I was serving. I’ve not worn that [Democrat label] on my sleeve or anything like that. I’ve always been more in line with the Democratic Party than with Republicans. I like [Democrats’] position about helping working people. …
I didn’t say much about [being a Democrat) as a general authority, but what I was pleased about, neither did the brethren. They were too busy running an international church. They liked being able to go to Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate at the time, because he could open as many doors and help as many missionaries that were in trouble as the president. They used Harry Reid a lot. He came with his wife and spoke to the Quorum of the Twelve. I was there when he did. He was a very devout [church] member.
(Steven E. Snow) Steven Snow and his son Riley attend a Chicago Cubs spring training game in Mesa, Arizona.
(Steven E. Snow) Steven Snow attends a San Diego Padres game with his son Garrett.
As a Democrat and avid environmentalist in overwhelmingly conservative Utah, did you ever feel out of place as a general authority?
I didn’t always see eye to eye with all the brethren on environmental and political issues, but I can appreciate that. I tried to listen and be respectful of their points of view and understand them. I appreciate where they are coming from.
Were there other general authorities who were Democrats? Did any of the brethren rib you about being a Democrat?
Marlin Jensen was a faithful Democrat, but there were not too many. If I was ribbed about being a Democrat, I took it good-naturedly, and I think that is how they meant it.
Apostle M. Russell Ballard would always say to me that if I wanted to be baptized into the Republican Party, he could arrange for that to happen. The brethren don’t get all bogged down in Utah politics. They are worrying about an international church. They have their own ideas, but they want to do what is best for the international church.
What did you think about the now-abandoned policy of not allowing the children of same-sex parents to be baptized?
I was surprised by the policy and was quite delighted when it was reversed. … I thought it was unnecessary, and I think it caused unnecessary hurt during the time it was in place. I was pleased to see President Russell M. Nelson revoke it.
How do you feel about the way the church addresses LGBTQ issues?
The church is trying. I’ve been really pleased with President Dallin Oaks’ and others’ efforts to try to find common ground. That’s why this recent action they took with regard to [transgender individuals in] the [General] Handbook seemed a little off, based on what they have been trying to do.
It’s a very difficult place for them to be. President Oaks continues to talk about gays in his General Conference talks. It’s as if he wants to draw a bright line that this is the way it is and there is not going to be a relaxing of that policy. It seems to me, that is what he’s trying [to articulate].
I have two gay granddaughters who have left the church. It causes me great sadness that we don’t have a place for everyone. They feel like there is nothing there for them.
Are you still involved in environmental activism like the Grand Canyon Trust?
I resigned [as a board member] from the Grand Canyon Trust when Phyllis’ health got bad. The Grand Canyon Trust is a regional environmental organization for the Colorado Plateau and the Grand Canyon. I do serve as a board member for … the Virgin River Land Preservation Association [trying to protect property by setting up conservation easements].
How does environmentalism inform your faith?
We are given this beautiful planet upon which to live. As simple as I can state it, we should take care of it. We ought to make it a better place than when we came. We have to leave it in better shape, and we’re not doing that.
Is your testimony of the gospel as strong as ever?
Absolutely. People would say, “How could you be a historian and see all that stuff?” And I [would reply], “Nothing I ever saw hurt my testimony at all. In fact, it strengthened it.”
(Steven E. Snow) Steven Snow is pictured with grandchildren along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.
Is there anything you would like to accomplish in the time you have left in mortality?
I want to finish my personal history. I’ve been slow in getting that completed. … I don’t want to finish it for any reason other than I’d like to have it available for my grandkids and great-grandkids so [they can know about] what grandpa did.
What do you regard as the most memorable or greatest experience in your life?
The biggest thing I ever accomplished was to marry that girl I married and have Phyllis, the boys and a family. By far that’s the greatest thing I have ever done.
How would you like to be remembered?
He was a good guy. That’s all I need.
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