Blog

LDS Prophet Succession List

Quorum of the 12 apostles LDS church
31
May

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), the process of calling a new prophet follows a well-defined pattern primarily based on seniority. This process, often referred to in terms of a prophet succession list, dictates that when a prophet passes away, the longest-serving member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is typically called as the new prophet. This practice ensures a smooth and orderly transition of leadership within the church. The seniority of the apostles is determined by the date they were ordained as apostles.

Current LDS Apostles by Seniority and Line of Succession

  1. President Dallin H. Oaks – Apostle since May 3, 1984. Next in line to be the prophet.
  2. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland – Apostle since June 23, 1994. Second in line to be the prophet.
  3. President Henry B. Eyring – Apostle since April 1, 1995. Third in line to be the prophet.
  4. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf – Apostle since October 2, 2004. Fourth in line to be the prophet.
  5. Elder David A. Bednar – Apostle since October 7, 2004. Fifth in line to be the prophet.
  6. Elder Quentin L. Cook – Apostle since October 6, 2007. Sixth in line to be the prophet.
  7. Elder D. Todd Christofferson – Apostle since April 5, 2008. Seventh in line to be the prophet.
  8. Elder Neil L. Andersen – Apostle since April 4, 2009. Eighth in line to be the prophet.
  9. Elder Ronald A. Rasband – Apostle since October 3, 2015. Ninth in line to be the prophet.
  10. Elder Gary E. Stevenson – Apostle since October 3, 2015. Tenth in line to be the prophet.
  11. Elder Dale G. Renlund – Apostle since October 3, 2015. Eleventh in line to be the prophet.
  12. Elder Gerrit W. Gong – Apostle since March 31, 2018. Twelfth in line to be the prophet.
  13. Elder Ulisses Soares – Apostle since March 31, 2018. Thirteenth in line to be the prophet.
  14. Elder Patrick Kearon – Apostle since December 7, 2023. Fourteenth in line to be the prophet.

 

The seniority of these apostles is a critical factor in determining the next prophet. The space of time between each apostle’s call reflects the continual process of leadership renewal within the church.

Succession of LDS Prophets from Joseph Smith to Present

The succession of LDS prophets from Joseph Smith to the present has followed a consistent pattern of calling the longest-serving apostle. Here is a list of the prophets, the date they were called, and when the previous prophet passed away:

  1. Joseph Smith – First prophet and founder, martyred on June 27, 1844.
  2. Brigham Young – Called on December 27, 1847, after Joseph Smith’s death.
  3. John Taylor – Called on October 10, 1880, following Brigham Young’s death on August 29, 1877.
  4. Wilford Woodruff – Called on April 7, 1889, after John Taylor’s death on July 25, 1887.
  5. Lorenzo Snow – Called on September 13, 1898, after Wilford Woodruff’s death on September 2, 1898.
  6. Joseph F. Smith – Called on October 17, 1901, after Lorenzo Snow’s death on October 10, 1901.
  7. Heber J. Grant – Called on November 23, 1918, after Joseph F. Smith’s death on November 19, 1918.
  8. George Albert Smith – Called on May 21, 1945, after Heber J. Grant’s death on May 14, 1945.
  9. David O. McKay – Called on April 9, 1951, after George Albert Smith’s death on April 4, 1951.
  10. Joseph Fielding Smith – Called on January 23, 1970, after David O. McKay’s death on January 18, 1970.
  11. Harold B. Lee – Called on July 7, 1972, after Joseph Fielding Smith’s death on July 2, 1972.
  12. Spencer W. Kimball – Called on December 30, 1973, after Harold B. Lee’s death on December 26, 1973.
  13. Ezra Taft Benson – Called on November 10, 1985, after Spencer W. Kimball’s death on November 5, 1985.
  14. Howard W. Hunter – Called on June 5, 1994, after Ezra Taft Benson’s death on May 30, 1994.
  15. Gordon B. Hinckley – Called on March 12, 1995, after Howard W. Hunter’s death on March 3, 1995.
  16. Thomas S. Monson – Called on February 3, 2008, after Gordon B. Hinckley’s death on January 27, 2008.
  17. Russell M. Nelson – Called on January 14, 2018, after Thomas S. Monson’s death on January 2, 2018.

The succession of each prophet has maintained the principle of seniority within the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, ensuring a seamless transition and continuity of leadership. It’s important to note that the calling of the next prophet is done based on revelation and not just seniority. Though a prophet has never been called who was not the most senior, it’s important to note that it could happen.