apostle3 (apostles who have served the longest ** )

                        Apostle            Service as an Apostle         Dates of Service
                    David O McKay           63 years 09 months      09 Apr 1906 to 18 Jan 1970
                    Heber J Grant           62 years 07 months      16 Oct 1882 to 14 May 1945
                    Joseph Fielding Smith   62 years 03 months      07 Apr 1910 to 02 Jul 1972
                    Wilford Woodruff        59 years 04 months      26 Apr 1839 to 02 Sep 1898
                    Thomas S Monson         54 years 03 months      04 Oct 1963 to 02 Jan 2018
                    Lorenzo Snow            52 years 08 months      12 Feb 1849 to 10 Oct 1901
                    Joseph F Smith          52 years 05 months      01 Jul 1866 to 19 Nov 1918
                    Franklin D Richards     50 years 10 months      12 Feb 1849 to 09 Dec 1899
                    Ezra Taft Benson        50 years 08 months      07 Oct 1943 to 30 May 1994
                    John Taylor             48 years 07 month       19 Dec 1838 to 25 Jul 1887
                    George Albert Smith     47 years 06 months      08 Oct 1903 to 04 Apr 1951
                    Gordon B Hinckley       46 years 04 months      05 Oct 1961 to 27 Jan 2008

(Note: Every apostle in the above list served as President of the Church, with the exception of Franklin D Richards.  This distinguishes Elder Richards as the apostle who served the longest as an apostle without serving as President of the Church.  Also, in April of 2024, Presidents Russell M. Nelson and Dallin H. Oaks will have served 40 years as apostles.