Select Page

didyou4 (apostles lengths of service ** )

APOSTLES — Lengths of Service Quizzes


Question: Only twice in Church history has an apostle passed away while still serving as the junior (or least senior) member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Can you name these two unique occurrences?
Answer: The two apostles who passed away while still the junior member of the Quorum of the Twelve are Abraham H. Cannon and Alonzo H. Hinckley. Elder Cannon, the son of Elder George Q. Cannon, was ordained an apostle on October 7, 1889 and passed away on July 19, 1896 (age 37). For some time prior to his death he suffered with severe headaches.  While returning from a business trip to California, he became seriously ill. He underwent operations for ear troubles, and “general inflammation” set in, resulting in his death. Alonzo Hinckley, President Gordon B. Hinckley’s uncle, was ordained an apostle on October 11, 1934 and he died on December 22, 1936 (age 66).  Click here for more information.

Question:  What is the longest period of time that has elapsed without a change being made in either the Quorum of the First Presidency OR the Quorum of the Twelve?
Answer: The longest period of time that has elapsed without a change in the First Presidency OR the Quorum of the Twelve is 9 years and 3 months.  Elder Henry B. Eyring was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on April 6, 1995, and no changes occurred in either quorum until Elder Neal A. Maxwell passed away on July 21, 2004.  President Gordon B. Hinckley was president of the Church during these years.  The second longest time period was six years and six months, from October 7, 1889 to April 6, 1896.  Three vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve were filled on October 7, 1889 with the ordinations of Marriner W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, and Abraham H. Cannon.  The next change occurred on April 6, 1896 when Moses Thatcher was released from the Quorum of the Twelve.  (If you correctly answered this quiz, you must either be the Church Historian or one of the Three Nephites.)  Click here and/or here for more information.

Question: Can you name the apostle in this dispensation who served the longest as an apostle without serving as President of the Church?
Answer:  Franklin Dewey Richards.  Elder Richards was born on April 2, 1821 at Richmond, Massachusetts.  He was ordained an apostle on February 12, 1849 and served faithfully as an apostle until his death on December 9, 1899.  He thus served as an apostle for 50 years and 10 months, without serving as the President of the Church.   Click here for more details.

Question: Can you name the three apostles in this dispensation who have had the longest tenure as apostles?
Answer: President David O. McKay served as an apostle for 63 years and 9 months (from April 1906 to January 1971), President Heber J. Grant served as an apostle for 62 years and 7 months (from October 1882 to May 1945), and President Joseph Fielding Smith served as an apostle for 62 years and 3 months (from April 1910 to July 1972).  These are the only three apostles who served for 60 years or longer as apostles. Six other apostles served over 50 years as apostles (Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Franklin D. Richards, Ezra Taft Benson, and Thomas S. Monson).  Click here for more information.

Question:  Which apostle in this dispensation served the shortest length of time in the Quorum of the Twelve (2 years 2 months)?
Answer:  The apostle who served only 2 years and 2 months in the Quorum of the Twelve was Elder Alonzo Arza Hinckley.  He was ordained an apostle on October 11, 1934 by President Heber J. Grant at age 64, and he passed away on December 22, 1936.  Click here to see other ‘short term’ apostles.

Question:  Which apostle in this dispensation served the longest length of time in the Quorum of the Twelve?
Answer:  The apostle that served the longest in the Quorum of the Twelve was Elder Joseph Fielding Smith.  He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve for 59 years and 10 months (April 7, 1910 to January 23, 1970).  He then served as President of the Church for 2 years and 5 months.  Click here to see more information on length of service in the Quorum of 12.

Question:  Which apostle has served the longest as an apostle without serving as either the President of the Church or President of the Quorum of the Twelve?
Answer:  Elder Orson Pratt served as an apostle for 46 years and 1 month without serving as either the President of the Church or President of the Quorum of the Twelve.  This is the longest period of service for an apostle without serving in the two mentioned callings.  Click here to see more information on this topic.


Click here to return to the start of this quiz page
Click here to return to the Quizzes menu page
Click here to return to the Main Menu page