Will Pres. Nelson call the LDS Church's First Non-White Apostle?

The ascendancy of Russell M. Nelson to become the new President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints come at an interesting time. From 2014-2016 marked the first time since 1928-1930 that the Church went three years in a row without at least 2% growth. Non-American members outnumber American members. Non-white members outnumber white members, and yet in the history of the Church, while 100 men have been called to be Apostles, 90 of them have been American, and all of them have been white. (The non-Americans were six from England, and one each from Ireland, Denmark, Norway and Germany.)

At Pres. Nelson's first and probably last press conference for the general public, he addressed the lack of diversity in the First Presidency/Quorum of the Twelve by pointing out how many countries are represented by the 84 men in the Quorum of the Seventy. With every vacancy in the top fifteen, the odds increase: will we finally get a non-white apostle?

Pres. Monson had five opportunities. All five of his selections were white men born in Utah. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, called by Pres. Hinckley in 2004, was the first non-American in 71 years to become an Apostle (the previous being the Irish Charles A. Callis), and he remains the lone non-American in the Quorum.

So based on past callings, with information comes inspiration, let's see what the odds are of the next two to be called.

CATEGORY #1 - WHITE AMERICANS

Craig C. Christensen

I wouldn't rule out the next two apostles also being white Americans, but I'd be shocked if neither of them were. It's very rare for someone to be called who isn't already in the centerfold of the Ensign or president of a church university to be called. In fact, Thomas S. Monson is the most recent apostle to not fit into one of those categories, so let's assume this will work.

The Presidency of the Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric are where new Apostles most often come from. The white Americans currently in these offices are L. Whitney Clayton (68), Craig C. Christensen (61), Lynn G. Robbins (65), Dean M. Davies (66), and W. Christopher Waddell (58).

Ever since David Bednar turned 60, this is the only and longest time in Church history that every man in the FP/Q12 have been at least 60. Also it's very rare for an Apostle to be over 70 when called. It stands to reason that at least one of the two new ones will be younger than 60. Now to factor in the presidents of BYU and BYU-Idaho, you add Kevin J. Worthen (62), Henry J. Eyring (54), Clark Gilbert (49), and Kim B. Clark (68).

There's also the Sunday School and Young Men's Presidencies to consider. Pres. Nelson was Sunday School President when he was called. This would mean Stephen W. Owen (59), Douglas D. Holmes (56), Monte Joseph Brough (54), Devin Durrant (57) and Brian K. Ashton (49) are possible (I'm excluding 72-year-old Tad R. Callister). I also don't give Durrant much of a shot after his "Ponderize" talk backfired.

Next we would consider the General Authority Seventies, now called as such after the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy were combined. From this bunch, I will rule out any man 66 or over, and who hasn't been in at least two years. This leaves several options.

In order of seniority from when he was called into the Q70:

Paul V. Johnson (63), Paul B. Pieper (60), Shayne M. Bowen (63), Marcus B. Nash (60), Anthony D. Perkins (57), Kevin W. Pearson (60), James R. Martino (56), Brent H. Nielson (63), Michael T. Ringwood (60), Kevin R. Duncan (57), Carl B. Cook (60), LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. (65), Scott D. Whiting (56), Randy D. Funk (65), Kevin S. Hamilton (62), Gifford Nielsen (63), Allen D. Haynie (59), and Vern P. Stanfill (60).

Now, of all of these candidates, L. Whitney Clayton has a decent shot despite his age. He holds the same office Ronald A. Rasband did when he was called to be an Apostle. Clayton's calling could mean a further hardline approach that Nelson signalled when he swapped out Uchtdorf for Oaks in the FIrst Presidency. I am less inclined to think the others in this Presidency would have a shot.

If Nelson calls one white American and one who isn't, I would guess it would follow the Uchtdorf-Bednar pattern where the American is the younger one. Therefore I'd increase the odds of those under 60. I also wouldn't rule out Henry J. Eyring due to nepotism. "If the Lord wants a father and son to serve together, then it's the Lord's will." Plenty of fathers and sons have been in the FP/Q12 at the same time in the past.

Now let's look at the other categories.

CATEGORY #2 - NON-WHITE AMERICANS

Gerritt W. Gong

This is admittedly a small group, but with one likely candidate. Gerritt W. Gong (64) is fourth-generation American of Chinese heritage. Gong's callings have lent him to work closely with Pres. Nelson in the past. He's comfortable with him. Other possibilites are Larry Echo Hawk (69), Adrian Ochoa (63) and Hugo Montoya (57), as well as Puerto Rico's Hugo E. Martinez (61).

CATEGORY #3 - WHITE NON-AMERICANS

I'm just going with the UK/Canadian/Australian men for this. There's Patrick Kearon (56) from the U.K., just barely called into the Presidency of the Seventy. One would also have to consider Christoffel Golden (65), David S. Baxter (63), Ian S. Ardern (63), Randall K. Bennett (62), and Terence Vinson (66) as well. I'll also add the Germans Erich Kopischke (61) and Jorg Klebigat (50).

CATEGORY #4 - NON-WHITE NON-AMERICANS

Juan Uceda

Top of this list would be France's Gerald Causse (54), current Presiding Bishop, an office previously held by Gary E. Stevenson and Robert D. Hales, among others. I don't know exactly what his Ancestry results would yield, but he has a definite Mediterranean look. In the Presidency of the Seventy there's Brazil's Ulisses Soares (59) and Peru's Juan Uceda (64).

From the General Authority Seventy, there's Claudio RM Costa (68), Walter F. Gonzalez (65), Marcos Aidukaitis (58), Benjamin de Hoyos (65), Enrique Falabella (67), Claudio D. Zivic (69), Michael John U. Teh (52), Eduardo Gavarrett (61), Carlos A. Godoy (57), Rafael E. Pino (62), Jose A. Teixeira (57), Jorge Zeballos (62), Yoon Hwan Choi (60), Joseph W. Sitati (65), Jose L. Alonso (59), O. Vincent Haleck (69), Kazuhiko Yamashita (64), Edward Dube (55), Arnulfo Valenzuela (58), and Chi Hong "Sam" Wong (55).

My guess?

MOST LIKELY WHITE AMERICANS:

W. Christopher Waddell

W. Christopher Waddell, Kevin J. Worthen, L. Whitney Clayton, Shayne M. Bowen, Henry J. Eyring, Kevin R. Duncan, Kevin W. Pearson, Stephen W. Owen, Clark Gilbert, Michael T. Ringwood

MOST LIKELY NON-WHITE AMERICANS:

Gerritt W. Gong, Hugo E. Martinez

MOST LIKELY WHITE NON-AMERICANS:

Patrick Kearon, Jorg Klebigat

MOST LIKELY NON-WHITE NON-AMERICANS:

Ulisses Soares

Ulisses Soares, Gerald Causse, Yoon Hawn Choi, Joseph W. Sitati, Benjamin de Hoyos, Juan Uceda

Guessing the Next Three Apostles

I've done my pieces on guessing the next apostle after Elder Perry died, and guessing the next two after Pres. Packer died, but now that Elder Scott has died, Pres. Monson will now have the opportunity to call three Apostles at once, something that hasn't happened since Joseph F. Smith did so in 1906.

The decision is up to Pres. Monson, but he will have help/advice/suggestions from his counselors in the First Presidency as well as the other apostles. It's unclear at this point just how far along his dementia is, but you could tell at this weekend's Women's Session of Conference that he has a handler who is on him at all times to walk him where he needs to go.

As we're only a few days away, I'm going to give my best guesses as to who they'll be. I've given my analysis on most of them in previous posts, and here's my participation in a TribTalk interview with the Salt Lake Tribune's Jennifer Napier-Pearce and Peggy Fletcher Stack, Mormon Matters' Dan Wotherspoon, and A Thoughtful Faith's Gina Colvin.

AMERICAN

FAVORITES

James J. Hamula

1. Ronald A. Rasband - 2/6/51 (64) - He's been in the Presidency of the Seventy the longest. He's a few months older than Neil L. Andersen.
2. James J. Hamula - 11/20/57 (57) - I base this on confirmation from a Reddit user who claims that he works in the Church Office Building, and indeed, Rasband and Hamula are the top two Americans on the list, which coincides from what I've heard from others in the COB.
3. David F. Evans - 8/11/51 (64) - He's been a General Authority for ten years. He's a former stake president, mission president, and his mother was once a counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency. His background is law, and he once worked for the prominent Utah firm Durham, Jones & Pinegar.
4. Gary E. Stevenson - 8/5/55 (60) - Current Presiding Bishop.

MAYBES

Larry J. Echo Hawk

5. Larry J. Echo Hawk - 8/2/48 (67) - I'm sensing increased interest in him. He's Native American (Pawnee), and he'd therefore be the first non-white Apostle in LDS history. He's Democrat, and so it would therefore indicate more diversity in the quorum, which has been a model of uniformity as of late.
6. Gerrit W. Gong - 12/23/53 (61) - He's Chinese, so he'd also be the first non-white Apostle in LDS history, should it happen. He's been an employee for the US State Department and worked in the US Embassy in China. He's worked as a professor at Georgetown and Johns Hopkins before working at BYU. He served his mission in Taiwan and has been a bishop and stake president before becoming a Seventy.
7. Michael T. Ringwood - 2/14/58 (57) - He worked at Huntsman Chemical with Rasband, so I think that there's no way both could be called, but if Rasband is not one of the three, I could Ringwood sliding in there. Plus he's Russell M. Nelson's son-in-law, and family relations have rarely hurt a GA's chances of becoming an Apostle.
8. L. Whitney Clayton - 2/24/50 (65) - I get the feeling if it was up to a couple of the senior Apostles, Clayton would be a shoo-in, but I think there's enough red flags against him that he won't be called. But I mention him because he is in such prime position.
9. Kevin R. Duncan - 10/6/60 (54) - He served his mission in Chile and later went back to be a mission president in Chile. He knows adversity; his first wife died in a car accident when they'd only been married for two years, leaving him with a baby to riase by himself. He remarried and became a lawyer. He's one of the youngest Americans in the Seventy.
10. David L. Beck - 4/12/53 (62) - Recently released as Young Men's General President, he has a lot of experience in Brazil. He lived there for a few years as a child while his dad was a mission president there. When he was 19, he was called to serve his mission in Brazil. Later, he would serve as a mission president in Brazil.

I would be remiss if I did not also mention Donald L. Hallstrom, Richard J. Maynes, Craig C. Christensen, and Lynn G. Robbins as possibilities. I'll also keep the names of Steven E. Snow, Tad R. Callister, Shayne M. Bowen, Allen F. Packer, Hugo Montoya, Scott D. Whiting, and Kent F. Richards out there.

NON-AMERICAN

HEAVY FAVORITES

I'm less confident in making these guesses, because deep down, I know there's a good chance all three new Apostles could still be American. Nevertheless, I hope at least one is not.

Ulisses Soares

1. Ulisses Soares - 10/2/58 (56) - Brazil - Being part of the Presidency of the Seventy is a big plus for him.
2. Claudio R.M. Costa - 3/25/49 (66) - Brazil - Had a stint in the Presidency of the Seventy, and his talks have had a more conservative bent, which might make him ideal to fit right into the Quorum and continue their uniformity.
3. Walter F. Gonzalez - 11/18/52 (62) - Uruguay - Another who had some years in the Presidency of the Seventy. Raised Catholic, he converted to the LDS church when he was 21. He was a mission president in Ecuador, and he worked for CES in Ecuador.
4. Joseph W. Sitati - 5/16/52 (63) - Kenya - He was the first Black African to become a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, and I could see his milestone-making with this calling. His last General Conference talk on eternal marriage signified he would continue the current trajectory of the Q12.

MAYBES

Edward Dube

5. Edward Dube - 5/12/62 (53) - Zimbabwe - The other Black African in the 1st Quorum of Seventy, I could see his youth and charisma being a good addition to the Q12. With Africa one of the fastest-growing continents for church membership, it'd be a good move.
6. Marcos A. Aidukaitis - 8/30/59 (56) - Brazil - He has a background in mechanical engineering, and he's been key in expanding the church in Brazil, serving as the first stake president for two newly organized stakes. He also served as mission president there. Pres. Monson called him to the 1st Quorum of Seventy his first General Conference as prophet.
7. Gerald Causee - 5/20/63 (52) - France - He was the first GA from France, and if called, he'd only be the fourth Apostle in LDS history where English was not his first language (behind Anthon Lund, John A. Widtsoe, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf).
8. Chi Hong (Sam) Wong - 5/25/62 (53) - China - China is the most populous country in the world, and having someone like him as an Apostle/ambassador would do wonders for future church growth there, should religious restrictions ease up.
9. Michael John U. Teh - 6/25/65 (50) - Philippines - The Philippines is another populous country that has seen significant growth as of late. Teh has been a church employee most of his career before becoming a GA, so he's had a chance to work with many Apostles.
10. Rafael E. Pino - 10/27/55 (59) - Venezuela - He served his mission in Venezuela and was a mission president in Argentina. He's also worked most of his career as a church employee.

Other names I could see them considering are Ian S. Ardern, Benjamin De Hoyos, Yoon Hwan Choi, Carlos A. Godoy, Jorg Klebingat, Jose A. Teixeira, and Juan A. Uceda.

So my final guess for the three: Ronald A. Rasband, James J. Hamula, and Ulisses Soares.

Guessing the Next Apostle

There's some other sites who have been good at projecting who the next Apostles will be, but I'm going to try my own hand. First, let's look at the likely candidates. Things I will take into account:

A. The age of the Apostle. The youngest Apostle is David A. Bednar, who turns 63 in a couple weeks. Any Apostle they call that's younger than him, they're calling with the knowledge that the likelihood's increased that this man could be a future President of the Church. No man has been President of the Church who wasn't an Apostle by the age of 51. Monson was 36. I should mention the ages when called of Oaks (51), Holland (53), and Bednar (52).

B. The length and position of service. They'd want someone who's been a General Authority for a while, with a preference for those in the Presidency of the Seventy. Six of the last ten Apostles called had been in the Presidency of the Seventy.

C. Race. The Church just feels way overdue for a non-white Apostle. It's never had one. Other than Dieter F. Uchtdorf, there's hasn't been a non-American Apostle since the days of Pres. Heber J. Grant, when he called John A. Widtsoe (Norway) and Charles A. Callis (Ireland).

D. The condition of Pres. Monson. Pres. Monson has been showing the signs of his age (he turns 88 in August) and there've been rumors for a while he's suffering from dementia. He was able to give his talks at General Conference, but he only spoke twice, and we're just seeing him in his final days. By final days, I mean it could be years, but he isn't as energetic as he used to be. Pres. Monson will have the final say, but his counselors (Eyring, Uchtdorf) will have heavy sway, as will the senior apostles (Packer, Nelson, Oaks, Ballard).

E. I'm not considering former presidents of BYU or BYU-Idaho. They already have Oaks, Holland, Eyring and Bednar in there. Adding a fifth would just be too much.

F. I'm assuming that Packer and Scott and everyone else is still alive in October. If there were 2 or 3 Apostles that needed to be called in October, that would change a few considerations.

G. Bottom line - it's up to the Lord.

So, bearing that in mind, I'm going to look at the non-American candidates first and then the Americans.

The non-Americans

1. ULISSES SOARES - I do think the next Apostle will be non-American, so this Brazilian seems like the ideal choice. He's in the Presidency of the Seventy, a position that has yielded many an Apostle. He's been a General Authority since 2005. His age is in the right range; he will have just celebrated his 57th birthday when October's General Conference hits.

2. EDWARD DUBE - The 53-year-old Zimbabwe native would make headlines. Good speaker, youthful energy and enthusiasm. He's only been in the 1st Quorum of the Seventy since 2013, but he was an Area Authority before that. He's also a convert, having joined the church in 1984. To have a black Apostle would send a wonderful signal for a church that banned blacks from having the priesthood less than forty years ago.

3. GERALD CAUSSE - He's been in the Presiding Bishopric since 2012, which is another body that's produced its share of Apostles. He's young (51) and while he's from France, he's more Mediterranean than Uchtdorf.

4. CLAUDIO R.M. COSTA - Another Brazilian, he might be seen as a safe pick since he's a little older (66), but he's been a G.A. since 2001 and he had a stint in the Presidency of the Seventy.

5. BENJAMIN DE HOYOS - He hails from Mexico. He's 62, about eight months younger than Bednar. He's been in the First Quorum of Seventy since 2005.

Other possibles: Carlos A. Godoy (54-Brazil), Walter F. Gonzalez (62-Uruguay), Jorg Klebingat (47-Germany), Joseph W. Sitati (63-Kenya), Michael John U. Teh (49-Philippines), Terrence M. Vinson (64-Australia), Chi Hong "Sam" Wong (53-China), Kazuhiko Yamashita (61-Japan).

The Americans

1. CRAIG C. CHRISTENSEN - He's been in the Presidency of the Seventy since 2012 and a G.A. since 2002. Before that he served as a mission president in Mexico City. He's 59, the youngest of the Americans in the Presidency. He's another Utah man, but if they stick with another American, it doesn't really matter what state he's from.

2. HUGO MONTOYA - He's 55, born and raised in California, but he is Latino and so would still be a historic calling. He's one of the youngest Americans in the 1st or 2nd Quorum of Seventy.

3. SHANE M. BOWEN - He's a young 60. The native Idahoan has been a General Authority since 2006. He served his mission in Chile and was briefly imprisoned under the Pinochet regime under suspicion of espionage until they realized he was just a missionary. He was president of the Spain Barcelona Mission in 2000-2003. He was the president of Bowen Insurance.

4. L. WHITNEY CLAYTON - He's also in the Presidency of the Seventy, but his name is in the mix because he's a fiercely loyal bulldog for the Q12. He helped coordinate the excommunications of Kate Kelly and John Dehlin, so if he's selected, that sends a signal that the church is going to stay the course with how it deals with its critics. He's also a lawyer.

5. ALLAN F. PACKER - Yes, he's Boyd's son, but don't expect Boyd 2.0. We are a Church of legacy. There have been several father-son Apostles in church history. Both of M. Russell Ballard's grandfathers were Apostles. Packer will turn 67 in July, so he's another one where they're not positioning him to be the next prophet, but from what I've heard of those who've worked with Allan Packer personally, he's a very empathetic man, and he's a good speaker.

Other possibilities: James R. Martino (54), Gifford Nielsen (60), Anthony D. Perkins (54), Ronald Rasband (64), Lynn G. Robbins (62), Gary E. Stevenson (59), W. Christopher Waddell (55), Scott D. Whiting (54).

LDS General Conference April 2015: Priesthood Session

M. RUSSELL BALLARD - "The Greatest Generation of Young Adults"

Tonight I speak to missionaries now serving, future missionaries, returned missionaries, and all young adult men in the Church. I pray you will understand and thoughtfully consider what I have to say to you as you journey through these exciting and exacting years of your life.

In the early days of the Church, missionaries were interviewed by a General Authority before they went on their missions. These days you are interviewed to serve as missionaries by your bishops and stake presidents, and most of you will go through your entire lives without being interviewed by a General Authority. That is simply a reflection of the reality in a worldwide church of more than 15 million members. I know I speak for my brethren when I tell you that we wish it were possible for us to know all of you personally and to be able to tell you that we love you and that we support you...

It’s time to raise the bar not only for missionaries but also for returned missionaries and for your entire generation. To that end, please ponder in your heart your answers to these questions:

1. Do you search the scriptures regularly?
2. Do you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning and each night?
3. Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?
4. Do you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the sacrament?
5. Do you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?
6. Are you honest at home, school, church, and work?
7. Are you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?
8. Are you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual sensitivity?
9. Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning tonight?...

Now, brethren, I testify to you that the Lord Jesus Christ can help us fix anything that needs fixing in our lives through His atoning sacrifice.

This evening, as we prepare to celebrate Easter Sunday tomorrow, please pause with me to remember the gift of Christ’s Atonement. Remember that our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know you best and love you the most.

Through the Atonement, the Redeemer took upon Himself our troubles, pains, and sins. The Savior of the world came to understand each of us individually by experiencing our dashed hopes, challenges, and tragedies through His suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross. He died as one final act of love for us and was buried in a new tomb on that fateful night.

ULISSES SOARES - "Yes, We Can and Will Win!"
Presidency of the Seventy

The enemy and his angels are trying to distract us. Their purpose is to encourage us to deviate from the covenants that we have made with the Lord, causing us to lose sight of our eternal inheritance. They know well our Heavenly Father’s plan for His children, for they were present with us in that great Council in Heaven when it was all presented. They try to take advantage of our weaknesses and frailties, deceiving us with “mists of darkness … , which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.”...

The war of good against evil will continue throughout our lives since the adversary’s purpose is to make all people as miserable as he is. Satan and his angels will try to shroud our thoughts and assert control by tempting us to sin. If they can, they will corrupt all that is good. Nevertheless, it is essential to understand that they will have power over us only if we allow it.

The scriptures also contain several examples of those who gave that permission to the adversary and ended up becoming confused and even destroyed, like Nehor, Korihor, and Sherem. We need to be alert to this danger. We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin. We need to remember that, at the end, all will stand before Christ to be judged of our works, whether they are good or whether they are evil. As we encounter these worldly messages, great courage and a solid knowledge of the plan of our Heavenly Father will be required to choose the right.

LARRY M. GIBSON - "Fatherhood - Our Eternal Destiny"
Released as 1st Counselor in Young Mens General Presidency

Fathers, I am sure you have heard the saying “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words” (attributed to Francis of Assisi). Every day you are teaching your children what it means to be a father. You are laying a foundation for the next generation. Your sons will learn how to be husbands and fathers by observing the way you fulfill these roles. For example:

Do they know how much you love and cherish their mother and how much you love being their father?

They will learn how to treat their future wife and children as they watch you treat each one of them just as Heavenly Father would.

Through your example, they can learn how to respect, honor, and protect womanhood.

In your home, they can learn to preside over their family in love and righteousness. They can learn to provide the necessities of life and protection for their family—temporally and spiritually (see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 2010, 129).

Brethren, with all the energy of my soul, I ask you to consider this question: Do your sons see you striving to do what Heavenly Father would have them do?

I pray the answer is yes. If the answer is no, it’s not too late to change, but you must begin today. And I testify that Heavenly Father will help you.

DIETER F. UCHTDORF - "On Being Genuine"

The Lord’s prophets have ever raised a warning voice against those who “draw near [to the Lord] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour [Him], but have removed their heart far from [Him].”

The Savior was understanding and compassionate with sinners whose hearts were humble and sincere. But He rose up in righteous anger against hypocrites like the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees—those who tried to appear righteous in order to win the praise, influence, and wealth of the world, all the while oppressing the people they should have been blessing. The Savior compared them to “whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

In our day, the Lord has similarly strong words for priesthood holders who try to “cover [their] sins, or to gratify [their] pride, [or their] vain ambition.” When they do this, He said, “the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.”...

I know of a stake where the leaders set some ambitious goals for the year. While the goals all looked worthwhile, they focused either on lofty and impressive declarations or on numbers and percentages.

After these goals had been discussed and agreed upon, something began to trouble the stake president. He thought about the members of his stake—like the young mother with small children who was recently widowed. He thought about the members who were struggling with doubts or loneliness or with severe health conditions and no insurance. He thought about the members who were grappling with broken marriages, addictions, unemployment, and mental illness. And the more he thought about them, the more he asked himself a humbling question: will our new goals make a difference in the lives of these members?

He began to wonder how their stake’s goals might have been different if they had first asked, “What is our ministry?”

So this stake president went back to his councils, and together they shifted their focus. They determined that they would not allow “the hungry, … the needy, …the naked, … the sick and the afflicted to pass by [them], and notice them not.”

They set new goals, recognizing that success with these new goals could not always be measured, at least not by man—for how does one measure personal testimony, love of God, or compassion for others?

But they also knew that “many of the things you can count, do not count. Many of the things you cannot count, really do count.”

I wonder if our organizational and personal goals are sometimes the modern equivalent of a Potemkin village. Do they look impressive from a distance but fail to address the real needs of our beloved fellowmen?

My dear friends and fellow priesthood holders, if Jesus Christ were to sit down with us and ask for an accounting of our stewardship, I am not sure He would focus much on programs and statistics. What the Savior would want to know is the condition of our heart. He would want to know how we love and minister to those in our care, how we show our love to our spouse and family, and how we lighten their daily load. And the Savior would want to know how you and I grow closer to Him and to our Heavenly Father...

I am here because I desire with all my heart to follow my Master, Jesus Christ. I yearn to do all that He asks of me in this great cause. I hunger to be edified by the Holy Spirit and hear the voice of God as He speaks through His ordained servants. I am here to become a better man, to be lifted by the inspiring examples of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and to learn how to more effectively minister to those in need.

In short, I am here because I love my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I am sure this is your reason too. This is why we are willing to make sacrifices and not just declarations to follow the Savior. This is why we bear with honor His holy priesthood.

Whether your testimony is thriving and healthy or your activity in the Church more closely resembles a Potemkin village, the good news is that you can build on whatever strength you have. Here in the Church of Jesus Christ you can mature spiritually and draw closer to the Savior by applying gospel principles day by day.

With patience and persistence, even the smallest act of discipleship or the tiniest ember of belief can become a blazing bonfire of a consecrated life. In fact, that’s how most bonfires begin—as a simple spark.

So if you feel small and weak, please simply come unto Christ, who makes weak things strong. The weakest among us, through God’s grace, can become spiritually strong, because God “is no respecter of persons.” He is our “faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments.”...

The Church is not an automobile showroom—a place to put ourselves on display so that others can admire our spirituality, capacity, or prosperity. It is more like a service center, where vehicles in need of repair come for maintenance and rehabilitation.

And are we not, all of us, in need of repair, maintenance, and rehabilitation?

We come to church not to hide our problems but to heal them...

Brethren, this is our high and holy calling—to be agents of Jesus Christ, to love as He loved, to serve as He served, to “lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees,” to “look [after] the poor and the needy,” and to care for the widows and orphans.

I pray, brethren, that as we serve in our families, quorums, wards, stakes, communities, and nations, we will resist the temptation to draw attention to ourselves and, instead, strive for a far greater honor: to become humble, genuine disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we do so, we will find ourselves walking the path that leads to our best, most genuine, and noblest selves.

HENRY B. EYRING - "Priesthood and Personal Prayer"

All of us must speak and act in the name of God in moments when our unaided judgment will not be enough without inspiration. Those moments can come upon us when there is not time to make preparation. That has happened to me often. It did many years ago in a hospital when a father told me and my companion that the doctors had told him that his critically injured three-year-old daughter would die within minutes. As I placed my hands on the one spot on her head not covered with bandages, I had to know, as God’s servant, what He would do and say.

The words came to my mind and my lips that she would live. The doctor standing by me snorted in disgust and asked me to get out of the way. I walked out of that hospital room with a feeling of peace and love. The little girl lived and walked down the aisle into a sacrament meeting on my last day in that city. I still remember the joy and satisfaction I felt from what I had said and done in the Lord’s service for that little girl and her family...

It is easier to get the proper feeling of reverence when you are kneeling or bowing your head, but it is possible to feel that you are approaching your Heavenly Father in less formal and even in silent prayer, as you will often need to do in your priesthood service. There will be noise and people around you most of your waking day. God hears your silent prayers, but you may have to learn to shut out the distractions because the moment you need the connection with God may not come in quiet times...

You must pray for it and work to have it. Only with that guide will you be able to find your way along the strait and narrow path through the mists of evil. The Holy Ghost will be your guide as He reveals truth when you study the words of prophets.

Getting that guidance will take more than casual listening and reading. You will need to pray and work in faith to put the words of truth down into your heart. You must pray that God will bless you with His Spirit, that He will lead you into all truth and show you the right way. That is how He will warn and guide you into the right path in your life and in your priesthood service...

With a prayer of faith, God can grant us power in the priesthood for whatever circumstance we may be in. It simply requires that we ask in humility for the Spirit to show us what God would have us say and do, do it, and continue to live worthy of that gift.

I bear you my testimony that God the Father lives, loves us, and hears our every prayer. I bear testimony that Jesus is the living Christ, whose Atonement makes it possible for us to be purified and so be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I testify that with our faith and diligence, we can one day hear the words that will bring us joy: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

THOMAS S. MONSON - "The Priesthood - A Sacred Gift"

Let us take most seriously the callings, the responsibilities, and the duties which come with the priesthood we hold.

I felt a great responsibility when I was called to be secretary of my deacons quorum. I prepared most conscientiously the records I kept, for I wanted to do the very best I knew how to do in that calling. I took great pride in my work. Doing all I can, to the very best of my ability, has been my goal in any position I have ever held.

I hope each young man who has been ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood is given a spiritual awareness of the sacredness of his ordained calling, as well as opportunities to magnify that calling. I received such an opportunity as a deacon when the bishopric asked that I take the sacrament to a shut-in who lived about a mile from our chapel. That special Sunday morning, as I knocked on Brother Wright’s door and heard his feeble voice call, “Come in,” I entered not only his humble cottage but also a room filled with the Spirit of the Lord. I approached Brother Wright’s bedside and carefully placed a piece of the bread to his lips. I then held the cup of water, that he might drink. As I departed, I saw tears in his eyes as he said, “God bless you, my boy.” And God did bless me—with an appreciation for the sacred emblems of the sacrament and for the priesthood which I held.

No deacon, teacher, or priest from our ward will ever forget the memorable visits we made to Clarkston, Utah, to the gravesite of Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. As we surrounded the tall granite shaft which marks his grave, and as one of the quorum leaders read to us those penetrating words from “The Testimony of Three Witnesses,” found at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, we developed a love for that sacred record and for the truths found therein.

During those years our objective was to become as the sons of Mosiah. Of them it was said:

“They had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
“But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.”

I cannot think of a more worthy goal for a young man to have than to be described as were the valiant and righteous sons of Mosiah...

The years have brought me more opportunities to provide blessings to those in need than I could possibly count. Each opportunity has found me deeply grateful that God has entrusted to me this sacred gift. I revere the priesthood. I have witnessed its power time and time again. I have seen its strength. I have marveled at the miracles it has wrought.

Brethren, each of us has been entrusted with one of the most precious gifts ever bestowed upon mankind. As we honor our priesthood and live our lives so that we are at all times worthy, the blessings of the priesthood will flow through us.

The Other Foreign-Born LDS General Authorities

The German Dieter F. Uchtdorf is in the First Presidency, but what about the other foreign-born General Authorities?

Presidency of the Seventy

Ulisses Soares

ULISSES SOARES - 10/2/1958 - Brazil

1st Quorum of the Seventy
MARCOS A. AIDUKAITIS - 8/30/1959 - Brazil
JOSE L. ALONSO - 11/17/1958 - Mexico
IAN S. ARDERN - 2/28/1954 - New Zealand
DAVID S. BAXTER - 1/1/1955 - United Kingdom
YOON HWAN CHOI - 5/18/1957 - South Korea
CLAUDIO R.M. COSTA - 3/25/1949 - Brazil
BENJAMIN DE HOYOS - 2/20/1953 - Mexico
EDWARD DUBE - 5/12/1962 - Zimbabwe
ENRIQUE R. FALABELLA - 5/1/1950 - Guatemala
EDUARDO GAVARRET - 5/11/1956 - Uruguay
CARLOS A. GODOY - 2/4/1961 - Brazil
CHRISTOFFEL GOLDEN - 6/1/1952 - South Africa
WALTER F. GONZALEZ - 11/18/1952 - Uruguay
DANIEL L. JOHNSON - 12/15/1946 - Mexico
PATRICK KEARON - 7/18/1961 - United Kingdom
JORG KLEBINGAT - 12/19/1967 - Germany
ERICH W. KOPISCHKE - 10/20/1956 - Germany
RAFAEL E. PINO - 10/27/1955 - Venezuela
JOSEPH W. SITATI - 5/1/1952 - Kenya
MICHAEL JOHN U. TEH - 6/1/1965 - Philippines
JOSE A. TEIXEIRA - 2/24/1961 - Portugal
JUAN A. UCEDA - 7/10/1953 - Peru
ARNULFO VALENZUELA - 5/1/1959 - Mexico
FRANCISCO J. VINAS - 12/28/1946 - Spain
CHI HONG (SAM) WONG - 5/25/1962 - Hong Kong
KAZUHIKO YAMASHITA - 9/1/1953 - Japan
JORGE F. ZEBALLOS - 7/19/1955 - Chile
CLAUDIO D. ZIVIC - 12/1/1948 - Argentina

2nd Quorum of the Seventy
KOICHI AOYAGI - 3/24/1945 - Japan
RANDALL K. BENNETT - 6/1/1955 - Canada
O. VINCENT HALECK - 1/1/1949 - Samoa
PER G. MALM - 9/12/1948 - Sweden
HUGO E. MARTINEZ - 1/10/1957 - Puerto Rico
JAIRO MAZZAGARDI - 4/10/1947 - Brazil
TERENCE M. VINSON - 5/1/1951 - Australia

Presiding Bishopric
GERALD CAUSSE - 5/20/1963 - France

I could be wrong on this, but I think once a General Authority hits age 70, he's given Emeritus status. If Koichi Aoyagi is granted Emeritus status at the next General Conference, that may confirm it.