Ever sat in a General Conference session and wondered why the guys on the red velvet chairs sit in that specific order? It’s not about who’s been friends the longest or who has the best personality. It’s strictly about the clock. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, twelve apostles lds seniority is the invisible engine driving every major leadership transition. It’s a system that is incredibly simple on paper but carries massive weight when the Prophet passes away.
Basically, it’s a queue. But a queue for what many believe is the mantle of a prophet.
Most people think "seniority" means age. Nope. In this world, you could be 95 years old and be "junior" to a 60-year-old if that 60-year-old was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles just one day earlier. It’s all about the date you were called and sustained. If two guys are called on the exact same day, which happens fairly often, the order they are sustained by the membership determines who is senior. Usually, the older man of the two is listed first in those cases.
The Succession Protocol Nobody Questions
When the President of the Church dies, the First Presidency dissolves. The two counselors—who might have been powerful figures in their own right—literally go back to their places in the Quorum of the Twelve based on when they were first ordained. At that moment, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the governing body of the Church. The man who has been there the longest? He’s the President of the Quorum.
He is the man who will almost certainly be the next Prophet.
This isn't a political race. There are no campaigns. No "I'm running for President" stickers. It’s a quiet, solemn transition. Take President Russell M. Nelson. He was sustained to the Quorum in April 1984. Right along with Dallin H. Oaks. Since Nelson was sustained first, he was senior. When Thomas S. Monson passed away in early 2018, Nelson was the man at the front of the line. Simple. Predictable. Steady.
Honestly, the system is designed to prevent the kind of infighting that tears apart other large organizations. You can't lobby for the top spot. You just outlive the people ahead of you. It’s a "last man standing" approach that ensures the leader has decades—literally decades—of experience in the top tier of church administration before they ever take the reins.
Why the Date of Ordination is Everything
Let’s look at the current lineup to see how this twelve apostles lds seniority looks in practice. You have President Dallin H. Oaks at the top. He’s been in the Quorum since 1984. Then you have Jeffrey R. Holland, sustained in 1994. There’s a ten-year gap right there.
Then you get into the 2000s:
Dieter F. Uchtdorf and David A. Bednar both came in during the October 2004 conference. Because Elder Uchtdorf was sustained first, he is senior to Elder Bednar. Even if Elder Bednar lives to be 110, he will always be "behind" Elder Uchtdorf in the seniority line.
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Then came Quentin L. Cook (2007), D. Todd Christofferson (2008), Neil L. Andersen (2009). See the pattern? It’s a slow, steady march toward the front of the room. It’s kinda fascinating because these men come from totally different backgrounds—surgeons, lawyers, pilots, educators—but the moment they enter that room, their "rank" is set in stone by the calendar.
The "Death" of the First Presidency
This part trips people up. When a Prophet dies, the First Presidency is gone. Done. It doesn't exist for a few days or weeks. The counselors, even if they were the "right-hand men," don't have any special authority over the Twelve. They take their seats back in the Quorum based on their original seniority.
If a counselor was actually more senior than the President of the Quorum, they would become the new leader. This happened with President Joseph Fielding Smith. It’s a rare occurrence, but the rules are rigid for a reason. They keep things moving without the need for a vote that could cause friction.
While the Quorum of the Twelve leads the church collectively during this interim period, they eventually meet in the Salt Lake Temple. They pray. They talk. And then they unanimously sustain the senior apostle as the new President. It’s been that way since the death of Brigham Young, though there were some long gaps in the 1800s before they formalized the "immediate" reorganization we see today.
What People Get Wrong About Seniority
A common misconception is that the "best" speaker or the "most spiritual" guy gets promoted. That's just not how it works. You could be the most charismatic person in the world, but if you're number 12 on the list, you stay at number 12 until someone above you passes away or is removed (which almost never happens in modern times).
The Age Factor vs. The Seniority Factor
Sometimes a younger man is called into the Quorum. This is a huge deal. Why? Because a 50-year-old called today has a much higher statistical chance of becoming the Prophet in thirty years than a 75-year-old called today.
- Elder David A. Bednar is a prime example. He was called relatively young (52).
- Because of his age and his spot in seniority, many church watchers have speculated for years that he could eventually serve as President of the Church for a very long time.
- Compare that to someone like Elder Ronald A. Rasband, called in 2015 at age 64.
The math of twelve apostles lds seniority is a frequent topic of conversation among LDS "wonks" who track the health and ages of the apostles. It’s not meant to be morbid; it’s just the reality of a gerontocratic leadership style.
The Burden of Longevity
There is a weight to this. These men don't retire. There’s no "emeritus" status for the Twelve. They serve until they die. This means the seniority system often results in a leader who is in his 90s.
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Critics argue this makes the church slow to change. Supporters argue it provides a "steadying hand" and prevents the church from being tossed about by every new social trend. If you have to spend 30 years in the Quorum before you can lead it, you’ve seen it all. You’ve seen fads come and go. You’ve seen crises flare up and die down.
How Seniority Influences Daily Operations
It's not just about who's the boss. Seniority dictates everything. Who speaks last in General Conference? (Usually the Prophet or the senior apostles). Who sits where in the temple? Who chairs which committee?
If you are a junior apostle, you are doing a lot of the heavy lifting—traveling to remote areas, overseeing massive departments like the Missionary Department or the Temple Department. As you move up in seniority, your role shifts more toward global policy and presiding over the body of the church.
- The Junior Apostles (10-12): Often focus on specific assignments like Correlation or Public Affairs.
- The Mid-Tier (5-9): Often lead the major councils of the church.
- The Senior Tier (1-4): Usually form the First Presidency or lead the Quorum of the Twelve.
This hierarchy ensures that every man has "done his time" in the trenches of church administration before he is asked to make the final decisions on doctrine or global strategy.
Significant Moments in Seniority History
There have been times when the seniority line shifted in ways people didn't expect. When Howard W. Hunter became President, he only served for about nine months. He was followed by Gordon B. Hinckley, who was much younger and had been a counselor to three previous presidents.
Because Hinckley had served so long as a counselor, people felt like he was already the leader. But legally and ecclesiastically, it was the seniority system that put him there. If someone else had been senior to him, all those years of experience as a counselor wouldn't have mattered. The seniority rule is the "Golden Rule" of LDS succession.
Then you have the 1980s, which saw a massive influx of new blood that defined the church for the next 40 years. Nelson, Oaks, Ballard, Wirthlin, Scott—these men were called in a relatively short window. The order of their names on a press release in 1984 literally determined the trajectory of the church in 2024.
Real-World Implications of the "Queue"
Imagine starting a job and knowing exactly who your boss will be for the next 30 years. That’s the Quorum. It creates a very specific kind of brotherhood. They aren't competing for a promotion. There is no reason to "undermine" a colleague to get ahead. The only thing that changes your rank is the passage of time.
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This creates a culture of extreme deference. You’ll notice that in meetings, the junior members speak first. This is intentional. It allows the junior apostles to give their honest thoughts before the senior members (the ones with the most "weight") tip their hand. It’s a way to ensure the seniority system doesn't accidentally stifle new ideas.
Actionable Insights into the Seniority System
If you’re trying to keep track of this or explain it to someone else, here is how you can actually use this information to understand the church’s direction.
Watch the Sustaining: Every April and October, the names are read in order. This is your official "cheat sheet." The order they are read is the order of seniority. If a name moves up, it’s because someone above them has passed away.
Look at Age + Rank: If you want to guess who might lead the church in 2040, don't just look at who is "next." Look at who is 60 or 70 years old and already in the top half of the Quorum.
Understand the Transition: When a Prophet passes, don't expect a "conclave" like the Catholics or a "search committee" like a CEO hunt. Look at the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. That’s your guy.
The twelve apostles lds seniority system is probably the most stable leadership transition model in the world. It’s predictable, it’s rooted in tradition, and it removes the "human" element of ambition from the equation. It's why, even in times of grief, the church rarely experiences a power vacuum. The line is already drawn; everyone just takes one step forward.
To stay current on the specific order of the apostles, you should regularly check the official Church newsroom or the sustaining vote records from the most recent General Conference. The list changes only upon the death of a member, at which point the entire Quorum shifts up, and a new apostle is called to fill the 12th spot, starting their own journey at the very end of the line.