Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church) facts for kids
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the LDS Church), the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a very important group of leaders. They are also known as the Quorum of the Twelve or simply the Twelve. Members of this group are called apostles. Their special job is to be like prophets, seers, and revelators. This means they are seen as people who can receive guidance from God. They are also special witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world.
This group was first created in 1835. Back then, they were like "traveling advisors" for the church. Their job was to lead in places where the church was not yet fully set up. They had the same power as other important church groups, like the First Presidency. At first, their work was mostly outside the main church areas. But after the apostles came back from missions in England, Joseph Smith changed their duties. They were then put in charge of church matters, but still under the direction of the First Presidency.
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What the Quorum Does
The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has a very important leadership role. It is second only to the First Presidency. When Joseph Smith died, Brigham Young was the leader of the Quorum of the Twelve. Young said that Smith had given the Quorum of the Twelve the power to lead the church after his death. In 1847, the Twelve helped set up the First Presidency again, with Brigham Young as the church president. Since then, the Quorum of the Twelve has worked under the First Presidency. This is how it still works today.
The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has a job that is a bit like the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church. Both groups help choose a new leader when the main leader dies. In the LDS Church, the President and the Twelve serve for life. This means they get a lot of training to become future leaders.
Important decisions for the church are made together. The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and sometimes the Seventy, all talk and agree. They work hard to make sure everyone is united in what the church does.
Each member of the Quorum is seen as an apostle. They are also called a "prophet, seer, and revelator." This means each apostle is believed to hold "keys of the priesthood." These keys are like special authority from God to guide the church on Earth. The Twelve Apostles hold these keys together. They give the power to use all the keys to the President of the Church. So, only the President of the Church is meant to receive new guidance or set rules for the whole church.
Choosing a New Church President
A very important job of the Twelve is to choose a new President of the Church when the current one passes away. Soon after this happens, the apostles meet in the Salt Lake Temple. They choose a new leader. This person is always the oldest member of the Twelve in terms of how long they have served. The apostles then place their hands on his head. They officially make him the President of the Church.
The new president then chooses two helpers, called counselors, for the First Presidency. These counselors are usually also apostles. The next oldest apostle who is not in the First Presidency becomes the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. Sometimes, if the President of the Quorum is also a counselor or cannot serve due to health, an Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is chosen. This is usually the next oldest member of the Quorum.
How New Apostles Are Chosen
When there is an empty spot in the Quorum, the Twelve and the counselors in the First Presidency meet. They pray together to decide who to suggest to the President of the Church. The President of the Church makes the final choice. But the Twelve and the counselors formally vote on it.
The chosen person is usually made an apostle by the President of the Church, a counselor, or the President of the Twelve. This can happen before or after the church members vote to support them at a general conference. Any worthy man who holds the Melchizedek priesthood can be called as an apostle. New apostles often have a lot of experience leading in the church. They might have been bishops, stake presidents, mission presidents, or seventies.
Apostles are usually asked to stop their regular jobs. They then work full-time for the church. This includes serving on church-owned company boards or as trustees for church schools. There have been a few exceptions. For example, Ezra Taft Benson was allowed to be the United States Secretary of Agriculture for a time. Reed Smoot also served in the United States Senate. Being an apostle is usually a job for life.
Current Members of the Quorum
As of December 2023, these are the current members of the Quorum:
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Name: | Jeffrey R. Holland | |
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| Born: | December 3, 1940 | ||
| Positions: | Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Russell M. Nelson, November 15, 2023 Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Howard W. Hunter, June 23, 1994 LDS Church Apostle, called by Howard W. Hunter, June 23, 1994 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Ezra Taft Benson, April 1, 1989 – June 23, 1994 |
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| Notes: | A former president of Brigham Young University. | ||
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Name: | Dieter F. Uchtdorf | |
| Born: | November 6, 1940 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, January 2, 2018 – present Second Counselor in the First Presidency, called by Thomas S. Monson, February 3, 2008 – January 2, 2018 Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2, 2004 – February 3, 2008 LDS Church Apostle, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, October 7, 2004 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, 15 August 2002 – 2 October 2004 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 7, 1996 – October 2, 2004 Second Quorum of the Seventy, called by Ezra Taft Benson, April 2, 1994 – April 7, 1996 |
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| Notes: | The eleventh apostle to be born outside the United States. | ||
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Name: | David A. Bednar | |
| Born: | June 15, 1952 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2, 2004 LDS Church Apostle, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, October 7, 2004 |
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| Notes: | A former president of Brigham Young University–Idaho. | ||
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Name: | Quentin L. Cook | |
| Born: | September 8, 1940 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, October 6, 2007 LDS Church Apostle, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, October 11, 2007 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, August 1, 2007 – October 6, 2007 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 5, 1998 – October 6, 2007 Second Quorum of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 6, 1996 – April 5, 1998 |
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Name: | D. Todd Christofferson | |
| Born: | January 24, 1945 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 5, 2008 LDS Church Apostle, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 10, 2008 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, August 15, 1998 – April 5, 2008 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Ezra Taft Benson, April 3, 1993 – April 5, 2008 |
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Name: | Neil L. Andersen | |
| Born: | August 9, 1951 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 4, 2009 LDS Church Apostle, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 9, 2009 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, August 15, 2005 – April 4, 2009 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Ezra Taft Benson, April 3, 1993 – April 4, 2009 |
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Name: | Ronald A. Rasband | |
| Born: | February 6, 1951 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 3, 2015 LDS Church Apostle, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 8, 2015 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, August 15, 2005 – October 3, 2015 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 1, 2000 – October 3, 2015 |
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Name: | Gary E. Stevenson | |
| Born: | August 6, 1955 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 3, 2015 LDS Church Apostle, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 8, 2015 Presiding Bishop, called by Thomas S. Monson, March 31, 2012 – October 9, 2015 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 5, 2008 – March 31, 2012 |
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Name: | Dale G. Renlund | |
| Born: | November 13, 1952 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 3, 2015 LDS Church Apostle, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 8, 2015 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 4, 2009 – October 3, 2015 |
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Name: | Gerrit W. Gong | |
| Born: | December 23, 1953 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Russell M. Nelson, March 31, 2018 LDS Church Apostle, called by Russell M. Nelson, April 5, 2018 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, October 6, 2015 – March 31, 2018 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 3, 2010 – March 31, 2018 |
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| Notes: | First apostle of Asian descent. | ||
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Name: | Ulisses Soares | |
| Born: | October 2, 1958 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Russell M. Nelson, March 31, 2018 LDS Church Apostle, called by Russell M. Nelson, April 5, 2018 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, January 6, 2013 – March 31, 2018 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 2, 2005 – March 31, 2018 |
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| Notes: | The twelfth apostle to be born outside the United States. First apostle from South America. | ||
| Name: | Patrick Kearon | ||
| Born: | July 18, 1961 | ||
| Positions: | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Russell M. Nelson, December 7, 2023 LDS Church Apostle, called by Russell M. Nelson, December 7, 2023 Presidency of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, August 2017 – December 7, 2023 First Quorum of the Seventy, called by Thomas S. Monson, April 3, 2010 – December 7, 2023 |
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| Notes: | The 13th apostle born outside the United States. British and Irish national raised in the UK and Middle East. Convert to the church at age 26. | ||
See Also
- List of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)
- List of general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
- Regional Representative of the Twelve
- Twelve Apostles
- Chronology of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)
