Steven D. Shumway

After a long, rainy day of missionary service, Elder Steven D. Shumway and his companion felt the despair of having little success in their efforts. Elder Shumway, who spoke little Spanish, was assigned to start a new Spanish group in his mission area, all while becoming a new district leader and training a new missionary. As he and his companion walked home, Elder Shumway stepped in a puddle of mud. Frustrated and on the brink of tears, he wondered if there was any point to being there in the first place. In that moment, a life changing question came to his mind: “What price would you pay to know Me?”¹ Elder Shumway immediately knew the answer, “I will pay whatever price You require of me to know You.”² 

Elder Shumway served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission. His missionary service helped him learn perseverance, faith, and dedication while serving in challenging areas of the mission. His devotion throughout his mission would later influence his approach to leadership and service within the Church. 

Born on June 30, 1970, in Springerville, Arizona, Steven D. Shumway grew up in a loving family where his joy in the gospel developed. After graduating from high school, Steven Shumway attended Brigham Young University, where he earned a BS in chemical engineering in 1996. Following his graduation, he worked professionally as a chemical engineer with Exxon Chemical Company in Houston, Texas, gaining early experience in leadership and business operations. In 1998, he transitioned into family business leadership and became president and CEO of Whiting Brothers Investment Company, a role he has held for many years. 

Throughout his adult life, Elder Shumway has served in a variety of Church callings including service as an elders quorum president, Young Men president, bishop, and stake president. From 2019 to 2022, he served as president of the Illinois Chicago Mission. He also served as an Area Seventy, assigned to the North America Southwest Area. On April 6, 2024, Steven D. Shumway was sustained as a General Authority Seventy during the April 2024 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Steven D. Shumway married Heidi Dawn O’Brien on December 29, 1994, in the Salt Lake Temple. They are now the parents of four children. Elder Shumway’s experience, including moments of uncertainty that required trust in the Lord’s direction, have shaped both his professional and spiritual work throughout his life. He emphasizes, “Often, we cannot see the reasons why God asks us to do certain things. They may seem absurd to us. But we know that when we do what the Lord asks with a willing and obedient heart, we come to know the Savior and become more like Him. Ultimately that is why we were all sent to earth—to become like Christ.”³

Notes: 

1. Valerie Walton, “Change of Plans: How Following the Lord’s Direction Has Blessed Elder Shumway’s Life,” The Church News, June 29, 2024.
2. Walton, “Change of Plans.”
3. Walton, “Change of Plans.”