Called to Serve

President Howard W. Hunter was ordained and set apart as the 14th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 5, 1994.

Serving with President Hunter in the First Presidency will be Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor, and Thomas S. Monson, second counselor.

President Hinckley had served as first counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson since November 1985. He also served as a counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball for a little more than four years. Prior to that, he served 20 years as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and 3 1/2 years as an Assistant to the Twelve.

Born June 23, 1910, in Salt Lake City, President Hinckley is the son of Bryant S. and Ada Bitner Hinckley. He graduated from the University of Utah, then served a mission in the British Isles. For 20 years he directed all Church public communications. He also served as executive secretary to the Missionary Committee and managed the missionary program of the Church for seven years. He has served as a stake president and a Sunday School General Board member. He became a General Authority in 1958. He and his wife, Marjorie Pay, are the parents of five children.

President Thomas S. Monson had been serving as second counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson since November 1985. He was ordained an Apostle and called to the Quorum of the Twelve on October 4, 1963.

The son of G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson, he was born in Salt Lake City on August 21, 1927. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he graduated from the University of Utah. He later earned a master’s degree at Brigham Young University. He has served as a bishop, a counselor to a stake president, and president of the Canadian Mission. He has had a distinguished career in publishing and printing, and currently serves as chairman of the board of Deseret News Publishing Company. He and his wife, Frances Beverly Johnson, are the parents of three children.

President Hinckley has been set apart as President of the Quorum of the Twelve. Because he and President Monson were called to the First Presidency, President Boyd K. Packer, who is next in seniority, was set apart as the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve. He has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve since April 9, 1970. Prior to this, he served as an Assistant to the Twelve for almost nine years.

President Packer was born September 10, 1924, in Brigham City, Utah. He served as president of the New England Mission. An educator by profession, his service includes being supervisor of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and a member of the Administrative Council of Brigham Young University.

He and his wife, Donna Smith, are the parents of ten children.