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LDS apostles come from a variety of backgrounds but share common spiritual moorings. Click below for more detailed information on each the 12 Apostles.
Boyd K. Packer | L. Tom Perry | David B. Haight | Neal A. Maxwell | Russell M. Nelson | Dallin H. Oaks | M. Russell Ballard | Joseph B. Wirthlin | Richard G. Scott | Robert D. Hales | Jeffrey R. Holland | Henry B. Eyring
Boyd K. Packer
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve April 6, 1970* Ordained an apostle April 9, 1970, at age 45* Set apart as acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve on March 12, 1995, at age 70* Sustained as Assistant to the Twelve on Sept. 30, 1961* Set apart as acting President of the Twelve on June 5, 1994* Born Sept. 10, 1924, in Brigham City, Utah* Received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Utah State University* Received Ph.D. in educational administration from BYU* Pilot in the Pacific Theater during World War II* Former supervisor of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion* Former president of the New England Mission* Married Donna Smith Packer; father of 10 children
L. Tom Perry
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on April 6, 1974, at age 51* Ordained an apostle on April 11, 1974* Born Aug. 5, 1922, in Logan, Utah* Served in the Marines in the Pacific during World War II* Graduated from Utah State University with a B.S. degree in finance* Vice president and treasurer of department store chain in Boston, Mass.* Sustained as Assistant to the Twelve on Oct. 6, 1972* Married Virginia Lee; father of three children* Wife, Viriginia Lee, died in 1974* Married Barbara Dayton in 1976
David B. Haight
* Ordained an apostle on Jan. 8, 1976, at age 69* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on April 3, 1976* Born Sept. 2, 1906, in Oakley, Idaho* Attended Utah State University* Served as commander in the Navy during World War II* Former mayor of Palo Alto, Calif.* Former district and regional manager of large retail store chain* Former assistant to president at BYU* Married Ruby Olsen; father of three children
Neal A. Maxwell
* Ordained an apostle July 23, 1981, at age 55* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on Oct. 3, 1981* Called as Assistant to the Twelve on April 6, 1974* Called to Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy on Oct. 1, 1976* Born July 6, 1926, in Salt Lake City, Utah* Received bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree from the University of Utah* Received four honorary doctorates* Former Church commissioner of education* Former YMMIA general board member and regional representative* Former executive vice president of the University of Utah* Married Colleen Hinckley Maxwell; father of four children
Russell M. Nelson
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984, at age 59* Ordained an apostle April 12, 1984* Born Sept. 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah* Received B.A. and M.D. degrees from University of Utah and Ph.D. from University of Minnesota* Former president of the Society for Vascular Surgery* Former chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association* Renowned surgeon and medical researcher* Former Sunday School general president, regional representative and stake president* Married Dantzel White Nelson; father of 10 children
Dallin H. Oaks
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on April 7, 1984, at age 51* Ordained an apostle May 3, 1984* Born Aug. 12, 1932, in Provo, Utah* Graduated from BYU in accounting* Received juris doctorate cum laude from University of Chicago* Former law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren* Practiced law in Chicago and was professor of law at University of Chicago for 10 years* Former executive director of the American Bar Foundation* Served nine years as president of BYU* Served three years as Utah Supreme Court justice* Married June Dixon Oaks; father of six children*Recently remarried
M. Russell Ballard
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Oct. 6, 1985* Ordained an apostle Oct. 10, 1985, at age 57* Born in Salt Lake City, Utah* Attended the University of Utah* President of the Canada Toronto Mission* Sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy April 3, 1976* Began serving in the presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy Feb. 21, 1980* Married to Barbara Bowen Ballard, parents of seven children
Joseph B. Wirthlin
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Oct. 4, 1986* Ordained an apostle Oct. 9, 1986, at age 69* Born June 11, 1917, in Salt Lake City, Utah* Graduate of University of Utah in business management* Served in the Sunday School general presidency* Sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy on Oct. 1, 1976* Began serving in the presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy Aug. 28, 1976* Married to Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, parents of eight children
Richard G. Scott
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on Oct. 1, 1988* Ordained an apostle Oct. 6, 1988, at age 59* Born Nov. 7, 1928, in Pocatello, Idaho* Received B.S. degree in mechanical engineering at George Washington University* Completed postgraduate work in nuclear engineering at Oakridge, Tenn.* Sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy April 2, 1977* Began serving in presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy Oct. 1, 1983* Married to Jeanene Watkins Scott, parents of seven children, five of whom are living
Robert D. Hales
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve April 2, 1994* Ordained an apostle April 7, 1994, at age 61* Born Aug. 24, 1932, in New York City, N.Y.* Earned B.S. from the University of Utah* Completed master of business administration degree at Harvard* Former first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency* President of the England London Mission* Sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy Oct. 1, 1976* Sustained as Presiding Bishop April 6, 1985* Married to Mary Elene Crandall Hales, parents of two sons
Jeffrey R. Holland
* Ordained an apostle June 23, 1994, at age 53* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Oct. 1, 1994* Born Dec. 3, 1940, in St. George, Utah* Received bachelor’s degree in English at Brigham Young University* Earned master’s degree in religious education from BYU* Completed master’s degree and doctorate in American studies from Yale University* Served as president of BYU* Sustained to First Quorum of the Seventy on April 1, 1989* Married Patricia Terry Holland; father of three children
Henry B. Eyring
* Sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on April 6, 1995, at age 61* Ordained an apostle April 1, 1995* Born May 31, 1933, in Princeton, N.J.* Received bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and master’s degree and doctorate fromHarvard University* Former commissioner and deputy commissioner of Education for Church Educational System* Former president of Ricks College, 1971-77* Sustained as first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric on April 6, 1985* Sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy on Oct. 3, 1992* Former regional representative, member of the Sunday School General Board and bishop* Married Kathleen Johnson Eyring; father of six children
