New Seventy Elder Steven C. Barlow Has Found Light, Joy and Peace by Putting God First

A simple verse of scripture about light has influenced Elder Steven C. Barlow’s approach to life from a young age.

The Savior taught: “The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light” (3 Nephi 13:22).

“What it means to me is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple,” said Elder Barlow, who was sustained as a new General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during April 2025 general conference.

“The adversary would have us make the gospel of Jesus Christ far more complicated than it is. As we put the Lord first, our lives will be full of light and love, even in the face of adversity. We will find greater joy and peace as we make Him No. 1 in our lives.”

Elder Barlow and his wife, Sister Christina Barlow, can see this light, joy and peace from putting God first as they reflect on their childhood, courtship, raising children and serving in the Church.

A Foundation Built on Serving

Steven Chad Barlow was born January 1, 1969, in Bountiful, Utah. He is one of four sons of Jon Kay Barlow and Becky Christensen Barlow, whom he described as “amazingly devoted and faithful parents” who “always shared their testimonies in word and in deed.”

Photo

Elder Barlow said the foundation of his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ was built in large part by watching his parents serve.

“My father is one who sincerely loves people and is service-oriented,” Elder Barlow said, adding that his father was often the first to volunteer to help those in need, and he often brought his sons with him. “It was important to him to teach us how to work and how to love others.

“And my mother is also one who helps everyone around her feel loved and seen. For example, more often than not, we would have guests of all walks of life us for Sunday dinner. She shows her discipleship through observing needs and nurturing those around her. Being a mother is and was always the most important thing to her. And now being a grandmother and a great-grandmother is her priority.”

Among Elder Barlow’s earliest memories are gathering for weekly family night and daily family prayer and scripture study. His family also had a lot of fun together. “Like many families, we had experiences with both mischief and fun, but my parents would strive to prioritize moments of spiritual reflection and testimonies as well.”

An ‘Undeniable Impression From Heaven’

As a young man, Elder Barlow served as a full-time missionary in the Argentina Bahía Blanca Mission from 1988 to 1989. Shortly after he returned home, a young woman named Christina Evans caught his eye on a group blind date. He asked her out a few months later.

Elder Barlow said one of the most poignant experiences he has had with the Holy Ghost was the “undeniable impression from heaven” that he needed to get to know her.

“I had one of those experiences where there was so much light, and I needed to get to know her and get closer to that light,” Elder Barlow recalled. “And she has, ever since, continued to be my light. I’m grateful for her.”

Sister Barlow said of their courtship: “On our first date, the thing that impressed me the most about him was that I could tell that he was converted to the Lord and truly loved Him. He shared with me his feelings about his family, how much he loved them, and how much he loved the Lord and His gospel. I could tell from the very beginning that he was good to the core and that our priorities were the same.”

They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 18, 1991, and are the parents of five children.

Having both been raised in homes where it was common to share spiritual experiences and talk about the gospel, Sister Barlow said she and Elder Barlow have tried to follow their parents’ examples. “We have tried to do that with our own children, and we hope it has helped build a foundation for them,” Sister Barlow said.

Sister Barlow was born and raised in Salt Lake City. She credits her parents, Richard Louis Evans Jr. and Tamara Ashby Evans, for teaching her and her eight siblings the gospel of Jesus Christ and “doing those small and simple things” that invited the Spirit into their home. “They truly loved the Lord and showed that by the way they lived their lives.”

“They were also a good example of serving in the Church. They both had callings my whole life and showed me that it’s a privilege to serve the Lord,” she said.

Elder and Sister Barlow graduated with bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah and raised their children in Bountiful. Elder Barlow worked in data analytics and quality improvement in health care and was the co-founder of Health Catalyst.

Turning People to the Savior

At the time of his call as a General Authority Seventy, Elder Barlow was serving as an Area Seventy in the Utah Area. His previous callings include ward Young Men president, elders quorum president, high councilor, bishop, stake presidency counselor and mission president.

“I have learned time and again that the Lord can amplify our service. Looking back on my life, the Lord has put people and experiences in my path that have prepared me to serve however the Lord would have me serve, and become who He wants me to become,” Elder Barlow said.

Some of the invaluable lessons and skills he has learned from serving in the Church include organization, relying on the Spirit, ministering to “the one,” and working in councils.

As a bishop, Elder Barlow said, he learned to overcome his natural tendency to be a problem-solver and help turn people to the Savior.

“I on many occasions coming home after interviews with of my ward just overwhelmed by all of the problems, and I couldn’t solve them,” Elder Barlow recalled. “One night in particular, I came home and talked to Christina and said, ‘I can’t do this.’ She suggested I read an article that she had just read in the ‘Ensign.’”

The article was written by a bishop who had felt a similar desire to solve ’ problems. “In the article, as he was pondering this challenge, he had a clear thought, ‘You go be their bishop, and let Me be their Savior.’

“That was a reminder to me that this is His work, not my work,” Elder Barlow continued. “My job is to help point others to the Savior.”

Listen to this related podcast Episode 237: Get to know the newest General Authority Seventies through their testimonies

In 2017, Elder and Sister Barlow left home to serve for three years as mission leaders of the Ecuador Quito Mission.

The final months of their mission were characterized by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, many missionaries returned home, while other missionaries were reassigned to the Barlows’ mission. Elder and Sister Barlow witnessed the hand of the Lord directing those missionary efforts.

“We put our trust in the Lord,” Elder Barlow said. “There were times when we didn’t know what was going to happen the next day. We remained flexible and ready. We were prayerful, and it all worked out.”

For Sister Barlow, serving as a mission leader taught her “the Lord is in charge.” She learned that as she and Elder Barlow stay close to the Lord, listen to Him and follow His counsel, “everything works out OK — not just in your callings but in all aspects of life.”

‘This Is His work’

As Elder Barlow begins to serve in his new capacity as a General Authority Seventy, he said his and Sister Barlow’s method of preparation continues: “Our prayers in preparation for any assignment are really simple — ‘Please don’t let me get in the way.’

“This is His work, and we just don’t want to get in His way. We want to be vessels through whom He can touch those who need to be touched, and teach what needs to be taught, how it needs to be taught,” Elder Barlow said.

Sister Barlow said she has tried to pattern her life after Alma’s counsel to his son Helaman in Alma 37:36-37. “I have a strong testimony of the power of prayer, and I counsel with the Lord all day long. … It is a gift to be able to communicate with the Father. And then, like the scripture says, we need to to give thanks to Him, always, for the many blessings that He gives us.”

Elder Barlow added that he hopes of the Church know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of joy, as Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught.

“We are that we might have joy. The way you find that joy now and forever is by living the gospel of Jesus Christ, by being His disciple and having your eye single to Him. Jesus Christ lives, He is real, and He is the source of lasting joy and happiness,” Elder Barlow testified.

About Elder Steven C. Barlow

Family: Steven Chad Barlow was born January 1, 1969, in Bountiful, Utah, to Jon Kay Barlow and Becky Christensen Barlow. Married Christina Evans on June 18, 1991, in the Salt Lake Temple; they have five children.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in health education from the University of Utah in 1993.

Employment: Executive in data analytics and quality improvements in health care and co-founder of Health Catalyst.

Church service: Area Seventy in the Utah Area, Ecuador Quito Mission president (2017-2020), stake presidency counselor, bishop, high councilor, elders quorum president, ward Young Men president and missionary in the Argentina Bahía Blanca Mission (1988-1989).