Former Missionary Says He Taught Elvis the Discussions

Though Elvis Presley’s name may be well known to Mormons, his personal connections to Mormonism are less familiar.

One such connection is a copy of the Book of Mormon, believed to be given to Presley by a fan named Cricket Butler, was donated to the Church some time ago by a member of the Osmond family, who also knew the famous singer.

Presley’s LDS bodyguard, Ed Parker, also gave Presley a Book of Mormon, and perhaps several other LDS books. He even took the famous musician to visit Parker’s daughters’ early morning seminary class.

But perhaps “The King’s” most well-documented connection with the Latter-day Saints was his visits to the Polynesian Cultural Center. The center, owned and dedicated by the Church, is an important site that blends and preserves cultures from the Pacific Islands. The center is closely tied to the Church still today and is largely staffed by students at nearby BYU-Hawaii.

Read full story at LDS Living.