Although the Prophet Joseph Smith received the necessary priesthood keys of Church government from Peter, James, and John before the organization of the Church (D&C 27:12–13), the Lord revealed more and more about how the Church should be organized and governed as its membership grew. For example, in 1830 the general leadership of the Church consisted of the First Elder and the Second Elder of the Church (Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery). In 1832 the Presidency of the High Priesthood was organized (D&C 81), and that presidency also became the First Presidency of the Church in 1833. WhenDoctrine and Covenants 102was given there were about 3,000 members of the Church—about the size of a stake today. Consequently, the Lord gave additional revelation on governing His growing Church by directing the Prophet Joseph Smith to organize the first high council.This first high council of the Church was presided over by the First Presidency and handled matters concerning thewhole Church. As other stakes were organized, however, the Lord gave revelation concerning a “Presiding High Council” of the Church (D&C 107:33)—which was the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—to handle matters concerning the whole Church, while each stake had a “standing high council” (D&C 107:36) that handled matters pertaining to that stake only.Today, each stake of the Church is presided over by a stake president and two counselors, and they are assisted in their duties by a stake high council—according to the pattern given inDoctrine and Covenants 102. President Stephen L Richards, who served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as a counselor in the First Presidency during his lifetime, said, “The genius of our Church government is government through councils” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1953, 86).