First Presidency

This is the season of New Year's resolutions.

I'd like to quote to you the words of President N. Eldon Tanner, formerly a counselor in the First Presidency.

He said, "...as we reflect on the value of resolving to do better..." Let us determine to discipline ourselves to carefully select the resolutions we make, to consider the purpose for making them, and finally to make commitments for keeping them and not letting any obstacle stop us.

Let us remind ourselves at the beginning of each day that we can keep a resolution just for that day.

Now there are many important dates coming up or just behind us to celebrate the Restoration in these latter days, and I do not want them to slip past you, but instead herald you as a part of this great work.

In 2020, Six years ago I joined with my brethren in the First Presidency in Quorum of the Twelve to prepare the Restoration Proclamation to commemorate the first vision received in 1820.

In President Russell M. Nelson's April 2020 General Conference message, he presented the restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

a bicentennial proclamation to the world from the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Only six times since the Church was organized have monumental proclamations been given.

This is one of those times.

Both defendants were out of prison in under four months.

Then in September 1882, Joseph F. Smith, then a councillor in the First Presidency, ordered local leaders in Richfield to excommunicate men and boys involved in same-sex behaviour.

Quote, get the names of all of them and cut them off the church.

End quote.

Quinn says, we obviously don't know whether same-sex desire was part of what Kimball meant.

His response to the boys involved, his son and nephew, was quiet and restrained.

In 1913, the first presidency learned that James Dwyer, one of the founders of LDS University, had been, quote, teaching young men that sodomy and kindred vices are not sins, end quote, and that only sexual connection with a woman was sinful.

His bishop and stake president wanted him excommunicated.

Less than a month after that exposé was published, on February 24th, Arrington was abruptly summoned by his supervisor.

He was flat out informed that his department was being taken out of his hands and moved under the direct control of the First Presidency, with Apostles Gordon B. Inkley and Boyd K. Packer reporting directly on their actions.

This abrupt takeover effectively signaled the definitive end of what many people called the Camelot era of Open LDS history.

The final blow for Leonard Arrington was this quiet but incredibly severe demotion.

All three members of the Presiding Bishopric are ordained to the office of bishop and serve as general authorities of the Church.

We report to and are accountable to the First Presidency of the Church, who preside over both the temporal and ecclesiastical affairs of the Church.

Section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants describes the office of bishop as administering in all temporal things.

Today, the temporal things include many things, such as the global humanitarian and welfare efforts of the Church, the design and construction of temples or houses of the Lord throughout the world, construction and maintenance of meeting houses and other Church facilities, such as MTCs and seminary and institute buildings.

For example, are the Church funds professionally managed? Who oversees their use? And given the wealth of the Church, why should I pay tithes and offerings? Will my tithes and offerings really make a difference? The answer—so let's cover the first question first.

Are the funds professionally managed? The answer is yes.

Under the direction of the First Presidency, the presiding bishopric has the responsibility to oversee the management of the financial reserves of the Church.

We draw upon professional expertise to responsibly invest these sacred funds.

Now, keep in mind, it's been almost exactly seven years since the saints began their exodus from Nauvoo.

And Willard Richards, who's one of Brigham Young's counselors in the first presidency, summarized his remarks for the Deseret News.

Here's what it says.

Seven years tomorrow, Brigham left Nauvoo not knowing which track he should go.

But you got the cornerstones.

First cornerstone is placed at the southeast corner of the temple.

Yeah, and then next, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Willard Richards, who are the three members of the First Presidency, they actually climbed down into the excavation along with John Smith, who's the church patriarch and president of the Salt Lake Stake.

And there at the bottom of a 16-foot deep hole, they formally placed the first cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple.