Intervals between the death of a Church president and the reorganization of the First Presidency
1st Presidency New Interval between Prophet Death date Reorganization Prophet 1st Presidencies Joseph Smith 27 Jun 1844 05 Dec 1847 Brigham Young 3 yr 5 mo 08 dy Brigham Young 29 Aug 1877 08 Oct 1880 John Taylor 3 yr 1 mo 10 dy John Taylor 25 Jul 1887 09 Apr 1889 Wilford Woodruff 1 yr 8 mo 14 dy Wilford Woodruff 02 Sep 1898 13 Sep 1898 Lorenzo Snow 11 days Lorenzo Snow 10 Oct 1901 17 Oct 1901 Joseph F Smith 07 days Joseph F Smith 19 Nov 1918 23 Nov 1918 Heber J Grant 04 days Heber J Grant 14 May 1945 21 May 1945 George Albert Smith 07 days George A Smith 04 Apr 1951 09 Apr 1951 David O McKay 05 days David O McKay 18 Jan 1970 23 Jan 1970 Joseph Fielding Smith 05 days Joseph F Smith 02 Jul 1972 07 Jul 1972 Harold B Lee 05 days Harold B Lee 26 Dec 1973 30 Dec 1973 Spencer W Kimball 04 days Spencer W Kimball 05 Nov 1985 10 Nov 1985 Ezra Taft Benson 05 days Ezra Taft Benson 30 May 1994 04 Jun 1984 Howard W Hunter 05 days Howard W Hunter 03 Mar 1995 12 Mar 1995 Gordon B Hinckley 09 days Gordon B Hinckley 27 Jan 2008 03 Feb 2008 Thomas S Monson 07 days Thomas S Monson 02 Jan 2018 14 Jan 2018 Russell M Nelson 12 days
Notes:
1/ Before his death, President Wilford Woodruff instructed Lorenzo Snow and others of the presiding brethren that, after his death, the First Presidency should be reorganized as soon as possible. He said to Lorenzo Snow in 1892, “… and when I go I want you, Brother Snow, not to delay but organize the First Presidency”. Elder Francis M. Lyman stated that President Woodruff reiterated that sentiment several times to the Council of Twelve. Succession in the Church, by Durham and Heath, pages 103-105
2/ The definition of the word ‘interregnum’ is – a period when normal government is suspended, especially between successive reigns or regimes; an interval or pause. Thus, the period of time between the death of one prophet and the ordination of the next prophet, a time when the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles oversees the functioning of the Church, is appropriately called an ‘apostolic interregnum’.
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