Elder Carlos E. Asay: General Authority Seventy and His Witness of 'Heavenly Powers' (1926–2012)
Published August 25, 2026 at 6:51 AM
Contributed by
Todd Morgan
Beaumont, CA, 92223
Elder Carlos E. Asay (1926–2012) served as a General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than twenty years—called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976 and later serving in the Presidency of the Seventy. A lifelong student of the scriptures, he spoke plainly and powerfully to the Saints. In BYU devotional addresses such as 'Spiritual Checkups' (August 1990) and 'Heavenly Powers,' he taught the Saints how to examine their spiritual health and draw on the powers of heaven, testifying that the Lord equips those He calls and that faithful, regular self-examination keeps a Saint close to the Spirit. His ministry among the Saints in many lands, and his practical, scripture-grounded testimony of the restored gospel, made him a beloved teacher in the Quorums of the Seventy.
In Their Own Words
“My secretary came to my office door and said: “A woman wants to speak with you, but she won’t give me her name.” I picked up the phone and announced myself. The caller promptly asked, “Elder Asay, what do you know about me?” “How can I answer your question,” I responded, “when you haven’t even given me your name?” She continued, “You were in the three o’clock temple session yesterday, weren’t you?” “Yes,” I answered, “I was there.” She said, “Do you remember someone walking out of the second room?” “Yes,” I replied. “It was I who walked out of the temple yesterday. Elder Asay, what do you know about me?” I thought for a moment and then said, “I know that you are a person of great worth. I know that you have been endowed with the power of the priesthood. I know that you have made sacred covenants with the Lord. I know that you have the potential to become like our Heavenly Father. And I know that you are a daughter of God.” There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then, with a voice choked with emotion, she said, “Thank you, Elder Asay. That is exactly what I needed to hear.””
— Carlos E. Asay, BYU devotional address 'Spiritual Checkups'
Sources & References
'Heavenly Powers' and 'Spiritual Checkups,' BYU Speeches (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/carlos-e-asay/); Church News, 'What have Church leaders said about Doctrine and Covenants 125–128' (Elder Asay's August 1990 BYU devotional). Full first-person account: Carlos E. Asay, 'Spiritual Checkups,' BYU Speeches, August 21, 1990 https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/carlos-e-asay/spiritual-checkups
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