President Russell M. Nelson became the 17th prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January, following the passing of President Thomas S. Monson on Jan. 2. President Dallin H. Oaks became his first counselor, and when President Henry B. Eyring was called as second counselor, he became the 11th First Presidency member in church history to serve under two or more presidents.
President Eyring began his service in the First Presidency as second counselor in October 2007 under President Gordon B. Hinckley, though President Hinckley died just three months later.
When President Monson became prophet, he called President Eyring as his first counselor in the First Presidency and kept him throughout his tenure.
President Monson himself served under multiple presidents, beginning as second counselor under President Ezra Taft Benson in 1985.
President Monson continued as second counselor during the brief presidency of President Howard W. Hunter and was first counselor for the entirety of President Hinckley’s tenure.
President Hinckley also participated in multiple First Presidencies, beginning with the final three years of President Spencer W. Kimball’s presidency, and continuing with President Benson and President Hunter.
Though the group of counselors who have served under two different presidents is quite large, it narrows considerably when talking about those who have served more than that.
President Eyring, President Monson and President Hinckley all qualify for this group, as well as President N. Eldon Tanner, President J. Reuben Clark, President Joseph F. Smith and President George Q. Cannon.
President Tanner served under the most presidents with four, though President Clark served for the longest amount of time —28 years — from 1933 to 1961.
For a brief period in the 1960s and again in the 1980s, the First Presidency included a third counselor. President Hinckley served in this capacity in the 1980s when first counselor President Tanner’s health began to deteriorate.
