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 the British Mission and married Mary Gaddie in the Logan Utah Temple on Nov. 30, 1962. They have three children.
A lawyer by profession, Elder Cook graduated from Utah State University in 1963 and Stanford Law School in 1966. He also worked in business as president and chief executive officer of California Healthcare System and vice chairman of Sutter Health System.
Elder Cook has served in the area presidency in the Philippines, as president of the Pacific Islands and North America Northwest areas and as executive director of the Missionary Department.
In honor of his 85th birthday today, here are nine quotes from Elder Cook in the past year.
1. Personal peace
“In a world where there is no peace, I bless you that you will have personal peace — the peace that passes understanding because you know the Savior.”
- Ministry in South Korea and Japan, Sept. 18, 2024
2. The sacred scriptures
“The sacred scriptures and living prophets are a major way a loving Heavenly Father makes His plan of happiness available to all His children.”
- ‘Sacred Scriptures – The Foundations of Faith’, October 2024 general conference
3. Fulfilling divinely appointed responsibilities
“Fulfilling divinely appointed responsibilities — based on righteousness, unity and equality before the Lord — brings personal happiness and peace in this world and prepares us for eternal life in the world to come. It prepares us to meet God."
- Dedication of the Casper Wyoming Temple, Nov. 24, 2024
4. ‘He is our Exemplar’
“He is our Exemplar — our Advocate with the Father — and He accomplished everything necessary for us to return to the Father’s and the Son’s presence. We would be wise to follow Jesus Christ and receive the gifts that He has provided.”
- First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, Dec. 8, 2024
5. Guidance from a Prophet
“In a world in commotion and contention, we have a kind and decisive Prophet who is close to the Lord, giving us the guidance that we need for our day.”
- Ministry in Asia, March 5, 2025
6. Rescue through the storms of life
“In a world of great beauty, there are also enormous challenges. As we turn to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, He rescues us from the storms of life through His Atonement in accordance with the Father’s plan.”
- "The Atonement of Jesus Christ Provides the Ultimate Rescue," April 2025 general conference
7. Safety when we walk with Jesus
“Our doctrine is clear; we are to be positive and of good cheer. We emphasize our faith, not our fears. We rejoice in the Lord’s assurance that He will stand by us and give us guidance and direction. We are safe when we walk with Jesus.”
- Brigham Young University Women’s Conference, May 2, 2025
8. Hastening of His work
“We are seeing the hastening of His work faster than we have ever seen. The Savior accomplished everything we need to be able to return to Heavenly Father.”
- Visit to Birmingham England, May 27, 2025
9. Doing good in the world
“Doing good in the world is something we do because we love the Savior and follow Him.”
- Meeting with Argentina president, Aug. 28, 2025
