The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the highest governing body, led by President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring. This three-member council guides the Church’s global spiritual and administrative affairs.

Upon the death of the President, the First Presidency dissolves, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assumes temporary leadership. This seamless succession process ensures stability and continuity in Church governance.

Recent developments highlight Elder Oaks’ expanding role, signaling a new era for the Church under prophetic direction.

Current Members of the First Presidency in The Church of Jesus Christ: Leadership Structure and Succession Process

The Current Composition of the First Presidency

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints represents the highest governing body in the Church’s organizational structure. Currently, this presidency consists of President Russell M. Nelson as the prophet and his two trusted counselors: Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring. These three leaders collectively guide the doctrinal, administrative, and global affairs of the worldwide LDS Church.

President Nelson, ordained as the 17th President in 2018, brings his notable medical background as a pioneering heart surgeon to his spiritual leadership. His first counselor, President Oaks, previously served as President of Brigham Young University and as a Utah Supreme Court Justice. President Eyring, the second counselor, comes from an academic background at Stanford University and brings decades of ecclesiastical experience.

The current First Presidency represents an interesting blend of professional backgrounds – medicine, law, and academia. This diversity strengthens their collective ability to address modern challenges facing Church members worldwide.

The Unique Role of the First Presidency

Unlike other religious leadership structures:

• The First Presidency holds both spiritual and temporal authority
• They serve lifetime appointments
• All decisions require unanimous agreement
• They work closely with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Succession Process When the Prophet Dies

Upon the death of the Church President, an established succession protocol immediately takes effect. The First Presidency is automatically dissolved, and the two counselors return to their positions in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (if they were serving apostles). The Quorum of the Twelve then assumes presidential authority during what is termed the “interregnum” period.

The President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (currently Elder M. Russell Ballard) temporarily becomes the senior authority. However, the full Quorum governs collectively until they formally reorganize the First Presidency. Historically, this transition period lasts about two weeks.

What fascinates me most about this process is its predictability. The seniority system eliminates power struggles seen in other religious transitions while maintaining continuity of revelation.

Historical Precedents

This succession process has remained unchanged since Brigham Young’s presidency in 1847. The only exception occurred after Joseph Smith’s martyrdom when succession disputes led to the formation of various Latter Day Saint denominations.

How the New Prophet is Selected

The selection process follows strict seniority rules based on:

• Longest continuous service in the Quorum of the Twelve
• Age (in rare cases where ordination dates are identical)
• Unanimous approval by the Quorum members

The senior apostle always becomes the new President without exception. This eliminates any voting or political considerations. The process symbolizes the LDS belief in divine providence guiding leadership succession.

This seniority system creates fascinating dynamics where apostles know decades in advance the likely prophetic succession order. Imagine knowing you’ll likely become Church President in 2045!

The Role of Revelation

While the seniority system governs selection, Latter-day Saints believe the final decision reflects divine will. The Quorum meets in the Salt Lake Temple upper room where they:

• Pray for confirmation
• Discuss any health considerations
• Sustain the senior apostle unanimously

The Critical Role of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Quorum serves as the second-highest governing body with several key responsibilities:

• Global administrative oversight
• Doctrinal interpretation
• Temple dedications
• Missionary work coordination

Each apostle holds the title of “prophet, seer, and revelator,” though only the President exercises these keys fully. The Twelve travel extensively, often visiting multiple countries weekly to minister to members.

Modern technology has transformed apostolic ministry. Where early apostles traveled by wagon, today’s leaders conduct global ministry via satellite broadcasts while still maintaining personal visitations.

Assignment Areas

Each apostle receives specific geographic and administrative assignments:

The Meaning of This Structure for Members

For the average Latter-day Saint, this leadership structure provides:

• Stability during transitions
• Assurance of doctrinal continuity
• Global unity in teachings
• Access to prophetic guidance

Members express sustaining votes during general conferences, symbolizing their support for these leaders. This practice happens semiannually and whenever new leaders are called.

The sustaining vote represents a fascinating blend of democratic participation within a hierarchical structure – members ratify leaders they didn’t choose but sustain through revelation.

Historical Challenges and Future Considerations

While generally smooth, succession occasionally faces challenges:

• Aging leadership demographics
• Global pandemic adaptations
• Growing international membership
• Changing cultural expectations

The Church continues adapting its leadership structure while maintaining core succession principles established nearly two centuries ago.