Jensen was born in Payson, Utah, and raised in Mapleton, Utah. From 1961 to 1963, Jensen served as an LDS Church missionary in the Spanish-American Mission, concentrating on teaching the gospel to Spanish-speakers in the southwestern United States. On the November 1, 1963, Jensen married Lona Lee Child in the Manti Temple and they are the parents of six children.
Jensen spent his professional career as a full-time LDS Church employee. He was the director of scripture coordination for the church's Curriculum Department at the time of his call as a general authority. He previously worked for the Church Educational System as a seminary teacher and director of curriculum. Jensen was also the director of training for the church's Missionary Department for a period of time.
Jensen was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1992 and transferred to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1995. As a general authority, he has served in a number of area presidencies in Central and South America, as well as geographical areas covering parts of the United States and Canada. In 2004, Jensen and Lynn A. Mickelsen, also of the Seventy, were appointed to supervise the formation and publication of a Spanish-language LDS edition of the Bible.[3] Jensen became a member of the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2008.[1] In 2011, Jensen spoke at BYU to Evergreen International, "a same-sex voice of faithful LDS members," and spoke on finding peace by focusing on Jesus Christ.[4]
Jensen was released from the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2012, and designated as an emeritus general authority during that October's general conference.[5] From 2013 to 2016 Jensen served as president of the church's Cochabamba Bolivia Temple.[6]
1. Emeritus general authorities are individuals who have been released from active duties as general authorities. However, they remain general authorities of the church until their death. Except for the three former members of the Presiding Bishopric noted, all living emeritus general authorities are former members of the First or Second Quorums of the Seventy. 2. These former members of the Presiding Bishopric did not serve as a Seventy during their time as a general authority.