Age of future Church Presidents when ordained to the apostleship
Chronological order by service as Church President --
Church President Date ordained apostle Age ordained apostle
01 Joseph Smith May 1829 23 yr 05 mo
02 Brigham Young 14 Feb 1835 33 yr 08 mo
03 John Taylor 19 Dec 1838 30 yr 02 mo
04 Wilford Woodruff 26 Apr 1839 32 yr 02 mo
05 Lorenzo Snow 12 Feb 1849 34 yr 10 mo
06 Joseph F Smith 01 Jul 1866 27 yr 07 mo
07 Heber J Grant 16 Oct 1882 25 yr 11 mo
08 George Albert Smith 08 Oct 1903 33 yr 06 mo
09 David O McKay 09 Apr 1906 32 yr 07 mo
10 Joseph Fielding Smith 07 Apr 1910 33 yr 09 mo
11 Harold B Lee 10 Apr 1941 42 yr 00 mo
12 Spencer W Kimball 07 Oct 1943 48 yr 06 mo
13 Ezra Taft Benson 07 Oct 1943 44 yr 02 mo
14 Howard W Hunter 15 Oct 1959 51 yr 11 mo
15 Gordon B Hinckley 05 Oct 1961 51 yr 03 mo
16 Thomas S Monson 10 Oct 1963 36 yr 02 mo
17 Russell M Nelson 12 Apr 1984 59 yr 07 mo
In order of age of ordination, youngest to oldest --
Church President Date ordained apostle Age ordained apostle
01 Joseph Smith May 1829 23 yr 05 mo
07 Heber J Grant 16 Oct 1882 25 yr 11 mo
06 Joseph F Smith 01 Jul 1866 27 yr 07 mo
03 John Taylor 19 Dec 1838 30 yr 02 mo
04 Wilford Woodruff 26 Apr 1839 32 yr 02 mo
09 David O McKay 09 Apr 1906 32 yr 07 mo
08 George Albert Smith 08 Oct 1903 33 yr 06 mo
02 Brigham Young 14 Feb 1835 33 yr 08 mo
10 Joseph Fielding Smith 07 Apr 1910 33 yr 09 mo
05 Lorenzo Snow 12 Feb 1849 34 yr 10 mo
16 Thomas S Monson 10 Oct 1963 36 yr 02 mo
11 Harold B Lee 10 Apr 1941 42 yr 00 mo
13 Ezra Taft Benson 07 Oct 1943 44 yr 02 mo
12 Spencer W Kimball 07 Oct 1943 48 yr 06 mo
15 Gordon B Hinckley 05 Oct 1961 51 yr 03 mo
14 Howard W Hunter 15 Oct 1959 51 yr 11 mo
17 Russell M Nelson 12 Apr 1984 59 yr 07 mo
- Items of interest from the above information:
- Of the 17 prophets, President Russell M. Nelson was the oldest at the time of his ordination to the apostleship, being 59 years and 7 months old. Joseph Smith was the youngest, being 23 years and 5 months old.
- The average age at which the Church presidents were ordained to the apostleship is 37 years 9 months (641.244 ÷ 17).
- The longest span between apostolic ordinations of two future Church presidents is 31 years, the span between Joseph Fielding Smith and Harold B. Lee.
- Only once have future Church presidents been ordained apostles on the same day. That was the case with Spencer W. Kimball and Ezra Taft Benson.
- The average time between apostolic ordinations of future Church presidents is 9 years 8 months (154.665 ÷ 16).
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