Clayton served previously in the LDS Church as a
bishop,
stake high councilor, counselor in a
mission presidency,
regional representative, and
area seventy. At the time of his call as an area seventy, the Claytons lived in
Irvine, California. Clayton was called as a general authority and member of the
First Quorum of the Seventy in 2001. Previous assignments as a general authority have included serving as both a counselor and as president of the church's South America South
Area and as an Assistant Executive Director of the Family and Church History Department. When Clayton was called to the Presidency of the Seventy on April 5, 2008, he was assigned supervisory responsibility for the church's North America West and North America Northwest areas. From 2012 to 2015, he supervised the church's work in the three geographical areas within Utah. In August 2015, Clayton presided at the groundbreaking of the church's
Cedar City Utah Temple. As the LDS Church received criticism for alleged sexual abuse of boys in the church's
scouting units, dating back decades but made public by allegations in 2015, Clayton commented on the church's ongoing efforts to prevent child abuse within its programs. From October 2015 to August 2020, Clayton was the senior, or presiding, member of the Presidency of the Seventy. He filled the position previously held by
Ronald A. Rasband, who was called to serve in the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was designated as an
emeritus general authority in October 2020. In April 2016, Clayton's brother, Weatherford T. Clayton, was sustained as a general authority. Since August 2021, Clayton has been first counselor to
Mike Leavitt in the presidency of the
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Clayton has been a speaker at a number of religious events or forums, frequently speaking on religious freedom. ==Notes==