In 1996, Sheldon became a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a member of the Church’s Second Quorum of the Seventy. Two years later, he was transferred to the First Quorum of the Seventy. In October 2008, Sheldon was released and was designated an emeritus general authority. He also served as president of the Church’s Salt Lake Temple from 2008 to 2011. Sheldon worked in management at RC Willey for years, and is the former president. He was born in Ogden and raised in Syracuse, Utah.

Joan and her husband, Sheldon were married in 1957, and they are the parents of six children.