Three Church leaders — Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Elder Gary E. Stevenson and Elder Dale G. Renlund — were named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Saturday.
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, presented their names at the Saturday afternoon session of the Church's 185th Semiannual General Conference in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Millions of Church members around the world watched or listened to the meeting in more than 80 languages.
It’s been over a century since the Quorum of the Twelve had three vacancies at one time. Additionally, with the call of Elder Renlund, 100 apostles have now been called to serve since the Church was organized in 1830.
The three new apostles will fill the vacancies created in the Twelve by the recent deaths of Elder L. Tom Perry, President Boyd K. Packer and Elder Richard G. Scott. All served for several decades as General Authorities in the Church.
Elder Rasband was serving as the senior president in the Presidency of the Seventy at the time of his call to the Twelve. He became a General Authority of the Church in April of 2000.
Elder Stevenson was serving as the Presiding Bishop of the Church since March 2012 and previously served in the First Quorum of the Seventy, to which he was called in 2008. Elder Stevenson will continue in his position as Presiding Bishop for what is expected to be a short period until his replacement is named.
Elder Renlund had served in the First Quorum of the Seventy since April 2009 prior to being named to the Quorum of the Twelve.