Martins is the son of Helvécio Martins, the first Latter-day Saint of African descent to serve as an Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) Church general authority. Martins was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and became an American citizen in 2010.
Brigham Young University.
In February 1978, Marcus Martins became engaged to Mirian Abelin Barbosa, who had just returned from serving in the church"s Brazil São Paulo South Mission. However, she then decided to not follow that plan and they set a new marriage date of August 5. On June 8, 1978, Official Declaration—2 was announced.
After much contemplation and prayer, Martins decided to serve a mission rather than get married.
He served in the Brazil São Paulo North Mission from 1978 to 1980. After returning from his mission, Martins married Mirian.
He worked as a construction inspector and later as a systems analyst. During this time he also served as a bishop in the church (a position he would again occupy years later in Hawaii).
Martins then went to Provo, Utah, where he studied for six years at Brigham Young University (Brigham Young University), earning degrees in business management, organizational behavior, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology.
During his doctoral work he was a part-time Religion and Sociology instructor at Brigham Young University, and later worked as a religion professor at Ricks College, before taking a position at Brigham Young University-Hawaii in the Summer of 2000. As department chair at BYUH he put forth initiatives to enhance religious education through the use of educational technology and public relations. He was the first Brigham Young University-Hawaii professor to work closely with Brigham Young University Television in taking academic lectures to an international audience.
He has spoken to Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) and professional audiences throughout the United States, Brazil, and Japan, and participated in professional conferences in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Qatar.
From 2011 to 2014, Martins served as president of the Brazil São Paulo North Mission.
He also served as chair of the Faculty Advisory Council (akin to a faculty senate), and member of the strategic planning and academic planning committees.
