ការចេញ​ផ្សាយ​ព័ត៌មាន

Calling an Apostle of God

Calling an Apostle of God continues today.   Toward the end of Jesus’s mortal ministry, He went into a mountain to pray. After a night of continual prayer, He called twelve disciples who would ensure the continuation of the Church He had established by giving it a “foundation of … apostles and prophets.” 

This foundation of living apostles and prophets—chosen and called through prophecy and revelation by priesthood authority, serving in love and unity under the direction of the resurrected Christ—continues today.

Who calls a new Apostle?

When a vacancy occurs, “a replacement in the Quorum of the Twelve is called by the President of the Church, who receives inspiration in extending the call.”

Apostles are chosen through inspiration by the President of the Church, sustained by the general membership of the Church, and ordained by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the laying on of hands.

 “I assure you that the Church is in good hands,” President Thomas S. Monson testifies. “The system set up for the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve [Apostles] assures [us] that it will always be in good hands and that, come what may, there is no need to worry or to fear. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom we follow, whom we worship, and whom we serve, is ever at the helm.”

Who can be called as an Apostle?

“The new member of the Twelve may be called from one of the Quorums of the Seventy (which are made up of General Authorities who are senior leaders in the Church) or from general Church membership around the world. Seniority in the Quorum of the Twelve is determined by the date an apostle is called rather than by age” (“Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,” MormonNewsroom.org).

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles teaches: “All leaders in the Lord’s Church are called by proper authority. No prophet or any other leader in this Church, for that matter, has ever called himself or herself. No prophet has ever been elected. The Lord made that clear when He said, ‘Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.'   You and I do not ‘vote’ on Church leaders at any level. We do, though, have the privilege of sustaining them.”

What does an Apostle do?

The Lord called His Twelve Apostles to preach and “freely” bless others.

The Doctrine and Covenants teaches that Apostles serve as “special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world” (D&C 107:23).

The Prophet Joseph Smith established the importance of apostolic witnesses when he said, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

“The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, called and ordained to hold the keys of the priesthood, have the authority and responsibility to govern the Church, to administer its ordinances, to expound its doctrine, and to establish and maintain its practices,” taught President Hinckley.

Members of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles serve for the remainder of their lives. As Elder Dallin H. Oak explains, “It is up front a calling to spend the rest of your life, full-time, in His service and to spend your life testifying of His plan and His authority and His Atonement and His Resurrection and to participate, as assigned, in the leadership of the Church.” 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland says that serving in the office to which he has been ordained has been for him, as it has been for others who have accepted the same call, a lifelong refining process. “I pledge everything I have and everything I know how to give to witnessing and reaffirming the divinity of the Savior’s life and the restoration of his gospel,” he said. “My greatest joy and my solemn obligation is to testify of Jesus Christ wherever I may go and with whomever I may be for as long as I shall live.” 

How can we sustain the Apostles?

To sustain prophets and apostles, President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said we can sustain the Lord’s servants through our faith, prayers, service, and family and temple work. “We must examine our lives, repent as necessary, pledge to keep the Lord’s commandments, and follow His servants."

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