Called by Gordon B. Hinckley

After the death of Pres. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley became the next President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hinckley had been in the First Presidency for the previous three prophets, and he had the bulk of the responsibility when each of those leaders became hindered by old age. He served for over 12 years, and he was the oldest prophet in church history when he died at age 97. His First Presidency of the first ten years with Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust was the longest a First Presidency had ever gone without a change.

Called to be Apostles by Gordon B. Hinckley:
Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf,
David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook

HENRY B. EYRING
(May 31, 1933 - )

Apostle - April 1, 1995
Second Counselor - October 6, 2007
First Counselor - February 3, 2008

Eyring was born in New Jersey, the son of the president of the Amiercan Chemical Society and nephew by marriage to Spencer W. Kimball, who became an Apostle when Eyring was ten years old. During World War II, with gas rationing, his family would hold church services in their home, often by themselves.

He served in the US Air Force for two years and served as a district missionary while he was stationed in New Mexico. He got his Bachelors in physics from the University of Utah, and his Masters and Doctorate from Harvard Business School. He's had professor jobs at Stanford and MIT, and he served as President of Ricks College.

He was the first Apostle called by Pres. Hinckley, and no others were needed for nine years, the longest span the church has ever gone without a change to the Q12.  After the death of James E. Faust, Hinckley called him to be his new second counselor. When Pres. Monson took over, he made Eyring his first counselor.

DIETER F. UCHTDORF
(November 6, 1940 - )

Apostle - October 2, 2004
Second Counselor - February 3, 2008

Uchtdorf was born in Nazi-occupied Ostrava (now the Czech Republic). They moved to East Germany, but he and his family fled to West Germany around 1950. He studied in Switzerland, earning an MBA there.

He volunteered for the West German Air Force, and he trained in Texas to be a fighter pilot. He made his career working for Lufthansa.

He and David A. Bednar were called to be Apostles the same day, but he has seniority. He's the first German apostle, and the first one not from North America since John A. Widtsoe died in 1952. When Pres. Monson became prophet, he called Uchtdorf into the First Presidency. Said Uchtdorf: "This is truly an international church."

DAVID A. BEDNAR
(June 15, 1952 - )

Apostle - October 7, 2004

Bednar was born in Oakland, California. His mother was a member but his father was not. (His father joined the church when Bednar was in his late-twenties.) He served his mission in Germany. He got his Masters from BYU and a doctorate from Purdue. He worked as professor or dean at University of Arkansas and Texas Tech University until he got a job as president of Ricks College, transitioning it into BYU-Idaho.

While he was still BYU-I's president, he along with Uchtdorf were called to be Apostles after the deaths of Neal A. Maxwell and David B. Haight. He is still the youngest member of the Q12 at age 62.

QUENTIN L. COOK
(September 8, 1940 - )

Apostle - October 6, 2007

Cook was the son of J. Vernon Cook and Bernice Kimball, a great-granddaughter of Heber C. Kimball. He was born and raised in Logan, Utah. He served his mission in England (companions with Jeffrey R. Holland at one point). He went to school at Utah State and then Stanford Law School.

He worked in corporate law in California for decades, then became CEO of two different health-care companies. He served as a bishop, stake president, regional representative and Area Seventy. While a Seventy, he was a counselor over the Philippines Area.

He was called to be an Apostle at age 67, after the death of James E. Faust.