Pinnock was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. As a young man, he served as a missionary for the LDS Church in the Western States Mission.[1] Pinnock graduated from University of Utah in 1958, where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and Owl and Key.[2][3] In 1958, Pinnock became student body president at the University of Utah, following future senator Bob Bennett.[4] Ten years later, Pinnock managed the successful senatorial campaign of Bennett's father, Wallace F. Bennett.[4]
When Pinnock was called as the Sunday School General President in 1979 he became the first person since David O. McKay in 1934 to serve simultaneously as a general authority and as president of the church's Sunday School. He served as Sunday School General President from 1979 to 1986 and from 1989 to 1992. He is the only person to have served two nonconsecutive terms in that assignment.
Pinnock helped arrange a $185,000 loan for document forger Mark Hofmann.[4] When Hoffman was charged with murdering two people Pinnock paid the loan back himself.[1]
Publications
Finding Biblical Hebrew and Other Ancient Literary Forms in the Book of Mormon (1999)
