When Elder John E. Fowler is asked who in the scriptures has influenced his life the most, he is quick to answer: "My hero in the scriptures has always been and will always be the Savior. Whether I'm teaching leadership principles or trying to teach gospel principles, I like to use examples out of the Savior's life and His experiences."

Elder Fowler, 47, will have plenty of opportunity to do just that as a new member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, to which he was called June 5. He is now serving as assistant executive director of the Family History Department and has been called as second counselor in the Utah Central Area presidency, effective Aug. 15.He expressed confidence that the Lord will help him accomplish his new responsibilities. "We're anxious to do our best," he explained, referring to both himself and his wife, Marie. "We know the Lord will help us to do a good job if we try hard and do our best to serve faithfully."

Much of the assurance of the slim, 6-foot-tall man comes from years of in-depth study of the scriptures, in which he pondered the challenges and strengths of ancient prophets and heroes. From his study of the scriptures, he has developed a confidence in the Lord and sound leadership qualities that have helped him throughout his life and in his various Church responsibilities.

"I've tried to be a student of the scriptures and to spend time fasting and praying for guidance, strength, knowledge and power," Elder Fowler related. "As you read the scriptures, you can't help but read accounts of people who have faced greater trials and struggles or had opportunities to serve when the opportunity demanded more than what their background gave them comfort to perform. Yet they were always able to do it with the Lord's help if they were humble.

Among Elder Fowler's greatest assets in performing his duties as a General Authority, said his wife, are his leadership abilities. "My husband has a great sense of what needs to be done and how to do it," she said. "He can clearly see a problem and know how to solve it. He cares a lot about people and he loves working in the Church. He loves serving."

This love of Church service and of the gospel began at young age for Elder Fowler, under the tutelage of his parents, R. Walter and Lois Manita Clayton Fowler.

Elder Fowler credits his parents, who now live in Springville, Utah, for much of the success in his life. "Both my mother and father are very hard workers," he related. "They encouraged us to work hard in school and to do well.

"Last Father's Day," Elder Fowler continued, "we had a gathering of all my brothers and sisters with my parents. I mentioned how my father's love of the gospel and love of the scriptures really influenced my life. And I couldn't imagine having a better mother."

The Fowler family moved around a lot, so by the time young John Fowler graduated from a high school in Denver, Colo., he had associated with people in California, Colorado and New York.

As a young man living in upstate New York, Elder Fowler's parents saw to it that he became familiar with Church historical sites. It was from visiting those sites that he began realizing a testimony of the gospel. He was about 9 or 10 years old when his family went to the Hill Cumorah Pageant and to the Sacred Grove. "I can remember going into the Sacred Grove, and I remember the spiritual feelings I had. I've never doubted that Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son. I trace my testimony back to that experience.

"The faith of a child is a marvelous thing, and I was blessed with the privilege of being in those sacred places at a very young age where that faith could take hold. I think those experiences formed my life. I love the Prophet Joseph, and I admire him so much for what he did."

Along with his experiences in New York, Elder Fowler had another turning point in his life when he was 19 and began serving in the Southern Australian Mission. "I don't think I was tremendously interested in studying the scriptures before my mission," the new Seventy recalled. "But I certainly was interested in studying them during and after my mission."

This is not surprising considering one of his mission presidents was Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Council of the Twelve, who died in 1985. "You just couldn't be a missionary in that mission and not love the scriptures because our leader was probably one of the finest students of the scriptures that the Church has produced, at least the latter-day Church. He just caused us to want to know more and to become students as he was a student," Elder Fowler said.

He returned home from his mission early in 1966 and renewed a relationship begun more than two years earlier with a young lady named Marie S. Spilsbury. They were engaged that June and married in the Salt Lake Temple Aug. 6, and are now the parents of three sons and three daughters. They also have one grandchild.

"When I chose my eternal companion," recalled Elder Fowler, "I tried to look for someone who had the qualities I felt I was lacking. Marie had all those qualities. I think she's just the greatest person in the whole world."

Along with a wife came in-laws who Elder Fowler honors and respects - Erwin R. and Josephine Callis Spilsbury, who are both deceased. "Marie's mom was a close friend, and her father was a great soul until the end of his life. They were really a support to us."

Sister Fowler's parents supported each other, and this was the atmosphere the dark-haired woman grew up in, and so she has been a support to her husband from the very beginning, putting him through the School of Accounting at BYU, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees by 1969.

After graduation, Elder Fowler began work with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co., a national accounting firm. He moved his family to New Orleans, La., in 1975, where he took charge of auditing for the branch office there. He was a partner in the company for 10 years.

It was while living in New Orleans that Elder Fowler's leadership abilities were fine-tuned. By the time he turned 40 years old, he had been a stake president and was regional representative in the area.

He retired from the firm in 1988, when he was called to serve as president of the Georgia Atlanta Mission. Elder and Sister Fowler completed their mission service last year.

Despite his busy career and Church schedule, Elder Fowler has always found time for community service. He once served as a treasurer for a gubernatorial campaign in Louisiana, and has served on local Boy Scout executive councils.

"I believe in serving the community," he said. "We have found that our ability to wield influence for good was significantly enhanced by virtue of the service we rendered in the community."

The experiences that Elder Fowler has had in Church, career and community involvement provide him with resolve in facing the challenges of Church leadership. If something occurs that he is unfamiliar with, he surmises he'll just go back to the basics - as always. "I can still get the help out of the scriptures that I need," he commented. "The Lord won't let me down because He never has before."

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(Additional information)

Elder John E. Fowler

- Family: Born in Redding, Calif., on Nov. 10, 1944, to R. Walter and Lois Manita Clayton Fowler. Married Marie S. Spilsbury, daughter of Erwin R. Spilsbury and Josephine Callis Spilsbury, both deceased, Aug. 6, 1966, in the Salt Lake Temple. Parents of three sons and three daughters: Christopher J., 24; Roger C., 21; Stacy, 18; Melissa, 16; Matthew C., 13; and Lori, 10. They have one grandchild.

- Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting, both from BYU.

- Employment: Consultant and financial adviser to CEO of Taylor Energy, an international oil and gas company based in New Orleans, La., of which he is also on the board of directors; former partner with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co., a national accounting firm.

- Church Service: President of Georgia Atlanta Mission, regional representative, president of the New Orleans Louisiana Stake, counselor in stake presidency, high councilor, counselor in ward bishoprics, seminary and institute teacher; served in the Southern Australian Mission from 1964-66.