Thoughts on new First Presidency?

[teddyaware]

22 hours ago, bluebell said:

 Very true. But we don’t have any evidence that the other apostles considered themselves prophets and seers. Maybe they did, there’s just nothing in the NT to support the idea.

I guess you’ve forgotten about the Apostle John having written 2 new books of scripture and 3 revelatory epistles that are included in the Standard Works? And how about about the Book of Revelation providing prima facile evidence that John was a great prophet, seer and revelator, especially when it’s understood that he received the same “vision of all things from the beginning to the end” that was revealed to the Brother of Jared?

And let’s not forget that the Apostle Matthew wrote a book of scripture that’s included in our Standard Works. And doesn’t it seem highly unlikely to you that the 12 Apostles who stood at the head of the Apostolic Church — men who were taught personally by the Lord for over 3 years and then went on to serve as special Apostolic witnesses of his resurrection — wouldn’t just naturally be prophets seers and revelators?

And how are the 12 Apostles of the Holy Land going to be able to render righteous judgment when they judge the 12 tribes of Israel, in fulfillment of Book of Mormon prophecy, if they’re lacking prophetic inspiration and insight?

Finally, there a several verses in the Book of Mormon that testify to the fact that the Quorum of the 12 in the Holy Land were all prophets in every sense of the word. Here are just two verses that attest to the fact that all of the Apostles in the Holy Land produced scripture (it appears there are many lost books of scripture that are not in our current New Testament).

40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records (the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price) which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth. (1 Nephi 13)

 

[2BizE]

I would like to see Elder Uchtdorf back in to help prepare him for being president. He is the next most healthy.

[Que]

All 15 have the ORDAINED priesthood office of apostle. They are SET APART as members of the Q12 and SUSTAINED as prophets, seers and revelators. Those last three titles describe gifts and functions, not priesthood offices. The three in the quorum of the First Presidency remain ordained apostles but are SET APART as the presiding high priests over the Melchizedek Priesthood. This is how they preside over the Q12. The correct term for the presiding high priest is President of the Church. Calling him "the Prophet" is an everyday usage, not a priesthood office. 

Edited October 13, 2025 by Que

[JVW]

1 hour ago, Que said:

All 15 have the ORDAINED priesthood office of apostle. They are SET APART as members of the Q12 and SUSTAINED as prophets, seers and revelators. Those last three titles describe gifts and functions, not priesthood offices. The three in the quorum of the First Presidency remain ordained apostles but are SET APART as the presiding high priests over the Melchizedek Priesthood. This is how they preside over the Q12. The correct term for the presiding high priest is President of the Church. Calling him "the Prophet" is an everyday usage, not a priesthood office. 

You say that, but I'm not sure that's true. I know all apostles have all the keys of all dispensations or whatever. So they could ordain people to any position they want. This last conference, as previously noted, indicated to me that there may be something different about a "biblical prophet" and an apostle. In discussing it with a friend recently I noted that perhaps an apostle's role is more administrative because the apostles, since the very first ones, were about building up the kingdom of God on the Earth. Where the Biblical prophets were more about keeping Israel in check and ensuring that whatever God chose to do, it wasn't a surprise. Prophets in the Bible didn't exactly have to do administrative things because the Kings and rulers of Israel were the administrators of Israel.

We can say, "oh the news doesn't know if the prophet is ordained or not" but the news would also say there's no such thing as a "second anointing" ceremony in the temple reserved for special people. There's all sorts of secret stuff that the "top" brethren are privy to that general membership isn't, and that's not a bad thing.

[Calm]

2 hours ago, JVW said:

Prophets in the Bible didn't exactly have to do administrative things because the Kings and rulers of Israel were the administrators of Israel

There was at least Samuel, who was recognized as a prophet, he also served as a priest apparently even if not a descendant of Aaron, so could not have been the high priest.  He is also considered the last judge in the book of Judges.  For the first part of Samuel’s tenure, there was no king.

Edited October 13, 2025 by Calm

[ZealouslyStriving]

Announcement today at 1:00 MST!!!

[InCognitus]

2 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

Announcement today at 1:00 MST!!!

Special Announcement: The New First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Live stream.

[Tacenda]

Love that Pres Eyring is going to still be in the Presidency! ETA: In the beginning of this meeting, I first noticed one of the sisters squeezed Pres Oaks's wife's hand. Then I saw Pres Holland's arm get squeezed and a few other sweet gestures (mind went blank)of squeezing hands. This is very touching to me, and brings out my feelings of love for the members of the church and witnessed several of these loving moments as a member since birth and that right there is enough to keep me interested in returning one day.

Edited October 14, 2025 by Tacenda

[bluebell]

I don't think Pres. Christofferson was on anyone's list.  I've liked him since I got to hear him speak in person a long time ago and realized how funny he was.  He'll do good.  Pres. Eyring just looks tired but we already know he'll do wonderfully as well.

[Calm]

8 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I don't think Pres. Christofferson was on anyone's list. 

It’s the hair.  
 

Joking aside, he seems like a good choice to me.  Pres. Oaks and him can debate law cases during their moments of leisure with nothing to do….

Edited October 14, 2025 by Calm

[JLHPROF]

Welp...I was wrong about Elder Bednar (for now).  I guess President Christofferson fit the need more at this time.  I remain curious about the choice because as Bluebell said he really wasn't on the radar.

ETA - did you catch Pres Oaks comments emphasizing that "our ministry is a ministry of ALL the children of God on the face of the earth"? Given Pres Christofferson's public family history with his brother I can see the benefit in this calling if an outreach is planned.

And I am surprised they retained President Eyring only given his age and health but I suspected they might.  Is he one of the longest serving members of the First Presidency in Church history?  18 years with a few short gaps.

ETA: Looks like a people few hit 20 years+ as First Presidency counselors, but 18 is up there.

Edited October 14, 2025 by JLHPROF

[Okrahomer]

20 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

In the beginning of this meeting, I first noticed one of the sisters squeezed Pres Oaks's wife's hand

I think that was Sister Uchtdorf sitting next to Sister Oaks…?  When I saw that, I thought it was a sign Elder Uchtdorf  would be in the First Presidency again.  Wrong as usual.  

[Okrahomer]

26 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Dup

Edited October 14, 2025 by Okrahomer

[Calm]

I did not know this…or had forgotten, hard to tell these days, lol:

Quote

Christofferson clerked for Judge John J. Sirica during the Watergate trials. Together they were the first outside the White House to hear the Nixon White House tapes. "Judge Sirica and I were shocked as we heard Nixon calmly ask" how much money it would take to keep the Watergate burglars quiet, Christofferson said in a June 2017 address to faculty and students at Christ Church College in Oxford, England. "The judge and I couldn't believe, didn't want to believe what we were hearing … He passed me a note suggesting we rewind the tape and listen again. Up to this point we both still hoped that the president [of the United States] was not really involved, but this was indisputable."[7]

 

Wiki

Quote

After graduating from law school in 1957, Oaks spent a year as a law clerk to chief justice Earl Warren of the U.S. Supreme Court.

I wonder if they have already run out of reminiscences to share…

Got to say I am feeling a bit younger at the moment because Oaks was already a law clerk the year I was born. 

[JAHS]

32 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Pres. Eyring just looks tired but we already know he'll do wonderfully as well.

I assume by that you mean old? I know how he feels. 😊
Pres Christopherson is only 80 years old (only?) and seems pretty healthy which could help if the other two get too feeble to actively serve.

[Calm]

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-oaks-new-first-presidency
 

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2025/10/14/dallin-h-oaks-named-president-of-church-of-jesus-christ/

[JVW]

15 minutes ago, JAHS said:

I assume by that you mean old? I know how he feels. 😊
Pres Christopherson is only 80 years old (only?) and seems pretty healthy which could help if the other two get too feeble to actively serve.

What? Elder Christofferson is 80?? Time sure flies.

[JVW]

Looky what I found in the official church email announcing this:
 

Quote

President Dallin Harris Oaks was announced as the 18th President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-‍day Saints during a live broadcast from Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 14, 2025.

Isn't that an interesting way to phrase it?

[ZealouslyStriving]

Elder Christofferson was a personal choice, but one I never would've put my money on.

Fantastic choice.

(BTW, I found the wording about Pres. Holland interesting. I was probably reading too much into it- but it almost sounded like "acting President" will no longer be what the non-senior Q12 President will be called.)

[JAHS]

26 minutes ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

Elder Christofferson was a personal choice, but one I never would've put my money on.

Fantastic choice.

(BTW, I found the wording about Pres. Holland interesting. I was probably reading too much into it- but it almost sounded like "acting President" will no longer be what the non-senior Q12 President will be called.)

Isn't Elder Holland the Senior Apostle now?

[teddyaware]

13 minutes ago, JAHS said:

Isn't Elder Holland the Senior Apostle now?

I’m sure you’re aware of the fact that the members of the First Presidency are apostles. Therefore President Oaks is the most senior apostle, followed in seniority by Jeffrey R Holland and then Henry B Eyring.

[Peacefully]

2 hours ago, bluebell said:

I don't think Pres. Christofferson was on anyone's list.  I've liked him since I got to hear him speak in person a long time ago and realized how funny he was.  He'll do good.  Pres. Eyring just looks tired but we already know he'll do wonderfully as well.

Yeah, he was not on my bingo card, lol, but I approve fwiw:) 

[bluebell]

2 hours ago, JAHS said:

I assume by that you mean old? I know how he feels. 😊
Pres Christopherson is only 80 years old (only?) and seems pretty healthy which could help if the other two get too feeble to actively serve.

He does look old, but I meant tired. When the camera panned over to the new counselors elder hiring was looking a little out of it for the first few seconds.  

[bluebell]

2 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

Elder Christofferson was a personal choice, but one I never would've put my money on.

Fantastic choice.

(BTW, I found the wording about Pres. Holland interesting. I was probably reading too much into it- but it almost sounded like "acting President" will no longer be what the non-senior Q12 President will be called.)

I think they only call an acting president when the actual president is in the first presidency. So Oaks was the actual president of the previous quorum of the 12 apostles but because he was in the first presidency, they called an acting president to fulfill those duties.

But there is no need for an acting president at this time because president Holland is the actual president. 

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, teddyaware said:

I’m sure you’re aware of the fact that the members of the First Presidency are apostles. Therefore President Oaks is the most senior apostle, followed in seniority by Jeffrey R Holland and then Henry B Eyring.

President Holland is the most senior apostle in the quorum of the 12 apostles.