Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was born on Sept. 8, 1940, in Logan, Utah. He has served as an Apostle since Oct. 6, 2007. He served as a young full-time missionary in England, where he and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland served as companions. He married Mary Gaddie in the Logan Utah Temple on Nov. 30, 1962, and they have three children.
A lawyer by profession, Elder Cook graduated from Utah State University in 1963 and Stanford Law School in 1966, then worked as a managing partner of a San Francisco Bay area law firm for several years. Subsequently, he worked in business as president and chief executive officer of California Healthcare System and vice chairman of Sutter Health System.
Elder Cook has traveled around the world as a general authority, living in the Philippines and Pacific Islands. He served as president of the North America Northwest Area and executive director of the Church’s Missionary Department. He currently serves as chairman of the Missionary Executive Council.
In honor of his 82nd birthday today, here are nine quotes from Elder Cook in the past year.
1. Give heed to the words of the Prophets
“These prophetic declarations that I have addressed have provided and will provide immunity and protection in the future to allow members to be in the world, but not of the world, and prepare them for the Second Coming of the Savior.”
— Devotional at BYU Education Week, Aug. 16, 2022
2. Blessings from living the commandments
“As we invite people to commit to obey a specific commandment, we would do well to teach the blessings — the happiness and joy — they will receive by living the commandment.”
— Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 23, 2022
3. True conversion
“Over a lifetime of service and spiritual experiences, I have come to understand that true conversion is the result of the conscious acceptance of the will of God, and we can be guided in our actions by the Holy Ghost.”
— “Conversion to the Will of God,” April 2022 general conference
4. The importance of faith in the public square
“My plea this evening is that all religions work together to defend faith and religious freedom in a manner that protects people of diverse faith as well as those of no faith. Catholics, evangelicals, Jews, Muslims, Latter-day Saints and other faiths must be part of a coalition of faiths that succor, act as a sanctuary and promulgate religious freedom across the world.”
— Address at the historic Riverside Church in New York City, March 4, 2022
5. Principles to strengthen faith in the Savior
- Understand that there is truly opposition in all things; the choices you make are critical.
- Strengthen your own testimony as a foundation for all of the choices you make.
- Seek knowledge diligently, wisely, and with humility.
- Follow the Prophet’s counsel as you make your choices.
- Live so the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ can be efficacious in your life.
— Devotional for young adults in the Europe, Africa and Middle East areas, Jan. 9, 2022
6. Christ was the example in all things
“He was our exemplar and laid out the path that we should follow. He devoted His life to the poor, the needy, the sick and the afflicted, and the successful completion of the eternal plan for which He alone was qualified.”
— Christmas devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Dec. 25, 2021
7. Eliminate ‘Saturday morning cartoons’ of life
“What I am suggesting is that you can meet many of your righteous, worthwhile goals with planning, grit and determination, especially if you eliminate the Saturday morning cartoons of life. You can also find more joy and happiness in your life.”
— BYU-Pathway devotional, Dec. 7, 2021
8. Personal peace
“I assure you that the joy, love, and fulfillment experienced in loving, righteous families produce both peace and happiness. Love and kindness are at the center of having Zion in our hearts and homes.”
— “Personal Peace in Challenging Times,” Oct. 3, 2021
9. The music of faith
“Many in this room have been valiant in protecting the religiously inspired conduct of those who feel accountable to God. You have been engaged in the fighting in the trenches that has been going on in the United States for some time. You have tried to overcome the societal malady represented by being tone deaf to the music of faith.”
— Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit, June 28, 2021
