Passing Of Elder Richard G. Scott Opens Up Third Vacancy On LDS Quorum Of The Twelve

A third vacancy on the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has just opened up as Elder Richard G. Scott passed away due to causes incident to old age on Tuesday September 22nd, 2015 at home surrounded by his family. Elder Scott was hospitalized in April 2015 due to gastrointestinal bleeding and after his release from the hospital, the Church said he had experienced a fading memory incident due to age, and was no longer fully able to participate in meetings of the Quorum of the Twelve at this time.

UPDATE September 23rd: Funeral services will be held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square on Monday, September 28th, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. MDT. The funeral will be open to the public ages 8 and older. They will be broadcast live via MormonNewsroom.org and LDS.org, along with a host of other media sources. There will be no public viewing. Expressions of sympathy can be posted on Elder Scott's official Facebook page or emailed to condolences at ldschurch.org. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Church’s General Missionary Fund at give.lds.org/elderscott.

UPDATE September 29th: On September 28th, approximately 2,500 people filled the historic Tabernacle to capacity for the funeral of Elder Scott, while many others attended the services in the overflow seating of the nearby Assembly Hall. Thousands more watched the broadcast live in English, Spanish and Portuguese on LDS.org and on the Church satellite system. The service, held under the direction of the First Presidency, was attended by general authorities and auxiliary leaders of the Church, as well as community and civic leaders and members of Elder Scott’s family. Church President Thomas S. Monson presided over the services, which were conducted by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.

Elder Scott served as an apostle since 1988. Before that, he served on the First Quorum of the Seventy beginning on April 2, 1977, and served as a member of the presidency of that quorum from October 1983 until he was called as an apostle. One of his most notable secular accomplishments was service working on Admiral Hyman Rickover's staff directing development of nuclear fuel for naval and land based power plants. On that team, he worked on the design of the nuclear reactor for Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, and on the first land-based nuclear power plant.

Elder Scott was married to the late Jeanene Watkins, who preceded him in death in 1995. Together, they had seven children, two of which preceded their parents in death.

Other sources of information:

-- Church announcement on Mormon Newsroom

-- Full biography on Mormon Newsroom

It is quite likely that the successors to L. Tom Perry and Boyd K. Packer will be named and presented to the Church at the upcoming 185th Semiannual General Conference to be held on October 3-4. There's also a possibility that a successor to Elder Scott will also be named at this time despite the recency of his passing. Through the power of revelation, the successors will be identified to President Thomas S. Monson, who will then convene the remaining quorum members to ratify the selection. Read more about this process on LDS.org.

Nevertheless, it is natural to speculate on the identity of likely successors. And such speculation is harmless so long as it does not cross the line into formal campaigning for a specific person. Since most apostles are selected from the First Quorum of the Seventy, it is only natural to look there first. The Church is also looking to diversify its senior leadership, although it uses diversity as a means to an end rather than an end unto itself, so Seventies from Latin America, Asia, and Africa may get a closer look than usual.

-- Elder Ulisses Soares. A Brazilian national, Elder Soares is not only a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, but is also a member of the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy. The length of Elder Soares's service, his relatively young age (57), and the strong growth of the Church in Latin America and particularly in Brazil make him a most attractive candidate. By selecting Elder Soares, the Church will signal to Latin Americans that they have finally "arrived" in the upper reaches of Church government and will give them a living symbol to further burnish their testimonies.

-- Elder Ronald A. Rasband. An American born in Utah, he also serves in both the quorum and the presidency. Elder Rasband not only gains visibility by his frequent Conference talks, but on September 15th, gave an important talk at BYU-Provo about religious liberty. The timing of this talk, so close to General Conference, opens up speculation that the Church was "showcasing" him.

-- The third choice is a bit tougher. The Church could play it safe and select either L. Whitney Clayton, Donald L. Hallstrom, or Richard J. Maynes to fill an apostle vacancy. All are veterans of lengthy service as seventies. If the Church desires to promote an Asian to the apostleship, it could select Yoon Hwan Choi, who is comparatively young. A real wild card would be Joseph W. Sitati, a native of Kenya who not only has served as a seventy for over six years, but is currently the editor of Ensign, Liahona, New Era, and The Friend magazines. While the LDS Church is not as numerically strong in Africa as it is elsewhere, it it growing fast in some sections, and the selection of an African apostle could jumpstart Church growth there.

A True Champion For Christ Passes Away: May President Boyd K. Packer Rest In Peace (1924-2015)

Less than five weeks after the passing of Elder L. Tom Perry, another champion for Christ has passed away, opening up a second vacancy on the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On July 3rd, 2015, President Boyd K. Packer died at home from causes incident to old age. He was 90 years old. President Packer was born September 10th, 1924, the 10th of 11 children, in Brigham City, Utah. He is survived by his wife, Donna, and their 10 children, one of whom is Elder Allen Packer of the First Quorum of Seventy. He is also survived by 60 grandchildren and 103 great-grandchildren.

Update July 4th: Funeral services will be held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square on Friday July 10th at 11:00 A.M. MDT. The funeral will be open to the public ages 8 and older. The Temple Square gates and the Tabernacle doors will open at 9:30 A.M. Those wishing to attend should be in their seats by 10:30 A.M. Overflow seating will be available in the Assembly Hall and the North Visitors’ Center on Temple Square. There will be no public viewing, and a private burial service will take place at the Brigham City Cemetery following the funeral.

-- See video of the funeral HERE.

President Packer was serving as president of the Quorum of the Twelve at the time of his passing, a position he held since February 3rd, 2008. Prior to that, he served as acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve since June 5th, 1994. He was ordained an apostle on April 9th, 1970, and served for over 53 years as one of the Church's general authorities. He was the fifth longest-serving general authority in LDS history; only David O. McKay, Heber J. Grant, Joseph Fielding Smith, and Wilford Woodruff served longer as general authorities. As the senior apostle, President Packer was next in line to succeed President Thomas S. Monson should that have become necessary; with Packer's death, Elder Russell M. Nelson becomes the senior apostle, and will be set apart as the new President of the Quorum of the Twelve in the near future.

-- Timeline of President Packer's life.

-- A photographic look at President Packer's life and service.

President Packer was one of the foremost defenders of LDS doctrine. He took seriously the apostolic responsibility of a watchman; namely, to be on the lookout for trends that will take us where we do not want to go, teachings that seem harmless and appealing on the surface but will destroy the faith of our youth, and individuals who cannot take counsel nor get beyond ego, thus dragging themselves and others down. He raised alarms against immorality, the disease of profanity, bad music, the plague of pornography, and substances that interfere with the delicate feelings of spiritual communication -- coffee, tobacco, liquor and drugs. His direct approach earned him sharp criticism from anti-Mormons, some ex-Mormons, and even progressive Mormons who are uncomfortable with the LDS Church being populated with "peculiar people". But President Packer refused to skirt issues in order to save feelings; he said the Church could not change because some wished or wanted it, because the Lord's words are not to be adjusted by experiments or theories of men. In 1993, President Packer cited intellectuals, feminists, and gays as three great dangers to the Church; while the problem with gays proved to be over-stated, the problems with intellectuals and feminists continue.

The best summary of President Packer's life is an 8-page Deseret News article entitled "President Boyd K. Packer, champion of families, master teacher, resolute defender of LDS doctrine, dies at 90".

Tributes to President Packer poured in from numerous sources, to include Utah Governor Gary Herbert, Utah Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, the Rt. Rev. Scott B. Hayashi, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Utah, and Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, administrator for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.

It's unknown when the two vacancies on the Quorum will be filled. The First Presidency could choose to wait for the next LDS General Conference in October or name replacements in the intervening months. The last time the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had a two-man vacancy came in July 2004, with the deaths of apostles David B. Haight and Neal A. Maxwell. Dieter F. Uchtdorf and David A. Bednar were named in October that year as replacements. The First Quorum of the Seventy is often considered a Triple AAA farm club for the Quorum of the Twelve, but apostles have been selected from other sources. Elder Russell M. Nelson was a heart surgeon, and Elder Dallin H. Oaks, who was ordained an apostle just weeks after Nelson, was a Utah Supreme Court justice.

LDS Apostle Neil Andersen Attends Special Conference Of The Brooklyn New York Stake, Counsels People To Exemplify Christ

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reports that Elder Neil L. Andersen, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, appeared at a special conference of the Brooklyn New York Stake held on Sunday March 6th, 2011 at Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn. The stake encompasses seven congregations in Brooklyn and two on Staten Island.

The gist of Elder Andersen's message to the audience of around 1,200 was that each person should strive to live Christ-like lives and to exemplify the Savior at all times. Stake President Nelson was suitably impressed:

“Elder Andersen is a special witness of Jesus Christ. Having him here was a rare privilege. Each person who heard him teach and bear testimony of Christ was strengthened and edified, and is now likely resolved to live a more Christ-like life, which will, I think, bless all of Brooklyn and Staten Island.”

LDS Church News provides a summary of the history of the Church in New York State. The Brooklyn New York Stake is a relatively young stake, not organized as an entity until 1998. It's a part of the Manhattan New York Temple District; stake members perform their temple ordinances at the Manhattan Temple on 125 Columbus Avenue near the Lincoln Center.

YouTube Mormon Messages: LDS Apostle David A. Bednar Explains The Role Of An Apostle

While Priesthood leaders are called and given keys to direct the Lord’s work in local quorums, whether they be presidents of deacons or elders quorums or stake presidents who preside. But only 15 men — the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve — hold keys authorizing them to direct all the Lord’s work on earth.

The Greg Jones blog calls attention to one of those select 15, Elder David A. Bednar, who represents a new generation of leaders now finding their way into the uppermost echelons of leadership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an Apostle on October 7th, 2004 by then-President Gordon B. Hinckley, he is the youngest member of the Quorum of the Twelve, and 12th in seniority.

On November 18th, 2010, Elder Bednar gave an interview in which he attempted to explain the role of an Apostle. He summed it up, saying “We read in the Bible that the ancient Apostles held the keys of the kingdom. The role of an Apostle today is the same as it was anciently. An Apostle is a missionary, bearing testimony of the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ in all the world.” Watch the video of the interview embedded below:



Read the accompanying article published on the official LDS website.

Without the direction of the Savior, Elder Bednar explained that he would feel wholly inadequate in his calling as an Apostle, and he bore strong testimony of the Lord’s hand in His work on earth. He suggested that members can best help the work of the Lord move forward by being fully converted, living what they know, and putting the light of their example before the world.

Some people criticize the Book of Mormon because it contains so many passages similar to those in the Bible, particularly Isaiah. But Elder Bednar indirectly explains why that's a manifestation of the universality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “The basic principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ are simple, and they are universal. Faith in the Savior is the same in Boston as it is in Accra,” noted Elder Bednar. And this has always been this way since mortals began populating the world -- the Gospel given to the ancient inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere is the same as that given to those in the Middle East.

While most LDS Church leaders are unpaid for their services, it's been reported that Apostles do receive a stipend or living allowance, although the Church does not officially disclose the amount. In October 1985, President Hinckley said that the living allowances given the General Authorities, which are modest in comparison with executive compensation in industry and the professions, come from this business income and NOT from tithing funds. One person posted a comment to BCC providing a table of stipends based upon seniority in the Twelve, but I can find no verification. Being an Apostle is a full-time vocation requiring extensive travel, so the compensation is deserved.

Did You Know That LDS Apostle D. Todd Christofferson Once Clerked For Famous Watergate Judge John Sirica During The Watergate Scandal?

Imagine my surprise when I visited The Mormons Are Coming blog and found out that D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, once served as a law clerk for Chief Judge John Sirica of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Furthermore, he clerked for Judge Sirica during the height of the Watergate scandal.

The blog itself didn't offer much more information beyond a couple of links. But one of those links is to the Duke Law News & Events. Elder Christofferson is a graduate of Duke Law School (1972), and shared his impressions in March 2010. He clerked for Judge Sirica from 1972-74, and was most impressed by Sirica's character and integrity.

Interestingly enough, Christofferson highlighted Attorney General John Mitchell's central role in perpetuating the cover-up. Had Mitchell slapped down G. Gordon Liddy at the very beginning, perhaps the cover-up would have unraveled early -- and Richard Nixon may not have had to resign.

...When G. Gordon Liddy, a lawyer and employee of the Committee to Re-Elect the President, proposed the Watergate break-in to plant electronic eavesdropping devices, part of a broader scheme to disrupt the Democratic party’s convention, to U.S. attorney general John Mitchell, Mitchell protested its price-tag, not the plan itself. “I’ll never know why — and this is one of the saddest things about the whole affair — the attorney general didn’t throw [Liddy] out or fire him,” said Christofferson. “But all he said was, ‘It will cost too much.’” Mitchell later gave the green light to the plan when Liddy brought its cost down.

Christofferson remains astonished that John Mitchell would merely question the cost of Liddy's plan rather than the ethics. But Christofferson later points to Judge Sirica's courageous and unprecedented decision to sign the order compelling enforcement of the subpoena to turn over the tapes to Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. President Nixon fought a relentless delaying action, attempting to substitute volumes of "edited transcripts" which were given to Senator John Stennis (D-MS). Sirica had moved into totally uncharted judicial territory:

Christofferson said he was particularly impressed by Sirica’s decision to sign the order compelling enforcement of a subpoena. Not only was it unprecedented, but the president had sent him a personal letter in response to the subpoena from the grand jury in which he claimed executive privilege; that letter is now in the collection of the Duke Law library. “Nobody knew how that was going to turn out,” said Christofferson. “[Sirica] could have been a goat as well as a hero and had his head handed to him on a platter by the Supreme Court. But he said ‘This is right,’ and he signed the order.” In fact, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld Sirica’s order, a ruling that led to the president’s resignation.

While Elder Christofferson never became a judge, he did go on to have a successful 21-year career working for a number of enterprises. But it's astounding how one of our present Apostles was not only present at the making of a historical event, but actually helped craft it. Elder Christofferson was called to the the Quorum of the Twelve on April 5th, 2008.

I came to maturity during the Watergate era, and to this day, I still think Richard Nixon got screwed. I'll never forget the last time he boarded Air Force One, on the day he resigned. He put up a brave face, but I could sense he was dying inside. Richard Nixon wanted to do the right thing, but was undone by his own suspicious nature and his trust in the wrong people. Watergate was a tempest that never should have been allowed out of the teapot. But thanks to Elder Christofferson's reminisces, my opinion of Judge John Sirica has improved somewhat.