President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was born in Princeton, New Jersey, on May 31, 1933.
President Eyring earned a degree in physics from the University of Utah and served two years in the U.S. Air Force. In 1963, he received a doctor of business administration degree from Harvard University. He married Kathleen Johnson in July 1962 in the Logan Utah Temple. They are the parents of four sons and two daughters. She died on Oct. 15, 2023.
He served as second counselor in the First Presidency to President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor to President Thomas S. Monson and second counselor to President Russell M. Nelson. President Dallin H. Oaks named President Eyring as his first counselor on Oct. 14, 2025. President Eyring was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in April 1995 and has served as a general authority since April 1985.
In honor of President Eyring’s 93rd birthday today, here are nine of his quotes from the past year.
1. Peace can come
“Each time you return to the temple you will, by the Spirit, learn more of Him and of His Father. The peace He promises us can come, even as the storms of life beat upon us.”
— A May 3, 2026, social media post following his dedicating the Lindon Utah Temple.
2. The temple and obedience
“That which we experience in the temple increases our desire to submit our hearts and our wills to God, as His humble children. When we obey what we are taught in the temple with all our hearts, it makes possible our receiving the gift of peace.”
— Lindon Utah Temple dedication, May 3, 2026
3. ‘They yearn to bless us’
“In moments of pain, loneliness or confusion, we know that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are aware of our circumstances and that They yearn to bless us.”
— “Prayers for Peace,” April 2026 general conference
4. Children will remember
“Daily family prayer, family scripture study and sharing your testimony in sacrament meeting are easier and more effective when children are young. When they are older, they will remember the hymns they sang with you. Even more than recalling music, they will remember the words of scripture and testimony.”
— Social media post, Jan. 5, 2026
5. A channel of God’s grace
“As we are kind and serve each other as the Savior would, even in the smallest of ways, we can become a channel of God’s grace to help those in our circle of influence feel the Savior’s love and hope — J’aime, j’espère."
— First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, Dec. 7, 2025
6. An invitation to pray
“The growth of the Church will accelerate. When they find the gospel of Jesus Christ presented by missionaries, they see hope.”
“When anyone feels that they are on the margin, they cannot get far enough away from the Savior that He would ever not be reaching to them. My encouragement to them is just pray, and you will have a feeling of being back from the margin and included.”
— First Presidency’s first interview, Oct. 15, 2025
7. Evidence of His love
“If we remain faithful in our service, the Lord will refine us. He will strengthen us. And one day, we will look back and see that those very trials were evidence of His love.”
— "Proved and Strengthened in Christ," October 2025 general conference
8. Reassurance
“My reassurance is this: The loving God who allowed these tests for you also designed a sure way to pass through them. Heavenly Father so loved the world that He sent His Beloved Son to help us. His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us. Jesus Christ bore in Gethsemane and on the cross the weight of all our sins.”
— Social media post, July 28, 2025
9. Take courage
“You can take courage from the fact that the Lord called you personally. He knows you, and He knows your capabilities. He knows your heart and your capacity to grow. He knows what you will face in your service. He wants you to succeed in the tasks He has prepared for you. He loves you.”
— 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 20, 2025
