Staff Reports
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — In a historic transition for one of the world’s largest religious organizations, Dallin H. Oaks was ordained Tuesday as the 18th president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, succeeding the late Russell M. Nelson.
The 93-year-old Oaks, a former Utah Supreme Court justice and longtime apostle, accepted the mantle of leadership during a brief video announcement broadcast worldwide from the Church’s Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City. “I accept with humility the responsibility that God has placed upon me and commit my whole heart and soul to the service to which I’ve been called,” Oaks said.
In his first official acts, Oaks announced the formation of a new First Presidency, naming fellow apostles Henry B. Eyring, 92, as his first counselor and D. Todd Christofferson, 80, as second counselor. Eyring, a veteran church leader, had previously served as a counselor in the last two First Presidencies under Nelson. Christofferson, in a statement reflecting the surprise of the moment, shared his own humility: “I confess that this is not what I expected when I woke up this morning, but I am deeply honored by this calling and the trust that it carries. At the same time, I recognize that I’m not called to be honored, but called to serve, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve at the side of President Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring.”
The reorganization followed a vote by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during their morning meeting, dissolving the previous First Presidency upon Nelson’s death on Sept. 27 at age 101. For the intervening 17 days, the Quorum had led the church, with Oaks serving as its acting president in the role of senior apostle.
Apostle Gary E. Stevenson conducted the announcement before a small audience of top church leaders, noting that Oaks had been “set apart” — a sacred ordinance of ordination — by his fellow apostles earlier that morning. In a departure from seven decades of tradition, there was no accompanying news conference.
Additionally, Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland, 84, was set apart as the new president of the Quorum of the Twelve, positioning him as the next in line for church leadership. Holland had been serving as the acting president of the quorum following Nelson’s passing.
Oaks, a staunch defender of religious liberty and a devoted advocate for traditional man-woman marriage, brings a distinguished legal and academic background to the role. Once a nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court and elevated to the apostleship from the Utah Supreme Court bench in 1984, he is renowned for his defenses of religious freedom, civil dialogue amid polarization, and the principles of the U.S. Constitution. Oaks and Nelson, called as apostles together in April 1984, shared a close bond; Oaks served as Nelson’s first counselor for the past seven-and-a-half years and eulogized him last week as “my best friend and most effective teacher.”
At just two months younger than Nelson was upon assuming the presidency in 2018, Oaks inherits a church at a pivotal moment. The 17.5 million-member faith is experiencing robust growth in North America and globally, alongside rapid diversification and a surge in humanitarian initiatives over the last five years. “There is much to be done,” Oaks said, “for our ministry is a ministry of all the children of God on the face of the earth. We pray for all. We seek to serve all, and we invoke the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ upon all who seek to serve him to do so in worthiness, commitment, and optimism.”
Oaks expressed deep gratitude for the global prayers of church members supporting the transition. “I am grateful for the prayers offered by so many members of the church for a new First Presidency,” he said. “I have felt the effect of those prayers, and with my counselors, we will strive in all respects to press forward this great work.”
Reflecting on his predecessor’s tenure, Oaks steps into a legacy of dynamic change. Despite early predictions that Nelson — then 93 — would serve as a “caretaker” leader, he instead spearheaded sweeping reforms, including a renewed emphasis on the church’s full name, the introduction of a new church symbol, revisions to Sunday worship services, and the dedication of 200 new temples worldwide.
Looking ahead, Oaks is expected to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve created by Nelson’s death, with a new apostle likely to be called before the church’s April 2026 international general conference. As the church continues its global mission, Oaks’ leadership will undoubtedly build on these foundations, guided by his lifelong commitment to faith, fairness, and service.
