FIRST PRESIDENCY (LDS CHURCH)

The 'First Presidency' (also called the 'Quorum of the Presidency of the Church' or simply 'the Presidency') is the presiding or governing authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors.

Contents

Membership

Title of members

Removal

Duties

Current First Presidency

Chronology of the First Presidency

Members of the First Presidency who were not Apostles

Secretary to the First Presidency

Chronology of secretaries

See also

Notes

Membership

The First Presidency is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. Most First Presidencies have been composed of the president and two counselors, but circumstances have occasionally required additional ones (for example, David O. McKay had five during the final years of his presidency and at one point Brigham Young had eight).
Counselors are usually chosen from the among the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, although there have been a number of exceptions where members of the church's Presiding Bishopric or the church at large were called to be counselors. Any high priest of the church is eligible to be called as a counselor in the First Presidency. There have also been a few cases where counselors have been ordained to the priesthood office of apostle and became members of the Quorum of the Twelve after already being set apart as counselors in the First Presidency (e.g., J. Reuben Clark). There have been other cases where counselors have been ordained to the office of apostle but ''not'' set apart as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve (e.g., Alvin R. Dyer). Other counselors in the First Presidency were never ordained to the office of apostle (e.g., Charles W. Nibley; John R. Winder). Whether or not a counselor is an apostle, all members of the First Presidency are sustained by the church as prophets, seers, and revelators.
Counselors are formally designated as "First Counselor in the First Presidency" and "Second Counselor in the First Presidency" based on the order they were selected by the president. Additional counselors have been designated in different ways, including "Third Counselor in the First Presidency" (e.g., Hugh B. Brown), "Assistant Counselor to the President" (e.g., John Willard Young), and simply "Counselor in the First Presidency" (e.g., Thorpe B. Isaacson).
Counselors serve in the First Presidency until their own deaths, until the death of the church president who called them, or until they are released by the church president. The death of a church president dissolves the First Presidency, and leaves the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as the senior leader of the church. The death or release of a counselor does not dissolve the First Presidency.
Often, the surviving counselors of the late president will be called as counselors in the new First Presidency, and a notably infirm counselor may revert to his place among the Twelve Apostles with a healthier man called as counselor in his place. On the death or release of a first counselor, the second counselor usually succeeds and a new second counselor is named. Although these are fairly common occurrences, there are no hard and fast rules about such practices and each president is free to choose the counselors he prefers.

Title of members

Like the church president and President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, counselors in the First Presidency are appropriately referred to by the title "President"; thus, the members of the current First Presidency are referred to as President Gordon B. Hinckley, and President Thomas S. Monson.

Removal

Though there has not been a popular movement in the church to have a member of the First Presidency removed or punished for many years, a member could theoretically be removed from his position or otherwise disciplined by the Common Council of the Church.

Duties

The First Presidency is the highest ranking priesthood quorum of the church. The counselors assist the church president and work closely with him in guiding the entire church and carrying out the duties of the president of the church. The First Presidency has the theoretical authority to make the final decision on nearly all issues which might affect the church or its operations, though in practice the First Presidency has delegated much of its decision-making power to members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, and local leaders of the church. Nevertheless, the First Presidency has retained its overarching decision-making power in a number of significant areas and may at any time choose to overrule the decisions of a lesser church quorum or authority.
In the case of an infirm president, his counselors may be called upon to perform more of the duties of the First Presidency that would normally be performed by the president. If needed, any number of additional counselors may be called to assist them, though the president of the church remains the only person on the earth authorized to use ''all'' priesthood keys. All members of the First Presidency are sustained by the membership of the church as prophets, seers, and revelators.
All members of the First Presidency are also members of the church's Council on the Disposition of the Tithes, a body which determines how the tithing funds of the church are spent.

Current First Presidency

The current First Presidency is composed of Gordon B. Hinckley, President, and Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor. The position of Second Counselor is currently vacant since the death of James E. Faust on 10 August, 2007. Prior to his death, the composition of the First Presidency had remained unchanged since 12 March, 1995 and had been the longest consecutive presidency in church history. It is expected a new second counselor will be announced at or before the October 2007 general conference of the church.

Chronology of the First Presidency

Dates	President of the Church	First Counselor	Second Counselor	Other Counselors	Change
8 March 1832— 3 December 1832	Joseph Smith, Jr.	Sidney Rigdon	Jesse Gause		Initial organization of First Presidency
3 December 1832— 18 March 1833	Joseph Smith, Jr.	Sidney Rigdon			Jesse Gause excommunicated
18 March 1833— 5 December 1834	Joseph Smith, Jr.	Sidney Rigdon	Frederick G. Williams		Frederick G. Williams called as Second Counselor
5 December 1834— 3 September 1837	Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	Frederick G. Williams		Oliver Cowdery called as Assistant President of the Church
3 September 1837— 7 November 1837	Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	Frederick G. Williams	Oliver Cowdery (Assistant Counselor) Hyrum Smith (Assistant Counselor) John Smith (Assistant Counselor) Joseph Smith, Sr. (Assistant Counselor)	Hyrum Smith, John Smith and Joseph Smith, Sr. called as Assistant Counselors; Oliver Cowdery also given the title of Assistant Counselor
7 November 1837— 11 April 1938	Joseph Smith, Jr. Oliver Cowdery (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	Hyrum Smith	Oliver Cowdery (Assistant Counselor) Joseph Smith, Sr. (Assistant Counselor) John Smith (Assistant Counselor)	Frederick G. Williams rejected as Second Counselor at church conference; Hyrum Smith called as Second Counselor
11 April 1838— 14 September 1840	Joseph Smith, Jr.	Sidney Rigdon	Hyrum Smith	Joseph Smith, Sr. (Assistant Counselor) John Smith (Assistant Counselor)	Oliver Cowdery excommunicated
14 September 1840— 24 January 1841	Joseph Smith, Jr.	Sidney Rigdon	Hyrum Smith	John Smith (Assistant Counselor)	Death of Joseph Smith, Sr.
24 January 1841— 8 April 1841	Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	William Law	John Smith (Assistant Counselor)	Hyrum Smith called as Assistant President of the Church; William Law replaces Hyrum Smith as Second Counselor
8 April 1841— 25 May 1842	Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President) John C. Bennett (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	William Law	John Smith (Counselor)	John C. Bennett called as Assistant President
25 May 1842— 4 February 1843	Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	William Law	John Smith (Assistant Counselor)	John C. Bennett disfellowshipped
4 February 1843— 18 April 1844	Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon	William Law	John Smith (Assistant Counselor) Amasa M. Lyman (Counselor)	Amasa M. Lyman called as Counselor
18 April 1844— 27 June 1844	Joseph Smith, Jr. Hyrum Smith (Assistant President)	Sidney Rigdon		John Smith (Assistant Counselor) Amasa M. Lyman (Counselor)	Apostasy of William Law
27 December 1847— 11 March 1854	Brigham Young	Heber C. Kimball	Willard Richards		First Presidency reorganized after deaths of Joseph Smith, Jr. and Hyrum Smith
11 March 1854— 7 April 1854	Brigham Young	Heber C. Kimball			Death of Willard Richards
7 April 1854— 1 December 1856	Brigham Young	Heber C. Kimball	Jedediah M. Grant		Jedediah M. Grant called as Second Counselor
1 December 1856— 4 January 1857	Brigham Young	Heber C. Kimball			Death of Jedediah M. Grant
4 January 1857— 1 July 1866	Brigham Young	Heber C. Kimball	Daniel H. Wells		Daniel H. Wells called as Second Counselor
1 July 1866— 22 June 1868	Brigham Young	Heber C. Kimball	Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor)	Joseph F. Smith called as Counselor
22 June 1868— 7 October 1868	Brigham Young		Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor)	Death of Heber C. Kimball
7 October 1868— 8 April 1873	Brigham Young	George A. Smith	Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor)	George A. Smith called as First Counselor
8 April 1873— 9 May 1874	Brigham Young	George A. Smith	Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor) John Willard Young (Counselor) George Q. Cannon (Counselor) Brigham Young, Jr. (Counselor) Lorenzo Snow (Counselor) Albert Carrington (Counselor)	John Willard Young, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., Lorenzo Snow, and Albert Carrington called as Counselors
9 May 1874— 1 September 1875	Brigham Young	George A. Smith	Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor) John Willard Young (Assistant Counselor) George Q. Cannon (Assistant Counselor) Brigham Young, Jr. (Assistant Counselor) Lorenzo Snow (Assistant Counselor) Albert Carrington (Assistant Counselor))	Titles of all additional counselors (except Joseph F. Smith) changed from Counselor to Assistant Counselor
1 September 1875— 8 October 1876	Brigham Young		Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor) John Willard Young (Assistant Counselor) George Q. Cannon (Assistant Counselor) Brigham Young, Jr. (Assistant Counselor) Lorenzo Snow (Assistant Counselor) Albert Carrington (Assistant Counselor)	Death of George A. Smith
8 October 1876— 29 August 1877	Brigham Young	John Willard Young	Daniel H. Wells	Joseph F. Smith (Counselor) George Q. Cannon (Assistant Counselor) Brigham Young, Jr. (Assistant Counselor) Lorenzo Snow (Assistant Counselor) Albert Carrington (Assistant Counselor)	John Willard Young called as First Counselor
10 October 1880— 25 July 1887	John Taylor	George Q. Cannon	Joseph F. Smith		First Presidency reorganized after death of Brigham Young
7 April 1889— 2 September 1898	Wilford Woodruff	George Q. Cannon	Joseph F. Smith		First Presidency reorganized after death of John Taylor
13 September 1898— 21 April 1901	Lorenzo Snow	George Q. Cannon	Joseph F. Smith		First Presidency reorganized after death of Wilford Woodruff
21 April 1901— 6 October 1901	Lorenzo Snow		Joseph F. Smith		Death of George Q. Cannon
6 October 1901— 10 October 1901	Lorenzo Snow	Joseph F. Smith	Rudger Clawson		Joseph F. Smith called as First Counselor; Rudger Clawson called as Second Counselor. NOTE: These counselors were sustained but not set apart due to the death of Snow 4 days later
17 October 1901— 27 March 1910	Joseph F. Smith	John R. Winder	Anthon H. Lund		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Lorenzo Snow
27 March 1910— 7 April 1910	Joseph F. Smith		Anthon H. Lund		Death of John R. Winder
7 April 1910— 13 October 1911	Joseph F. Smith	Anthon H. Lund	John Henry Smith		Anthon H. Lund called as First Counselor; John Henry Smith called as Second Counselor
13 October 1911— 7 December 1911	Joseph F. Smith	Anthon H. Lund			Death of John Henry Smith
7 December 1911— 19 November 1918	Joseph F. Smith	Anthon H. Lund	Charles W. Penrose		Charles W. Penrose called as Second Counselor
23 November 1918— 2 March 1921	Heber J. Grant	Anthon H. Lund	Charles W. Penrose		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Joseph F. Smith
2 March 1921— 10 March 1921	Heber J. Grant		Charles W. Penrose		Death of Anthon H. Lund
10 March 1921— 16 May 1925	Heber J. Grant	Charles W. Penrose	Anthony W. Ivins		Charles W. Penrose called as First Counselor; Anthony W. Ivins called as Second Counselor
16 May 1925— 28 May 1925	Heber J. Grant		Anthony W. Ivins		Death of Charles W. Penrose
28 May 1925— 11 December 1931	Heber J. Grant	Anthony W. Ivins	Charles W. Nibley		Anthony W. Ivins called as First Counselor; Charles W. Nibley called as Second Counselor
11 December 1931— 6 April 1933	Heber J. Grant	Anthony W. Ivins			Death of Charles W. Nibley
6 April 1933— 23 September 1934	Heber J. Grant	Anthony W. Ivins	J. Reuben Clark, Jr.		J. Reuben Clark, Jr. called as Second Counselor
23 September 1934— 11 October 1934	Heber J. Grant		J. Reuben Clark, Jr.		Death of Anthony W. Ivins
11 October 1934— 14 May 1945	Heber J. Grant	J. Reuben Clark, Jr.	David O. McKay		J. Reuben Clark, Jr. called as First Counselor; David O. McKay called as Second Counselor
21 May 1945— 4 April 1951	George Albert Smith	J. Reuben Clark, Jr.	David O. McKay		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Heber J. Grant
9 April 1951— 19 May 1959	David O. McKay	Stephen L Richards	J. Reuben Clark, Jr.		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of George Albert Smith
19 May 1959— 12 June 1959	David O. McKay		J. Reuben Clark, Jr.		Death of Stephen L Richards
12 June 1959— 22 June 1961	David O. McKay	J. Reuben Clark, Jr.	Henry D. Moyle		J. Reuben Clark, Jr. called as First Counselor; Henry D. Moyle called as Second Counselor
22 June 1961— 6 October 1961	David O. McKay	J. Reuben Clark, Jr.	Henry D. Moyle	Hugh B. Brown (Third Counselor)	Hugh B. Brown called as Third Counselor
6 October 1961— 12 October 1961	David O. McKay		Henry D. Moyle	Hugh B. Brown (Third Counselor)	Death of J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
12 October 1961— 18 September 1963	David O. McKay	Henry D. Moyle	Hugh B. Brown		Henry D. Moyle called as First Counselor; Hugh B. Brown called as Second Counselor
18 September 1963— 4 October 1963	David O. McKay		Hugh B. Brown		Death of Henry D. Moyle
4 October 1963— 28 October 1965	David O. McKay	Hugh B. Brown	N. Eldon Tanner		Hugh B. Brown called as First Counselor; N. Eldon Tanner called as Second Counselor
28 October 1965— 29 October 1965	David O. McKay	Hugh B. Brown	N. Eldon Tanner	Thorpe B. Isaacson (Counselor)	Thorpe B. Isaacson called as Counselor
29 October 1965— 6 April 1968	David O. McKay	Hugh B. Brown	N. Eldon Tanner	Thorpe B. Isaacson (Counselor) Joseph Fielding Smith (Counselor)	Joseph Fielding Smith called as Counselor
6 April 1968— 18 January 1970	David O. McKay	Hugh B. Brown	N. Eldon Tanner	Thorpe B. Isaacson (Counselor) Joseph Fielding Smith (Counselor) Alvin R. Dyer (Counselor)	Alvin R. Dyer called as Counselor
23 January 1970— 2 July 1972	Joseph Fielding Smith	Harold B. Lee	N. Eldon Tanner		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of David O. McKay
7 July 1972— 26 December 1973	Harold B. Lee	N. Eldon Tanner	Marion G. Romney		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Joseph Fielding Smith
30 December 1973— 3 October 1981	Spencer W. Kimball	N. Eldon Tanner	Marion G. Romney		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Harold B. Lee
3 October 1981— 27 November 1982	Spencer W. Kimball	N. Eldon Tanner	Marion G. Romney	Gordon B. Hinckley (Counselor)	Gordon B. Hinckley called as Counselor
27 November 1982— 2 December 1982	Spencer W. Kimball		Marion G. Romney	Gordon B. Hinckley (Counselor)	Death of N. Eldon Tanner
2 December 1982— 5 November 1985	Spencer W. Kimball	Marion G. Romney	Gordon B. Hinckley		Marion G. Romney called as First Counselor; Gordon B. Hinckley called as Second Counselor
10 November 1985— 30 May 1994	Ezra Taft Benson	Gordon B. Hinckley	Thomas S. Monson		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Spencer W. Kimball
6 June 1994— 3 March 1995	Howard W. Hunter	Gordon B. Hinckley	Thomas S. Monson		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Ezra Taft Benson
12 March 1995—10 August 2007	Gordon B. Hinckley	Thomas S. Monson	James E. Faust		Reorganization of First Presidency after death of Howard W. Hunter
10 August 2007—	Gordon B. Hinckley	Thomas S. Monson			Death of James E. Faust[1]

Members of the First Presidency who were not Apostles

There is no requirement that counselors in the First Presidency be apostles of the church. The following men served as a counselor in the First Presidency during the years indicated and were never ordained to the priesthood office of Apostle:
:
★ Sidney Rigdon (1832-1844)
:
★ Jesse Gause (1832-1833)
:
★ Frederick G. Williams (1833-1837)
:
★ John Smith (1837-1844)
:
★ Joseph Smith, Sr. (1837-1840)
:
★ William Law (1841-1844)
:
★ John C. Bennett (1841-1842)
:
★ John R. Winder (1901-1910)
:
★ Charles W. Nibley (1925-1931)
:
★ Thorpe B. Isaacson (1965-1970)

Secretary to the First Presidency

The church employs a secretary to assist the First Presidency in its administrative duties. The position is paid employment and its holder is not formally considered to be a member of the First Presidency or a general authority of the church. However, it is common for letters from the office of the First Presidency to private individuals to bear the signature of the Presidency's secretary as opposed to any of the members of the Presidency.
The First Presidency also employs assistant secretaries and press secretaries.

Chronology of secretaries

:
★ George W. Robinson (1838–1840)
:
★ George Reynolds (1865–1909)
:
★ George F. Gibbs (1909–1922)
:
★ Joseph Anderson (1922–1970)
:
★ Francis M. Gibbons (1970–1986)
:
★ F. Michael Watson (1986– )

See also

★ Council of the Church

Notes

1. President James E. Faust dies at age 87