LDS conference: Announcement of new apostle may be highlight

The expected historic call of a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve is one of the anticipated highlights as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today convenes the opening sessions of its 179th Annual General Conference.

The individual called will be the latest to join the 15 men — three in the First Presidency and 12 in the Quorum of the Twelve — who church members sustain and revere as prophets, seers and revelators and who serve for life. He'll be the fifth added in less than five years, after a prolonged period at the turn of this century with no changes in either leadership body.

The only conference-time leadership change of greater magnitude, interest and impact is a solemn assembly to sustain a newly called church president or the sustaining of new counselors in the First Presidency — both of which happened a year ago in April 2008 General Conference with President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors, Presidents Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

The call to fill the vacancy in the Twelve created by the December 2008 passing of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin is just one of a number of announcements expected this conference weekend, along with possible changes among the general and area authorities and general auxiliary presidencies. New temples also may be announced.

While some past patterns are evident, the timing of announced leadership changes or new temples is far from set in stone.

First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve

The First Presidency of President Gordon B. Hinckley and counselors President Monson and President James E. Faust remained intact from March 12, 1995, to the latter's death in August 2007 — the longest continuous service of a church president and the same two counselors in the history of the church.

Likewise, the Quorum of the Twelve had no changes from April 1995 through mid-2004, the 9½-year span being the quorum's longest period of membership stability in more than 70 years and the third-longest ever.

But since October 2004, the church has sustained a new president, reorganized the First Presidency twice and added four members to the Quorum of the Twelve. Saturday's anticipated calling will be the fifth in five years.

That may seem like considerable change, but Elders Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Wirthlin and Richard G. Scott themselves were sustained in a 4½-year span. The largest turnover in the Quorum of the Twelve in the shortest period of time was the calling of 12 apostles between 1879 and 1889.

Presidency, Quorums of the Seventy