Apostles conducting GC sessions

[Stormin' Mormon]

I can't personally recall any general conference sessions that haven't been conducted by a member of the First Presidency. But I was too young to be paying much attention during Kimball's Presidency, and I wasn't even alive during McKay's. So this may actually have happened in the past when the members of the First Presidency were all ailing at the same time.

I've noticed a couple of sessions this time around that have been conducted by members of the Qof12 and not the FP. I haven't seen it remarked upon or any attention called to this fact, so I didn't even realize it my own self until halfway through such a session being conducted by an apostle.

So,long story short: has this happened before and if so, when?

Edited October 6, 2024 by Stormin' Mormon

[bluebell]

I thought it had happened in the April conference as well (maybe not in all the sessions, but I thought that Elder Cook had conducted at least once, unless my memory is making stuff up).

I assumed it was because all members of the First Presidency are pretty old and that conducting is hard on them.

[Stormin' Mormon]

6 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I thought it had happened in the April conference as well (maybe not in all the sessions, but I thought that Elder Cook had conducted at least once, unless my memory is making stuff up).

I assumed it was because all members of the First Presidency are pretty old and that conducting is hard on them.

It very well may have happened in April. Kind of embarrassing how long it took me to realize "wait a minute, Elder Christofferson isn't a member of the First Presidency!" They easily could have snuck more than one past me during the last conference.

Edited October 6, 2024 by Stormin' Mormon

[rpn]

But why should 90+ year old counselors do it when there are lots of younger apostles and it takes no authority to do it?  Hooray for sharing the experience.

[Stargazer]

8 hours ago, rpn said:

But why should 90+ year old counselors do it when there are lots of younger apostles and it takes no authority to do it?  Hooray for sharing the experience.

Hmmm. I wouldn't assume that it takes no authority to do it. But perhaps you're correct. Conducting is not presiding, after all.

[Amulek]

20 hours ago, bluebell said:

I thought it had happened in the April conference as well (maybe not in all the sessions, but I thought that Elder Cook had conducted at least once, unless my memory is making stuff up).

Three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles not currently serving in the First Presidency conducted sessions during the April 2024 conference: Elder Stevenson conducted the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Renlund conducted the Saturday evening session, and Elder Cook conducted the Sunday afternoon session.

Also recently, President Jean B. Bingham (then Relief Society General President) conducted the Saturday evening session of the April 2022 general conference (ibid.).

Before that, the internet says you have to go back to the 80s to find a couple of times when then Elder Benson assisted with conducting a couple sessions when President Kimball and one of his counselors were unable to attend.

So while the practice has generally been that a member of the First Presidency conducts general conference, it isn't something that is technically required. I think President Nelson has done an excellent job with implementing changes like this - where the only real obstacle is tradition and not doctrine.

 

Edited October 7, 2024 by Amulek

[CV75]

16 hours ago, Stormin' Mormon said:

I can't personally recall any general conference sessions that haven't been conducted by a member of the First Presidency. But I was too young to be paying much attention during Kimball's Presidency, and I wasn't even alive during McKay's. So this may actually have happened in the past when the members of the First Presidency were all ailing at the same time.

I've noticed a couple of sessions this time around that have been conducted by members of the Qof12 and not the FP. I haven't seen it remarked upon or any attention called to this fact, so I didn't even realize it my own self until halfway through such a session being conducted by an apostle.

So,long story short: has this happened before and if so, when?

It's a slippery slope, I say -- next thing you know, they'll have special guest hosts.

[JAHS]

6 minutes ago, Amulek said:

Three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles not currently serving in the First Presidency conducted sessions during the April 2024 conference: Elder Stevenson conducted the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Renlund conducted the Saturday evening session, and Elder Cook conducted the Sunday afternoon session.

Also recently, President Jean B. Bingham (then Relief Society General President) conducted the Saturday evening session of the April 2022 general conference (ibid.).

Before that, the internet says you have to go back to the 80s to find a couple of times when then Elder Benson assisted with conducting a couple sessions when President Benson and one of his counselors were unable to attend.

So while the practice has generally been that a member of the First Presidency conducts general conference, it isn't something that is technically required. I think President Nelson has done an excellent job with implementing changes like this - where the only real obstacle is tradition and not doctrine.

 

 Because of age and health reasons David O. McKay had five counselors during the final years of his presidency, and at one point, Brigham Young had eight. I remember when Godon B. Hinckley was called as a third counselor and was pretty much in charge of everything because the other members of the first presidency were too old and feeble to do much.

[Calm]

3 hours ago, JAHS said:

Brigham Young had eight.

Considering the territory they had to cover by horse and telegraph at best, 8 seems too few to me, I wonder how busy were the apostles and seventies at the time. Did they stay in one local and oversee it or were the apostles all in SLC meeting weekly, etc.

[The Nehor]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

Considering the territory they had to cover by horse and telegraph at best, 8 seems too few to me, I wonder how busy were the apostles and seventies at the time. Did they stay in one local and oversee it or were the apostles all in SLC meeting weekly, etc.

Some of Brigham Young’s counselors were “Assistant Counselors in the First Presidency”. Also several of Brigham Young’s counselors weren’t apostles. This isn’t common anymore. The last prophet to call a counselor who was not an apostle was President McKay.