Ivins was born in Saint George, Utah Territory. Ivins was the son of Anthony W. Ivins, an Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) apostle and counselor in the First Presidency. His mother was Elizabeth Ashby Snow Ivins, the daughter of Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) Apostle Erastus Snow.
Ivins studied law in Mexico City. He also studied at the University of Michigan and the University of Utah.
Ivins spent some of his younger years in Mexico. Ivins received a degree from the University of Utah. In 1912, Ivins married Vilate Ellen Romney.
He succeeded Rey L. Pratt in this position.
At this time, the mission not only had responsibility for all of Mexico, but also for all proselytizing efforts among the Spanish-speaking populations of the Southwest United States. Ivins performed the first translation of the temple endowment into a language other than English: in cooperation with Eduardo Balderas, he translated it into Spanish.
During the 1930s, after his return from serving as president of the Mexican Mission, Ivins worked on translating the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price into Spanish.
From 1931 until his death, Ivins was a member of the First Council of the Seventy. He was the presiding member of the Council from 1963. He also served as a member of the General Welfare Advisory Committee of the Church.
