First Presidency (LDS Church)
Encyclopedia
Thomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader and author, and the 16th and current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" of God's will on earth...
and his two counselors, Henry B. Eyring
Henry B. Eyring
Henry Bennion Eyring is an American educational administrator, author, and religious leader. In 2008 Eyring became First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Eyring was the Second Counselor to Gordon B. Hinckley in the First Presidency from October...
and Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Dieter Friedrich Uchtdorf is a German former aviator and airline executive. He currently serves as the Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the eleventh most senior apostle in the ranks of the Church.-Early life and education:Uchtdorf...
.
Membership
The First Presidency is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. Most First Presidencies have been composed of the president and two counselors, but circumstances have occasionally required additional ones (for example, David O. McKayDavid O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
had five during the final years of his presidency and at one point Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
had eight).
Counselors are usually chosen from the among the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, although there have been a number of exceptions where members of the church's Presiding Bishopric
Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:...
or the church at large were called to be counselors. Any high priest of the church is eligible to be called as a counselor in the First Presidency. There have also been a few cases where counselors have been ordained to the priesthood office of apostle and became members of the Quorum of the Twelve after already being set apart
Setting apart
Setting apart is an ordinance or ritual in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whereby a person is formally chosen and blessed to carry out a specific calling or responsibility in the church....
as counselors in the First Presidency (e.g., J. Reuben Clark
J. Reuben Clark
Joshua Reuben Clark, Jr. was an American attorney, civil servant, and a prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Born in Grantsville, Utah Territory, Clark was a prominent attorney in the Department of State, and Under Secretary of State for US president Calvin Coolidge...
). There have been other cases where counselors have been ordained to the office of apostle but not set apart as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve (e.g., Alvin R. Dyer
Alvin R. Dyer
Alvin Rulon Dyer was an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a member of the church's First Presidency from 1968 to 1970....
). Other counselors in the First Presidency were never ordained to the office of apostle (e.g., Charles W. Nibley
Charles W. Nibley
Charles Wilson Nibley was the fifth presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1907 and 1925 and a member of the church's First Presidency from 1925 until his death....
; John R. Winder
John R. Winder
John Rex Winder was a leader and general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric from 1887 to 1901, and First Counselor in the First Presidency to Church President Joseph F. Smith from 1901 until his death. He was well-known...
). Whether or not a counselor is an apostle, all members of the First Presidency are sustained
Common consent
Common consent is a democratic principle established by the Latter Day Saint movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., who taught in 1830 that "all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith." As it is most frequently used by the Church of Jesus Christ of...
by the church as prophets, seers, and revelators.
Counselors are formally designated as "First Counselor in the First Presidency" and "Second Counselor in the First Presidency" based on the order they were selected by the president. Additional counselors have been designated in different ways, including "Third Counselor in the First Presidency" (e.g., Hugh B. Brown
Hugh B. Brown
Hugh Brown Brown was an attorney, educator and author and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
), "Assistant Counselor to the President" (e.g., John Willard Young
John Willard Young
John Willard Young was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He is one of the few individuals to have been an apostle of the LDS Church and a member of the First Presidency without ever having been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.-Early life and apostolic...
), and simply "Counselor in the First Presidency" (e.g., Thorpe B. Isaacson
Thorpe B. Isaacson
Henry Thorpe Beal Isaacson was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving as a counselor in the First Presidency to church president David O. McKay from 1965 to 1970....
).
Counselors serve in the First Presidency until their own deaths, until the death of the church president who called them, or until they are released by the church president. The death of a church president dissolves the First Presidency, and leaves the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In general, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve is the most senior Apostle in the church, aside from the President of the Church...
as the senior leader of the church. The death or release of a counselor does not dissolve the First Presidency.
Often, the surviving counselors of the late president will be called as counselors in the new First Presidency, and a notably infirm counselor may revert to his place among the Twelve Apostles with a healthier man called as counselor in his place. On the death or release of a first counselor, the second counselor usually succeeds and a new second counselor is named. Although these are fairly common occurrences, there are no hard and fast rules about such practices and each president is free to choose the counselors he prefers. See Counselors Not Retained, below.
Title of members
Like the church president and President of the Quorum of the Twelve ApostlesPresident of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In general, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve is the most senior Apostle in the church, aside from the President of the Church...
, counselors in the First Presidency are appropriately referred to by the title "President
President (LDS Church honorific)
President is an honorific title in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is given to certain men who hold priesthood leadership positions.- General leaders :...
".
Removal
Though there has not been a popular movement in the church to have a member of the First Presidency removed or punished for many years, a member could theoretically be removed from his position or otherwise disciplinedDisciplinary council
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a disciplinary council is an ecclesiastical trial during which a member of the church is tried for alleged violations of church standards. If a member of the LDS Church is found guilty of an offence by a disciplinary council, he or she may be...
by the Common Council of the Church
Common Council of the Church
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Common Council of the Church is a body of the church that has the power to discipline or remove the President of the Church or one of his counselors in the First Presidency due to misbehavior. Its existence and status are uncertain and...
.
Duties
The First Presidency is the highest ranking priesthood quorum of the church. The counselors assist the church president and work closely with him in guiding the entire church and carrying out the duties of the president of the church. The First Presidency has the theoretical authority to make the final decision on nearly all issues which might affect the church or its operations, though in practice the First Presidency has delegated much of its decision-making power to members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Seventy, the Presiding BishopricPresiding Bishop (LDS Church)
The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:...
, and local leaders of the church. Nevertheless, the First Presidency has retained its overarching decision-making power in a number of significant areas and may at any time choose to overrule the decisions of a lesser church quorum or authority.
In the case of an infirm president, his counselors may be called upon to perform more of the duties of the First Presidency that would normally be performed by the president. If needed, any number of additional counselors may be called to assist them, though the president of the church remains the only person on the earth authorized to use all priesthood keys. All members of the First Presidency are sustained
Common consent
Common consent is a democratic principle established by the Latter Day Saint movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., who taught in 1830 that "all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith." As it is most frequently used by the Church of Jesus Christ of...
by the membership of the church as prophets, seers, and revelators.
All members of the First Presidency are also members of the church's Council on the Disposition of the Tithes
Council on the Disposition of the Tithes
The Council on the Disposition of the Tithes is a leadership body in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, composed of the First Presidency, the Presiding Bishopric, and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Council determines how the tithing funds of the church will be spent...
, a body which determines how the tithing
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
funds of the church are spent.
Current First Presidency
The current First Presidency was announced on February 4, 2008. The president, Thomas S. MonsonThomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader and author, and the 16th and current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" of God's will on earth...
, and his counselors, Henry B. Eyring
Henry B. Eyring
Henry Bennion Eyring is an American educational administrator, author, and religious leader. In 2008 Eyring became First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Eyring was the Second Counselor to Gordon B. Hinckley in the First Presidency from October...
and Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Dieter Friedrich Uchtdorf is a German former aviator and airline executive. He currently serves as the Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the eleventh most senior apostle in the ranks of the Church.-Early life and education:Uchtdorf...
, were sustained by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on February 3.
The previous First Presidency was dissolved on January 27, 2008 upon the death of church president Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
.
Members of the First Presidency who were not Apostles
There is no requirement that counselors in the First Presidency be apostles of the church. The following men served as a counselor in the First Presidency during the years indicated and were never ordained to the priesthood office of Apostle:- Sidney RigdonSidney RigdonSidney Rigdon was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Baptist background:...
(1832–1844) - Jesse GauseJesse GauseJesse Gause was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as a counselor to Church President Joseph Smith, Jr. For decades Gause was generally unknown to LDS historians, and so could be considered Mormonism's lost counselor of the First Presidency...
(1832–1833) - Frederick G. WilliamsFrederick G. WilliamsFrederick Granger Williams was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to church president Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1833 to 1837...
(1833–1837) - John SmithJohn Smith (1781-1854)John Smith , known as Uncle John, was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
(1837–1844) - Joseph Smith, Sr.Joseph Smith, Sr.Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr...
(1837–1840) - William Law (1841–1844)
- John C. BennettJohn C. BennettJohn Cook Bennett was an American physician and a ranking and influential—but short-lived—leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, who acted as second-in-command to Joseph Smith, Jr., for a brief period in the early 1840s....
(1841–1842) - John R. WinderJohn R. WinderJohn Rex Winder was a leader and general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric from 1887 to 1901, and First Counselor in the First Presidency to Church President Joseph F. Smith from 1901 until his death. He was well-known...
(1901–1910) - Charles W. NibleyCharles W. NibleyCharles Wilson Nibley was the fifth presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1907 and 1925 and a member of the church's First Presidency from 1925 until his death....
(1925–1931) - Thorpe B. IsaacsonThorpe B. IsaacsonHenry Thorpe Beal Isaacson was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving as a counselor in the First Presidency to church president David O. McKay from 1965 to 1970....
(1965–1970)
Counselors in the First Presidency not retained upon reorganization
- John Smith, Assistant Counselor to Joseph Smith, Jr., not retained as a counselor by Brigham YoungBrigham YoungBrigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
- Amasa M. Lyman, Assistant Counselor to Joseph Smith, Jr., not retained as a counselor by Brigham YoungBrigham YoungBrigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
- John Willard YoungJohn Willard YoungJohn Willard Young was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He is one of the few individuals to have been an apostle of the LDS Church and a member of the First Presidency without ever having been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.-Early life and apostolic...
, First Counselor to Brigham YoungBrigham YoungBrigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, not retained as a counselor by John Taylor - Daniel H. WellsDaniel H. WellsDaniel Hanmer Wells was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the third mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States....
, Second Counselor to Brigham Young, not retained as a counselor by John Taylor - Brigham Young, Jr.Brigham Young, Jr.Brigham Young, Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F...
, Lorenzo SnowLorenzo SnowLorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
, and Albert CarringtonAlbert CarringtonAlbert Carrington born in Royalton, Vermont, was an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and First Presidency in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained as an apostle on July 3, 1870.Carrington served in the Utah Territorial Legislature in 1869...
, Assistant Counselors to Brigham YoungBrigham YoungBrigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, not retained as a counselor by John Taylor - Rudger ClawsonRudger ClawsonRudger Judd Clawson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 until his death in 1943...
, called as Second Counselor to Lorenzo SnowLorenzo SnowLorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
, not retained as a counselor by Joseph F. SmithJoseph F. SmithJoseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... - Hugh B. BrownHugh B. BrownHugh Brown Brown was an attorney, educator and author and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, First Counselor to David O. McKayDavid O. McKayDavid Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
, not retained as a counselor by Joseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church... - Thorpe B. IsaacsonThorpe B. IsaacsonHenry Thorpe Beal Isaacson was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving as a counselor in the First Presidency to church president David O. McKay from 1965 to 1970....
and Alvin R. DyerAlvin R. DyerAlvin Rulon Dyer was an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a member of the church's First Presidency from 1968 to 1970....
, Counselors to David O. McKayDavid O. McKayDavid Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
, not retained as counselors by Joseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church... - Marion G. RomneyMarion G. RomneyMarion George Romney was an apostle and a member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:...
, First Counselor to Spencer W. KimballSpencer W. KimballSpencer Woolley Kimball was the twelfth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1973 until his death in 1985.-Ancestry:...
, not retained as a counselor by Ezra Taft BensonEzra Taft BensonEzra Taft Benson was the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both terms of the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.-Biography:Born on a farm in Whitney, Idaho, Benson was the oldest of...
Secretary to the First Presidency
The church employs a secretary to assist the First Presidency in its administrative duties. The position is paid employment and its holder is not formally considered to be a member of the First Presidency or a general authorityGeneral authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of the church. However, it is common for letters from the office of the First Presidency to private individuals to bear the signature of the Presidency's secretary as opposed to any of the members of the Presidency.
The First Presidency also employs assistant secretaries and press secretaries. When David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
became President of the Church in 1951, he continued with his longtime personal secretary, Clare Middlemiss, and moved the existing secretary, Joseph Anderson
Joseph Anderson (Mormon)
Joseph Anderson was the secretary to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1922 to 1970 and was a general authority of the church from 1970 until his death....
, into the newly-created First Presidency's office. D. Arthur Haycock also served as personal secretary to several church presidents in the 20th century.
Chronology of secretaries
- George W. RobinsonGeorge W. RobinsonGeorge Washington Robinson was the first secretary to the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...
(1838–1840) - George ReynoldsGeorge Reynolds (Mormon)George Reynolds was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a longtime secretary to the First Presidency of the LDS Church, and a party to the 1878 United States Supreme Court case Reynolds v...
(1865–1909) - George F. GibbsGeorge F. GibbsGeorge Francis Gibbs was the secretary to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
(1909–1922) - Joseph AndersonJoseph Anderson (Mormon)Joseph Anderson was the secretary to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1922 to 1970 and was a general authority of the church from 1970 until his death....
(1922–1970) - Francis M. GibbonsFrancis M. GibbonsFrancis Marion Gibbons was the secretary to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 to 1986 and a general authority of the church from 1986 until 1991.A native of St...
(1970–1986) - F. Michael WatsonF. Michael WatsonFrank Michael Watson served as the secretary to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1986 until his call as a general authority of the LDS Church in 2008....
(1986–2008) - Brook P. Hales (2008– )