LDS Church News Reports on Press Conference/Additional Resources from Mormon Newsroom

Hello again, everyone! You can find a summary of responses to the media questions at the press conference today here. That is an excellent article and I recommend it to all of you as well worth the read. In the meantime, you can find the Mormon Newsroom coverage of that press conference (including audio and video archives) here. And the news release about the new leaders (including Elder Ballard), can be found here. They already have a new picture of the First Presidency available on the web, but I need to look more fully into whether or not it is a problem if I post it here. I will be doing so later today, and if I find it is in the public domain under "fair use" regulations, I will be sure to pass that along, That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

New Averages for First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, and All 13 Apostles

Hello again, everyone! I thought some of you might find this interesting. With the changes announced today, the new total life experience of Presidents Nelson, Oaks, and Eyring (as of Sunday, when those changes were effective) is 263.39, with the average age of the three standing at 87.8 years. which are both only slightly more than the numbers I shared in terms of those averages that I cited in my report of those averages less than a month ago (on Christmas Eve, when the totals were 252.04 years for the combined life experience of Presidents Monson, Eyring, and Uchtdorf, with the average of the three on Christmas Eve being 84.01 years.

In the meantime, the way the First Presidency was reconstituted (with Presidents Nelson, Oaks, and Eyring) and the return of Elder Uchtdorf to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles left the 10 members of that Quorum with 720.46 years of combined life experience, which averages to 72.05 years for each of those 10. At the time of my last report, since President Monson was still alive, those totals were 821.42 for the life experience total of the then 11 members, and averaged out at 74.67 years. So that average went up, but only slightly.

The 13 current apostles had a combined total of 983.85 years of life experience at the time the reorganization of the First Presidency occurred on Sunday, which means that each of those 13 had an average 75.68 years of individual experience. In the meantime, on Christmas Eve,  I reported that the 14 apostles living at that time had 1073.46 years of total experience, which at that time averaged out to 76,68 years.

This concludes my explanation of those averages, so that does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Further Resources Provided on President Nelson

Hello again, everyone! This is the Church News report on what was said by the First Presidency  members in the temple where they were introduced, and this is an article sharing some amazing insights about President Nelson's life from those who know him best (including his apostolic colleagues and his children). I hope you enjoy those. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Resources Relating to the New First Presidency/Personal Reaction to the News

Hello again, everyone! I am back to share some resources relating to the events of the day. Click here for the Mormon Newsroom summary, and here for the LDS Church News article. I also wanted to testify that as soon as the announcement of the new leaders was made, I knew right then that they were called of the Lord, and that their calls have been divinely directed. The Lord is clearly at work in what has taken place.

And I have been especially touched to hear President Nelson say that Elder Uchtdorf, who served so well as a counselor to President Monson, has already been given significant assignments that he is uniquely suited to fill. It is not a demotion of any kind. I think we will hear in General Conference from Elder Uchtdorf that he does not have a problem with what has occurred and the way it has occurred.

Clearly, since the advanced announcement did not involve what many (myself included) had expected, the coming days will demonstrate the priorities that the new leadership will focus on during their tenure. How wonderful it was to hear of this news. I also liked that President Nelson announced his longevity & intention to serve for many years. I expect nothing but great things for the Church going forward, and we will see how things unfold going forward.

In the meantime, I also wanted to note that I was touched to see how this new First Presidency were already supporting each other, finishing each other's thoughts, and sharing their united vision. The way those questions were addressed by the three is something I have not seen in a First Presidency before now.

I again testify that these leaders have been called of God and are uniquely suited for the positions they have assumed, and I do so gratefully as I also share my witness that the Lord is in control, that the Church is on the right track, that the best days are yet to come, and that all is well. I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

BREAKING NEWS: New First Presidency Announced

Hello again, everyone! Elder D. Todd Christofferson, the apostle in charge of the Church Public Affairs Department, acted for President Nelson in announcing that he (President Nelson) had been ordained and set apart as the Church President, that Dallin H. Oaks had been set apart as both President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and First Counselor in the First Presidency. He has also invited President Henry B. Eyring to be his Second Counselor. In view of Elder Oaks' call as a member of the First Presidency, M. Russell Ballard has been called and set apart as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. President Nelson made it clear that Elder Uchtdorf, not retained in the First Presidency by him, has already been given several assignments that he, as a previously-serving member of the First Presidency, is uniquely suited to take on. No demotion there. And this is a wise move, since President Oaks will succeed President Nelson as Church president at some point. This news was delivered from within the Salt Lake Temple, which was a new development indeed. More to come as it is revealed. Thank you.