What is the modern apostleship?

Last week’s calling of Elder Patrick Kearon as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles elicited international attention, including queries about what it’s like to be called to the modern apostleship within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Since 1835, some 106 individuals have entered the apostleship. New apostles do not apply or campaign for positions, but are rather called by the most senior apostle — the church’s prophet-president — who seeks God’s will about who to select to fill vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The most senior apostle is sustained by the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the leader of the church, and counsels together with the other apostles in the church’s governing First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The current president is President Russell M. Nelson.

The calling to the apostleship

The call to the apostleship often comes as a surprise. President Jeffrey R. Holland, now acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, has said he had no specific sense of foreshadowing when he was invited to meet with church President Howard W. Hunter in early summer of 1994, according to a later report. And President Henry B. Eyring, now a member of the First Presidency of the church, likewise had no premonition of his impending call following the death of Howard W. Hunter — evidenced by his need to return quickly to his office to begin working on a general conference talk he was asked to deliver the next day.

Few were more surprised, however, than President George Albert Smith, who had been unable to attend the October 1903 general conference session when his new calling was announced. Arriving at home to see a number of visitors, he asked, “What is all this about?” Upon hearing the news, he said, “That couldn’t be right. … There must be some mistake. It must have been some other Smith.”

His daughter Emily later recalled witnessing numerous people “streaming across the lawn” into their house, “crying.” Since these visitors kept repeating how their father was now an “apostle,” she remembers thinking as a young child that “being an apostle must be the worst thing that could possibly happen to you.”

The weight of the responsibility

Many newly called apostles describe feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of the responsibility. The call from then-church President David O. McKay to future church President Gordon B. Hinkley “took Gordon’s breath away,” according to his biographer Sheri Dew, as he “searched without success for a response. How could it be that such a call would come to him?”

When future church President Spencer W. Kimball first received his apostolic calling by phone, he responded, “Oh Brother Clark! Not me. You don’t mean me. There must be some mistake. I surely couldn’t have heard you right.”

His biography describes him sinking past the chair to the floor, stunned by the news and overcome by self-doubt, to the point of weeping on the kitchen floor for a moment as his wife tried to comfort him. Before accepting the call, the soon-to-be apostle visited people he had done business with to settle any differences, should there be any.

Kimball later acknowledged an “overpowering feeling” of what was coming as soon as 12-year-old Eddie Kimball informed his father that “Salt Lake City is calling.” A few have had similar premonitions. On the morning of the April 1941 general conference, President Harold B. Lee recounted receiving a “definite impression” of the calling soon to be issued, before arising from bed.

And President Dallin H. Oaks recounts in his biography how a thought anticipating the call “flooded” his mind while praying in the temple by the side of his late wife June, who had parallel “confirming thoughts.” That led him to decline any interest in a possible appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

“I feel weak and lack judgment compared with men of maturer years,” the shocked George Albert Smith later said to his new quorum members after his call, “but my heart is right, and I desire sincerely the onward progress of the work of the Lord.”

Likewise, Elder Patrick Kearon recently said in the wake of his calling, “This sacred call is so very daunting and humbling to me. I will need to place all my trust in the Savior as I seek to become what he needs me to be and share my witness of his love and light.”

The work of the apostleship

The Greek word apóstolos means “one who is sent off,” “sent out” or “sent forth.” Biblical scholars note that an “apostolos” in the ancient business world was delegated the authority to conduct business and share messages on behalf of an owner.

Teaching and preaching the gospel message is what most observers and members of the church witness modern-day apostles doing publicly, through church conferences and other meetings. But another part of their ministry is less public.

One young man who was fighting cancer received a phone call from a familiar voice. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who he had never met personally, heard of what the young man was facing and wanted to reach out. Along with expressions of love, the apostle shared several scriptures suited for those “sick of being sick,” including the words from the Book of Mormon, “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”

This kind of ministry isn’t unusual for apostles today, and certainly was not for Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who reached out to people even after he got cancer and became a patient in the hospital, according to his biographer, emeritus general authority Elder Bruce C. Hafen.

“He wasn’t always like this,” Elder Hafen said. “He was always so busy and had so much to do” in his prior responsibilities. But after watching how President Spencer W. Kimball made time for this kind of personal ministry, this apostle sought to do the same and “picked it up.”

The late Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said of the association and positive peer influence that exists among the apostles: “In our Quorum, we have a special brotherhood. We are there to lift, inspire, and bless each other with the spirit of our calling. When one is burdened, there are 11 others anxious to help lift and share that burden.”

Apostles carry out the work of the church alongside other general officers of the church, including leaders of the Relief Society, the women’s organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of the largest and oldest global women’s organizations

Another common theme across accounts is the appreciation apostles express for the influence and support of their spouse and family. Former church President Ezra Taft Benson’s biography goes on to quote his wife, Flora, who had her own premonitions about her husband’s life mission. “It’s been a lot of hard work and sacrifice and encouragement giving him faith in himself,” she said, before adding, “He wasn’t all ready-made when I got him.”

I spoke with several individuals who reflected on their interactions with modern-day apostles — with one man describing them as “exuding love.”

The full-time apostolic commission takes them around the world interacting with thousands of church members and others in a schedule that is arduous, particularly as many are serving well past the age when many retire from their careers.

Apostles also accept, along with their families, that most weekends will be taken up in the ministry. A “day in my life” video recently posted by Elder David A. Bednar showed one day of back-to-back meetings at church headquarters, with a follow-up video showing a typical weekend with approximately eight hours of driving between five major gatherings on Saturday and Sunday.

Reinstituting the apostolic order

The night before Jesus “chose twelve” of his disciples, “whom also he named apostles,” the book of Luke records that he reserved extended time to be alone in contemplation.

The 12 men chosen, according to the New Testament account — Simon (Peter), Andrew, James, John and eight others — had all been among the hundreds of “disciples” of the Master, a word connoting students emulating their teacher.

But this new calling went beyond learning and tutelage alone. These newfound apostles were also asked to be Christ’s emissaries.

Vacancies after apostle deaths are later shown being filled, starting with Matthias replacing Judas Iscariot. Barnabas, Paul and “James the Lord’s brother” are likewise named apostles in the New Testament record.

Latter-day Saints believe this ancient order of apostleship exists today — with a conviction that every apostle set apart as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is given the “keys” to minister and carrying out the work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“The duty of the Twelve Apostles of the Church,” President Joseph F. Smith once taught, “is to preach the gospel to the world, to send it to the inhabitants of the earth and to bear testimony of Jesus Christ the Son of God, as living witnesses of his divine mission. That is their special calling.”

When President Ezra Taft Benson sat next to a feeble President Heber J. Grant in his bed in the summer of 1943, the aged prophet took the man’s right hand in both of his and extended the calling with tears in his eyes.

“The shock registered in Ezra’s face,” his biographer notes, feeling “as if the earth were sinking from beneath him.” President Benson later recorded: “He held my hand for a long time as we both shed tears. … For over an hour we were alone together, much of the time with  our hands clasped warmly together.”

That is the calling the Elder Patrick Kearon has now accepted, and which he will live out with the sustaining of his fellow Saints till the end of his life.

Editor’s Note: Trent Toone contributed reporting.