FIRST PRESIDENCY — Counselors Quizzes
QUESTION: Two brethren served as counselors in the First Presidency, were released from those callings, and then served as ‘Counselors to the Quorum of the Twelve’. Can you name these two brethren?
ANSWER: These two brethren were John W. Young and Daniel H. Wells. Elders Young and Wells served as counselors in the First Presidency under Brigham Young, they were released upon the death of President Young, and they were then set-apart as counselors to the Quorum of the Twelve, serving in that position until 1891. Click here for more information regarding John W. Young, and click here for more information regarding Daniel H. Wells. Click here for more information about counselors in the First Presidency over the years.
QUESTION: Only one brother in this dispensation has served as both First and Second Counselor to two different Church Presidents. Can you name this faithful apostle?
ANSWER: Elder J. Reuben Clark, Jr. served as both First and Second Counselor to President Heber J. Grant, and he then served as both First and Second Counselor to President David O. McKay. Click here for more information about counselors in the First Presidency over the years. Click here for more information regarding Elder J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
QUESTION: Eight of our Church Presidents served their entire time as President of the Church with the same First and Second Counselors (in other words, there was no change in the First Presidency during the tenure of these seven Church Presidents). Can you name these eight Prophets?
ANSWER: The eight Church Presidents who had the same counselors during their entire time as President are President John Taylor (counselors were Elders George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith), President Wilford Woodruff (Elders Cannon and Smith), President George Albert Smith (Elders Clark and McKay), President Joseph Fielding Smith (Elders Lee and Tanner), President Harold B. Lee (Elders Tanner and Romney), President Ezra Taft Benson (Elders Hinckley and Monson), President Howard W. Hunter (Elders Hinckley and Monson), and President Thomas S. Monson (Elders Eyring and Uchtdorf). Click here to see more details on this topic.
QUESTION: One of our church presidents in this dispensation had five different Second Counselors during his service as president of the church. Can you name this president (extra credit will be awarded if you can name his five Second Counselors)?
ANSWER: President Heber J. Grant had five different Second counselors during his 26 years as President of the Church. In order, these Second counselors were Charles W. Penrose, Anthony W. Ivins, Charles W. Nibley, J. Reuben Clark Jr., and David O. McKay. More information about Second Counselors can be found here.
QUESTION: One of our apostles in this dispensation was sustained twice as Second Counselor in the First Presidency and three times as First Counselor in the First Presidency. Can you name this faithful brother?
ANSWER: Elder J. Reuben Clark served as Second Counselor to Presidents Grant and McKay, and as First Counselor to Presidents Grant, Smith, and McKay. Elder Clark’s total length of service as a counselor in the First Presidency was 28 years and 5 months. Information about First Counselors in the First Presidency can be found here and information about Second Counselors in the First Presidency can be found here.
QUESTION: Two of our Church Presidents in this dispensation had four different First Counselors during their service as President of the Church. Can you name these two Church Presidents?
ANSWER: Presidents Heber J. Grant and David O. McKay each had four different First Counselors during their service as President. President Grant’s First Counselors were Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose, Anthony W. Ivins, and J. Reuben Clark. President McKay’s First Counselors were J. Reuben Clark, Stephen L. Richards, Henry D. Moyle, and Hugh B. Brown. Information about First Counselors in the First Presidency can be found here.
QUESTION: Can you name the two brethren who served the longest and the shortest as Second Counselor in the First Presidency?
ANSWER: Daniel H. Wells served the longest as Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He served from January 4, 1857 to August 29, 1877, a period of 20 years and 8 months. He served as Second Counselor to Brigham Young during all of those years. Rudger Clawson served only four days as Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He was sustained as Second Counselor to President Lorenzo Snow on October 6, 1901, but President Snow passed away 4 days later (October 10, 1901) and the First Presidency was dissolved. Information about Second Counselors in the First Presidency can be found here.
QUESTION: Can you name the oldest brother and the youngest brother to be sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency?
ANSWER: Charles W. Penrose is the oldest brother to be sustained as a Second Counselor in the First Presidency. He was sustained on December 7, 1911 at the age of 79 years 10 months, serving as Second Counselor to President Joseph F. Smith. The youngest brother to be sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency is William Law. He was sustained on January 24, 1841 at the age of 31 years 5 months, serving as Second Counselor to President Joseph Smith. Note: President Henry B. Eyring was sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency FOR THE SECOND TIME on January 14, 2018. He was 84 years and 07 months old at the time! He was 74 years old when he was sustained at Second Counselor for the first time. Information about Second Counselors in the First Presidency can be found here.
QUESTION: Can you name the two brethren who served the longest and the shortest as First Counselor in the First Presidency?
ANSWER: Heber C. Kimball served the longest as First Counselor in the First Presidency. He served from December 27, 1847 to June 22, 1868, a period of 20 years and 6 months. He served as First Counselor to Brigham Young during all of those years. Joseph F. Smith served only four days as First Counselor in the First Presidency. He was sustained as First Counselor to President Lorenzo Snow on October 6, 1901, but President Snow passed away 4 days later (October 10, 1901) and the First Presidency was dissolved. Information about First Counselors in the First Presidency can be found here.
QUESTION: How many apostles have served simultaneously as a counselor in the First Presidency and as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve?
ANSWER: Six apostles have served concurrently as a counselor in the First President and as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. The six are Joseph F. Smith, Brigham Young, Jr, Albert Carrington, George Q. Cannon, Lorenzo Snow, and Joseph Fielding Smith. See this link for more information on this topic.
QUESTION: Can you name the oldest and the youngest brethren to be sustained as First Counselor in the First Presidency?
ANSWER: Charles W. Penrose is the oldest brother to be sustained as a First Counselor in the First Presidency. He was sustained on March 10, 1921 at the age of 89 years 1 month, serving as First Counselor to President Heber J. Grant. The youngest brother to be sustained as First Counselor in the First Presidency is John W. Young. He was sustained on October 7, 1876 at the age of 32 years 0 months, serving as First Counselor to President Brigham Young. See this link for more information about First Counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: Only four of our Church presidents have utilized assistant counselors or extra counselors in the First Presidency. Can you name these four Church presidents (and perhaps some of the assistant counselors)?
ANSWER: The four Church presidents who utilized assistant counselors in the First Presidency are Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, David O. McKay, and Spencer W. Kimball. Joseph Smith called his father, Hyrum Smith, William Law, John C. Bennett and others as assistant counselors. Brigham Young had numerous assistant counselors, including Joseph F. Smith, Lorenzo Snow, Brigham Young Jr., Albert Carrington, and George Q. Cannon. President McKay called Hugh B. Brown, Joseph Fielding Smith, Thorpe B. Isaacson, and Alvin R. Dyer as assistant counselors. President Kimball utilized Gordon B. Hinckley as an assistant counselor. Click here to see information about Assistant Counselors to the First Presidency
QUESTION: At one point in Church history, the four least-senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve were all serving as counselors to the First Presidency. Can you identify this unusual occurrence?
ANSWER: Joseph F. Smith was called as an apostle and as a counselor to the First Presidency on July 1, 1866 (age 27). He served in this position until April 8, 1873 when President Young called several other brethren as counselors to the First Presidency, including Elders George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young Jr., and Albert Carrington. These four apostles (Cannon, Young, Smith, and Carrington) were the four least-senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve. The work of these counselors was in addition to their duties in the Quorum of the Twelve. See this link for more information about this topic.
QUESTION: Only twice in Church history has the least-senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve been called to serve in the First Presidency. Can you identify these two instances?
ANSWER: Albert Carrington was ordained an apostle on July 3, 1870, and served as the least-senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve until April 8, 1873 when he was sustained as a counselor to President Brigham Young. Nathan Eldon Tanner was ordained an apostle on October 11, 1962, and served as the least-senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve until October 4, 1963 when he was sustained as 2nd Counselor to President McKay. See this link for more information about this topic this link for information about Elder Tanner.
QUESTION: Of the seventeen brethren who have served as Presidents of the Church in this dispensation, seven have served as a counselor in the First Presidency before serving as President of the Church. Of these seven, only three have served as both First and Second Counselor in the First Presidency before serving as President. Can you name these three brethren?
ANSWER: The three brethren who served as both First and Second Counselor in the First Presidency before serving as President of the Church are Elders Joseph F. Smith, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Thomas S. Monson. President Smith served as Second Counselor to Presidents John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow, and he served as First Counselor to President Lorenzo Snow. President Hinckley served as Second Counselor to President Kimball and as First Counselor to Presidents Benson and Hunter. President Monson served as Second Counselor to Presidents Benson and Hunter, and as First Counselor to President Hinckley. See this link for information about this topic.
QUESTION: Can you name the presidents of the Church that have served as a counselor in the First Presidency before serving as Church president, and can you also name those presidents that did not serve as a counselor in the First Presidency before serving as Church president?
ANSWER: Seven of our presidents served as a counselor in the First Presidency before serving as Church president. They are Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Thomas S. Monson. The ten who did not serve in the First Presidency prior to serving as Church president are Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, and Russell M. Nelson. See this link for information about this topic. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: Can you name a very distinctive feature about the presidencies of President Ezra Taft Benson and President Howard W. Hunter?
ANSWER: The very distinctive and unique feature about the presidencies of President Ezra Taft Benson and President Howard W. Hunter is that both of their counselors in the First Presidency went on to serve as president of the Church (President Hinckley and President Monson). That situation had not occurred prior to their presidencies. (This quiz question was suggested by Stephen Erekson!) Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: One of the apostles of this dispensation served as a counselor in the First Presidency for the entire time that he was an apostle. Can you name him?
ANSWER: J Reuben Clark Jr. was sustained as Second Counselor to President Grant April 6, 1933. At the time he was a High Priest. He was sustained as First Counselor to President Grant on October 6, 1934, being ordained an apostle on October 11, 1934. He was next sustained as First counselor to President George Albert Smith on May 21, 1945. He was then sustained as Second Counselor to President McKay on April 9,1951, and then as First Counselor to President McKay on June 12, 1959. Elder Clark died on Oct 6, 1961. He served 28 and one-half years as a member of the First Presidency, 27 of those years as an apostle. See this link for more information about Apostle J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
QUESTION: Three apostles in this dispensation have served as a counselor to four different presidents of the Church. Can you name these three apostles?
ANSWER: The three apostles are George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith, and Nathan Eldon Tanner. Elders Cannon and Smith both served as a counselor to Presidents Young, Taylor, Woodruff, and Snow. Elder Tanner served as a counselor to Presidents McKay, Smith, Lee, and Kimball. President Henry B. Eyring has served as a counselor to THREE church presidents (Hinckley, Monson, and Nelson). Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: Twice in the history of the Church, a brother has been ordained an apostle and sustained as a counselor in the First Presidency on the same day. Can you name these two brethren?
ANSWER: The two brethren are Jedediah M. Grant and Joseph F. Smith. Jedediah Grant was ordained an apostle and sustained as Second Counselor to President Brigham Young on April 7, 1854. Joseph F. Smith was ordained an apostle and sustained as Counselor to the First Presidency on July 1, 1866. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: One of the apostles of this dispensation served as a counselor in the First Presidency for only four days! Can you name this apostle and the unusual circumstances of this very brief tenure in the First Presidency?
ANSWER: When President Wilford Woodruff died in 1898, Lorenzo Snow was called to be the President of the Church. He called as his counselors in the First Presidency Elders George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. Elder Cannon died on April 12, 1901, and President Snow elected not to fill the vacancy in the First Presidency until the following semi-annual General Conference. Thus, on October 6, 1901, Elder Joseph F. Smith was sustained as the new First Counselor in the First Presidency and Elder Rudger Clawson as the Second Counselor. Remarkably, President Snow passed away just 4 days later, on October 10, 1901. The First Presidency was thus dissolved, and the next President of the Church (President Joseph F. Smith) called as his counselors Elders John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund. Thus, Elder Rudger Clawson served in the First Presidency for only four days! Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: How many brethren have served as both First and Second Counselor in the First Presidency? Can you name all of them?
ANSWER: In this dispensation, twelve brethren have served as both First and Second Counselor in the First Presidency. These brethren are Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose, Anthony W. Ivins, J. Reuben Clark Jr., Henry D. Moyle, Hugh B. Brown, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Henry B. Eyring. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: How many latter-day apostles have had a father serve as a counselor in the First Presidency?
ANSWER: Eleven latter-day apostles have had a father serve in the First Presidency. These eleven apostles (followed by their fathers) are Joseph Smith (Joseph Smith, Sr.), Hyrum Smith (Joseph Smith, Sr.), William B. Smith (Joseph Smith, Sr.), Joseph F. Smith (Hyrum Smith), Francis M. Lyman (Amasa M. Lyman), Heber J. Grant (Jedediah M. Grant), Hyrum Mack Smith (Joseph F. Smith), Joseph Fielding Smith (Joseph F. Smith), Abraham H. Cannon (George Q. Cannon), Sylvester Q. Cannon (George Q. Cannon), and George Albert Smith (John Henry Smith). Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: Earlier in church history, a faithful brother served as the Presiding Bishop of the church for over 17 years, and was then called to serve as the Second Counselor in the First Presidency, where he served for over 6 years. He was never ordained to the apostleship. Can you name this brother?
ANSWER: Charles W. Nibley served as the Presiding Bishop from December 4, 1907 to May 28, 1925. He was then called by President Heber J. Grant to serve in the First Presidency, where he served from May 28, 1925 until December 11, 1931. He was not called to the apostleship. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: Can you name the youngest brother to be called to serve as a counselor in the First Presidency and the oldest brother at the time of his call as a counselor to the First Presidency?
ANSWER: The youngest brother to be called into the First Presidency was Elder John Willard Young, son of Brigham Young. He was sustained as Counselor to President Brigham Young at the age of 28. The oldest brother at the time of his call to the First Presidency is President Dallin H. Oaks. President Oaks was 85 years and 05 months at the time of his calling to serve as First Counselor in the First Presidency. Brother John Rex Winder was sustained as First Counselor to President Joseph F. Smith at the age of 79 years and 10 months. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: Seven apostles have served in the First Presidency but were never members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Can you name these seven apostles?
ANSWER: The 7 apostles that served in the First Presidency but who were never members of the Quorum of the Twelve are Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, John W. Young, Jedediah M. Grant, Daniel H. Wells, and Alvin R. Dyer. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: One of our church presidents called his nephew to serve as his first counselor in the First Presidency. Can you name the prophet and his nephew?
ANSWER: President John Taylor called his nephew, George Q. Cannon to serve with him in the First Presidency. President Taylor was married to Leonora Cannon, who was the sister of George Cannon, the father of George Q. Cannon. Click here to see information about counselors in the First Presidency.
QUESTION: At one time, the First Counselor in the First Presidency was the uncle of the Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Can you name the uncle and the nephew?
ANSWER: President McKay called Hugh B. Brown to serve as First Counselor in the Presidency and N. Eldon Tanner to serve as Second Counselor. President Brown’s sister, Edna Brown, was married to Nathan W. Tanner, and they were the parents of N. Eldon Tanner. See here for more information.
Click here to return to the start of this quiz page
Click here to return to the Quiz menu
Click here to return to the Main Menu page