President Jeffrey R. Holland was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on June 23, 1994, and was named president of the quorum on Oct. 14, 2025 after serving as acting president since Nov. 15, 2023. Born Dec. 3, 1940, in St. George, Utah, he was a student leader and high school varsity athlete. He married the late Sister Patricia Terry in 1963, and they are the parents of three children.
President Holland received degrees from Brigham Young University and Yale University. In 1980, he was inaugurated as the ninth president of Brigham Young University. He is also a former Church commissioner of education.
Prior to his call as an Apostle, he was a General Authority Seventy and served in area presidencies in the North America West, North America Southeast and Europe North areas. He was also a counselor in the Young Men general presidency and assistant executive director of the Curriculum Department.
In honor of President Holland’s birthday today, here are nine of his quotes from the past year.
1. Teaching for eternity at BYU
“Now, it is a university — we come there to study and to [earn] degrees, and it is everything from art to zoology. But running through it is a foundation and a theme that these are children of God. We are to teach them for eternity — ‘education for eternity’ was a phrase that we used.”
— Remarks about BYU’s 150th anniversary, Nov. 9, 2025
2. The temple is God’s house
“It is one of the ties on earth that He has with His children that are here. It is the obvious place to which God could come if He had family business on the earth. And ultimately, all of His business on earth is family business.”
— Dedication of Grand Junction Colorado Temple, Oct. 19, 2025
3. The ‘divine, thoughtful plan’
“We thank Thee for the gospel of Jesus Christ and its divine, thoughtful plan which takes us far, far away — far away from sin, far away from sorrow, far away from fear and futility. We give thanks for Thy Beloved Son and the gift of eternal life He won for us.”
— Grand Junction Colorado Temple dedicatory prayer, Oct. 19, 2025
4. Big shoes to fill
“I have never been more humbled than to follow in the footsteps of Dallin Oaks. There was always a big, big pair of shoes to fill.”
— Reflections on President Oaks’ leadership and legacy, Oct. 19, 2025
5. The Book of Mormon is a ‘rod of safety’
“[The Book of Mormon] has been for me a rod of safety for my soul, a transcendent and penetrating light of revelation and illumination of the path I must walk when mists of darkness come. And surely they have, and surely they will.”
— “And Now I See,” October 2025 general conference
6. What the pioneers built
“Every morning, I look out my window straight down the plaza to the reflection pool and the Salt Lake Temple. I think about what we are doing with great modern machinery to renovate, improve and make beautiful that temple versus what the pioneers saw as sagebrush and had to build upon with primitive handheld tools."
— Days of ‘47 parade, July 24, 2025
7. Strength, inspiration and power
“Teach them that they have strength and inspiration and power lying within their own home, within their bedroom, on the seat of their car and in their backpack as they go to school. Their strength and anchor while away from you will be in the standard works of this Church to which they will continue to hold fast at all costs, especially the Book of Mormon.”
— Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 19, 2025
8. A child at prayer
“Is there anything sweeter, more pure, more humble than a child at prayer? It is as if heaven is in the room. God and Christ are so real, but for others the experience can become more superficial.”
— “As a Little Child,” April 2025 general conference
9. ‘What we do know’
“We cling tenaciously and never yield on what we do know. And what we do know is God is our Father, God is good, God is merciful, God is kind.”
— Devotional after wildfires in Southern California, Feb. 22, 2025
