General authority
Encyclopedia
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church. A general authority's jurisdiction is church-wide, in contrast to the responsibilities of a local authority or an area authority, which relate to a particular area, unit, or department of the church. However, not all church leaders with church-wide jurisdiction in the church are considered general authorities. As of April 2010, the number of general authorities was 109.
in 1834. Though the original minutes did not refer to the term General Authorities, the revised minutes, which were included in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
, stated that decisions of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
"can only be called into question by the General Authorities of the Church in case of transgression." The use of the term General Authorities at this time and in this context is generally interpreted to include the First Presidency
and the Presiding High Council
.
, which does not include women. The most common definition of the general authorities includes the members of the following leadership organizations:
The latter three groups are composed of women and represent the only three organizations in which women are given church-wide authority. With the exception of the area seventies, who have no church-wide authority, the members of the above organizations are usually referred to as general officers or general auxiliary presidencies of the church to distinguish them from general authorities.
General leadership for the Sunday School
and Young Men organizations have historically been called from the ranks of the general authorities. However, in the April 2004 general conference of the church
, Thomas S. Monson
of the First Presidency announced that "a recent decision [has been made] that members of the Quorums of the Seventy [will] not serve in the general presidencies of the Sunday School and Young Men."
Due to this change, no general auxiliary presidencies are composed of general authorities. Rather, the general authority seventies are now more active in general church committees and have less jurisdiction over local stakes
, particularly in North America
. Generally, stake presidents now report to the area seventies, who then report to area presidencies, which are usually composed of general authority seventies. In North America
, there are no area presidencies, with members of the Presidency of the Seventy taking the responsibility of overseeing the areas
.
Typically, general authorities are given authority to use the sealing power
, while general officers and area seventies are not.
As with any calling in the church, general authorities and general officers serve "until they are released". In current church practice, men called to the First Quorum of the Seventy typically remain general authorities for life, but are granted emeritus
status in the October following their 70th birthday. (This practice has been more flexible in recent years, and as of the October 2004 General Conference, three of the seven members of the Presidency of the Seventy, two other members of the First Quorum, and four members of the Second Quorum were aged 70 or more and continued in office.) Members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy are typically called for a period of five to seven years. When members of the Second Quorum are released, they are no longer general authorities of the church. When members of the presiding bishopric
are released, they almost invariably become members of the First Quorum of the Seventy and are therefore retained as lifetime general authorities.
of the church held in April and October, all of the general authorities and general officers of the church are presented to the Latter-day Saints for a sustaining vote, in accordance with the church's interpretation of the principle of common consent
. This is a voluntary indication made by each member (usually by raising the hand) that the member assents to be led by the individuals presented as general authorities and general officers. Members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are always named by name, as are any persons being added or released from a position or any general authority or general officer moving from one organization to another (e.g., a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy being called to the Presidency of the Seventy). Otherwise, the general authorities and general officers of the church are simply sustained "as presently constituted".
This biannual procedure is dictated by church theology, which states that the church shall be governed by the common consent
of its membership. Dissenting votes are rare and have even more rarely prevented a person from holding the proposed position. General authorities and general officers are also assigned to deliver sermons during the two-day conferences.
Origin of the term
The first scriptural use of the term General Authority was in minutes of a meeting for the organization of the Presiding High CouncilPresiding High Council
In the Latter Day Saint movement, there are two Presiding High Councils, one said to be "standing," and the other "traveling." The Traveling High Council is generally known as the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
in 1834. Though the original minutes did not refer to the term General Authorities, the revised minutes, which were included in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
, stated that decisions of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
"can only be called into question by the General Authorities of the Church in case of transgression." The use of the term General Authorities at this time and in this context is generally interpreted to include the First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
and the Presiding High Council
Presiding High Council
In the Latter Day Saint movement, there are two Presiding High Councils, one said to be "standing," and the other "traveling." The Traveling High Council is generally known as the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
.
Composition and distinction from general officers
By definition, general authorities are members of the church's priesthoodPriesthood (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the priesthood is the power and authority to act in the name of God for the salvation of humankind...
, which does not include women. The most common definition of the general authorities includes the members of the following leadership organizations:
| Organization | Membership | Title given to members (e.g., Title Smith or Title John J. Smith) |
Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Presidency First Presidency (LDS Church) The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B... |
President of the Church and his chosen counselors | President | President of the Church: Life counselors: Until own death, death of the President of the Church, or release at the discretion of the president |
| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | 12 Apostles | Elder; President President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In general, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve is the most senior Apostle in the church, aside from the President of the Church... or Acting President of the Quorum |
Typically life; may be removed from Quorum to join First Presidency; on rare occasions may be removed from the Quorum due to an excess of Apostles |
| Presidency of the Seventy | 7 Seventies, typically drawn from the First or Second Quorums of the Seventy | Elder | Variable (usually 5-8 years); until release at the discretion of the church president; will typically remain a member of the First or Second Quorums of the Seventy when released |
| First Quorum of the Seventy | Up to 70 Seventies | Elder | Life; will typically be relieved of active duties and granted emeritus Emeritus Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:... status around age 70 |
| Second Quorum of the Seventy | Up to 70 Seventies | Elder | Variable (usually 5-7 years); until release at the discretion of the Church President |
| Presiding Bishopric Presiding Bishop (LDS Church) The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:... |
3 Bishops: one presiding bishop Presiding Bishop (LDS Church) The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:... and two counselors |
Bishop | Variable (usually 9-12 years); until release at the discretion of the church president; will typically become a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy upon their release |
| Presiding Patriarch Presiding Patriarch (Mormonism) In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch is a church-wide leadership office within the priesthood... |
1 Patriarch, usually a descendant of Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr... |
Elder | Life; current presiding patriarch Eldred G. Smith Eldred Gee Smith holds the position of patriarch emeritus to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held the calling of Patriarch to the Church of the same church between 1947 and 1979. In 2009, Smith surpassed Joseph Anderson as the oldest-lived general authority in the history of... has been released of active duties and given general authority emeritus status |
| Assistants to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | Defunct (was variable) | Defunct (was Elder) | All Assistants to the Twelve were added to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976 and the position was eliminated |
General officers
Excluded from the definition of the general authorities are members of the following organizations:- The Third through the Eighth Quorums of the Seventy (who are called Area Seventies and have responsibilities relating to a limited geographical areaArea (LDS Church)An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
) - The general presidency of the Young Men
- The general presidency of the Sunday SchoolSunday School (LDS Church)Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
- The general presidency of the Relief SocietyRelief SocietyThe Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
- The general presidency of the Young Women
- The general presidency of the Primary
The latter three groups are composed of women and represent the only three organizations in which women are given church-wide authority. With the exception of the area seventies, who have no church-wide authority, the members of the above organizations are usually referred to as general officers or general auxiliary presidencies of the church to distinguish them from general authorities.
General leadership for the Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
and Young Men organizations have historically been called from the ranks of the general authorities. However, in the April 2004 general conference of the church
General conference (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction....
, Thomas S. Monson
Thomas S. Monson
Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader and author, and the 16th and current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" of God's will on earth...
of the First Presidency announced that "a recent decision [has been made] that members of the Quorums of the Seventy [will] not serve in the general presidencies of the Sunday School and Young Men."
Due to this change, no general auxiliary presidencies are composed of general authorities. Rather, the general authority seventies are now more active in general church committees and have less jurisdiction over local stakes
Stake (Mormonism)
A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. A stake is approximately comparable to a diocese in the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations...
, particularly in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Generally, stake presidents now report to the area seventies, who then report to area presidencies, which are usually composed of general authority seventies. In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, there are no area presidencies, with members of the Presidency of the Seventy taking the responsibility of overseeing the areas
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
.
Typically, general authorities are given authority to use the sealing power
Sealing power
In Mormonism, the sealing power is the means whereby all "covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations" attain "efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead." All things that are not sealed by this power...
, while general officers and area seventies are not.
Tenure
A person is typically called to be a general authority or general officer by a member of the First Presidency or the Quorum of the Twelve. The president of the church and members of the Quorum of the Twelve are typically called for life, although there have been more than a dozen instances when an apostle has been released from his service in the Quorum of the Twelve.As with any calling in the church, general authorities and general officers serve "until they are released". In current church practice, men called to the First Quorum of the Seventy typically remain general authorities for life, but are granted emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
status in the October following their 70th birthday. (This practice has been more flexible in recent years, and as of the October 2004 General Conference, three of the seven members of the Presidency of the Seventy, two other members of the First Quorum, and four members of the Second Quorum were aged 70 or more and continued in office.) Members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy are typically called for a period of five to seven years. When members of the Second Quorum are released, they are no longer general authorities of the church. When members of the presiding bishopric
Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood.-Presiding Bishopric:...
are released, they almost invariably become members of the First Quorum of the Seventy and are therefore retained as lifetime general authorities.
Common consent
In the biannual general conferencesGeneral conference (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a general conference is a meeting for all members of the church for conducting general church business and instruction....
of the church held in April and October, all of the general authorities and general officers of the church are presented to the Latter-day Saints for a sustaining vote, in accordance with the church's interpretation of the principle of common consent
Common consent
Common consent is a democratic principle established by the Latter Day Saint movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., who taught in 1830 that "all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith." As it is most frequently used by the Church of Jesus Christ of...
. This is a voluntary indication made by each member (usually by raising the hand) that the member assents to be led by the individuals presented as general authorities and general officers. Members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are always named by name, as are any persons being added or released from a position or any general authority or general officer moving from one organization to another (e.g., a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy being called to the Presidency of the Seventy). Otherwise, the general authorities and general officers of the church are simply sustained "as presently constituted".
This biannual procedure is dictated by church theology, which states that the church shall be governed by the common consent
Common consent
Common consent is a democratic principle established by the Latter Day Saint movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., who taught in 1830 that "all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith." As it is most frequently used by the Church of Jesus Christ of...
of its membership. Dissenting votes are rare and have even more rarely prevented a person from holding the proposed position. General authorities and general officers are also assigned to deliver sermons during the two-day conferences.
General authority firsts
| First | Individual | Date | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First second-generation general authority | Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr... |
December 18, 1833 | Presiding Patriarch | son Joseph Smith, Jr. was President of the Church |
| First non-American United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... general authority |
John Gould John Gould (Mormon) John Gould was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and is recognized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the first non-American person to serve as a general authority.-Biography:... |
April 6, 1837 | president of the Seventy | British United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... subject, having been born in Upper Canada Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution... ; released on September 3, 1837 |
| First third-generation general authority | John Smith John Smith (1832-1911) John Smith , was the fifth Presiding Patriarch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . His father was Hyrum Smith, the older brother of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism.... |
February 18, 1855 | Presiding Patriarch | father was Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.... , Assistant President of the Church Assistant President of the Church Assistant President of the Church was a position in the leadership hierarchy in the early days of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The Assistant President was the second-highest authority in the church and was a member of the church's governing First Presidency... and presiding patriarch; grandfather was Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr... , presiding patriarch |
| First fourth-generation general authority | Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church... |
April 7, 1910 | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | father was Joseph F. Smith Joseph F. Smith Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... ; President of the Church; grandfather was Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.... ; great-grandfather was Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. Joseph Smith, Sr. was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Sr. was also one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which Mormons believe was translated by Joseph Jr. from the Golden Plates. In 1833 Joseph Sr... |
| First general authority of Asian Asian people Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :... descent |
Adney Y. Komatsu Adney Y. Komatsu Adney Yoshio Komatsu was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1975 until his death. Komatsu was the first person of Asian descent to become a general authority of the LDS Church.Born of Japanese parents in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, Komatsu became a... |
4 April 1975 | Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976... |
Joined the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976; was given emeritus Emeritus Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:... status in 1993 |
| First Native American Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... general authority |
George P. Lee George P. Lee George Patrick Lee was the first Native American to become a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was a member of the church's First Quorum of Seventy between 1975 and 1989, when he was excommunicated from the church... |
3 October 1975 | First Quorum of the Seventy | Excommunicated in 1989 |
| First resident of Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... general authority |
Charles A. Didier Charles A. Didier Charles Amand Didier is an emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... |
3 October 1975 | First Quorum of the Seventy | Native of Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... ; was a member of the Presidency of the Seventy from 1992 to 1995 and from 2001 to 2007 |
| First resident of Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... general authority |
Yoshihiko Kikuchi Yoshihiko Kikuchi Yoshihiko Kikuchi 義彥菊池 is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was the first native Asian to be called as a general authority of the LDS Church.... |
October 1977 | First Quorum of the Seventy | Native of Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
| First resident of the United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... general authority (i.e. resident when called) |
Derek A. Cuthbert Derek A. Cuthbert Derek Alfred Cuthbert was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1978 until his death. He was the first resident of the United Kingdom to be called as an LDS Church general authority while living in Britain.-Early life:Cuthbert was born in Sherwood, a suburb... |
March 1978 | First Quorum of the Seventy | |
| First resident of Latin America Latin America Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area... general authority |
Ángel Abrea Ángel Abrea Ángel Abrea was the first resident of Latin America to become a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .... |
20 March 1981 | First Quorum of the Seventy | Given emeritus Emeritus Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:... status in 2003 |
| First resident of Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... general authority |
Robert E. Sackley Robert E. Sackley Robert Edward Sackley was an educational administrator in Canada and was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1989 until his death... |
April 1988 | First Quorum of the Seventy | transferred to Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1989; died in 1993 |
| First general authority of black Black people The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a... Africa Africa Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area... n descent |
Helvécio Martins Helvécio Martins Helvécio Martins was the first person of Black African descent to be called as a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .... |
April 1990 | Second Quorum of the Seventy | released in 1995 |
| First Korean Korean people The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:... general authority |
Han In Sang Han In Sang Han In Sang was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1991 and 1996. Han was the first Korean Latter-day Saint to become a general authority of the LDS Church.... |
July 1991 | Second Quorum of the Seventy | released in 1996 |
| First Filipino Filipino people The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines .... general authority |
Augusto A. Lim Augusto A. Lim Augusto Alandy Lim was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1992 and 1997. He was the first Filipino Latter-day Saint to become a general authority of the LDS Church. It was not until the 2007 call of Michael J... |
July 1992 | Second Quorum of the Seventy | released in 1997 |
| First Chinese Chinese people The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity .... general authority |
Tai Kwok Yuen Tai Kwok Yuen Tai Kwok Yuen was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1992 to 1997. Tai was the first ethnic Chinese person to serve as a general authority of the LDS Church.... |
July 1992 | Second Quorum of the Seventy | released in 1997 |
| First resident of Africa Africa Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area... general authority |
Christoffel Golden Jr. Christoffel Golden Jr. Christoffel Golden Jr. has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2001. Golden is the first resident of Africa to become a general authority of the LDS Church.... |
April 2001 | First Quorum of the Seventy | Resident of South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
| First black Black people The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a... African African people African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":... general authority |
Joseph W. Sitati Joseph W. Sitati Joseph Wafula Sitati has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April 2009, when he became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is the first black African general authority of the church and only the second general authority of black African... |
April 4, 2009 | First Quorum of the Seventy | Native of Nairobi, Kenya |
External links
- Deseret News General Authority Roster
- Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages : brief biographies of every LDS Church general authority in history