William D. Oswald

William Duncan Oswald (born 1936) was a counselor to A. Roger Merrill in the general presidency of the Sunday School of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 2004 to 2009. Oswald was also a counselor in the same organization to Russell M. Nelson in 1978 and 1979.
Oswald was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served as an LDS Church missionary in England and Scotland. Oswald obtained a law degree from the University of Utah and worked as an attorney in Salt Lake City. He was involved in rewriting Utah laws related to those applicable to redevelopments. His firm, Oswald and Feil, is part of the Utah Redevelopment Association. Oswald helped to draft Utah's Redevelopment Authority Law in 1969 and as of 1991 was a vocal defender of its use in practice.
Oswald was so involved in land redevelopment that one time he was fired by the Sandy, Utah redevelopment authority because he was also representing the Utah Transit Authority which was a potential buyer. Before working with Sandy Oswald had been a lawyer for the Salt Lake City RDA. As such he was a key player in the negotiations leading to building an arena for the Utah Jazz. As of 1996 he and his partner Randy Feil were the only lawyers contracted with by the Utah Transit Authority.
Oswald served as a bishop in Salt Lake City, and at one point was the bishop of Church President Spencer W. Kimball. In the 1980s, Oswald was a Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles. In 2001 to 2004, Oswald presided over the Russia Vladivostok Mission of the church. his wife Mabel who presided over the mission with him holds a certificate in Russian from Dartmouth College.
Oswald was the second counselor to the General President of the Sunday School, Russell M. Nelson, in 1978 and 1979. He also briefly served as Nelson's first counselor in 1979. Oswald was asked in 2004 to return to the Sunday School as the second counselor to A. Roger Merrill.