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No New Apostles For 9 Years Now

The current Quorum of the twelve is the longest in church history. The email below was supposedly sent by L Tom Perry to his cousin just before conference. I assume it is authentic, but you never know with things you read on the Internet.

This was posted on an LDS board by L.Tom's cousin.

She received this email the day before Gen Conference.


From L. Tom Perry

In our present Council of the 12 Apostles, there has been no change
in nine years. This is the longest in the history of the Church that the
same 12 apostles have served together. We asked President Hinckley why this
is so and he said our wisdom is needed to stand up against the great changes
in the world.

President Packer is the most inspirational spiritual man I've ever had the
opportunity to work with. He also can get very irate and it is my job to
kick him in the shins if he gets too irate. Next time you see him, ask him
to lift his pant legs so you can see my kick marks on his shins!

Elder Haight is stronger today than he has been in a long time. We fully
expected him to die last July. His daughter called us and told us the
doctors gave him just days to live. But he rallied and he now has a
physical therapist that comes to his house every day and works with him. I
visited him in his apartment and he showed me that he walks around his table
12 times, then he walks around his couch 12 times, then he walks a circuit
in his apartment. He said, "Anything the physical therapist asks me to do,
I do twice!" He comes to our council meetings and contributes to each one.
We even plan on him speaking for General Conference for 5 minutes-we hope!
He can't see well and he doesn't see the teleprompter so we don't know what
he will say or how long he will go.

Elder Maxwell's life has been preserved in a most remarkable way. He has
been preserved to bless us with that brilliant mind of his. Oh the jewels
that come out of Elder Maxwell!

Elder Nelson is the physician to the First Presidency and to the Twelve. If
we have an ailment we can talk to him about it. He is our doctor. He still
makes hospital rounds. He is the greatest ambassador we have because he has
a reputation all over the world. He can go anywhere in the world and people
know and respect him because of his great pioneering work in heart surgery.

Elder Ballard is our used car salesman! He is our enthusiastic leader of
the missionary department. He is telling our missionaries, "Stop being
robots! Learn how to teach by the Spirit!" He has convinced President
Hinckley to raise the bar. Now you have to qualify for a mission. We
should raise the bar in our own activities.

Elder Scott is our nuclear scientist. He is a computer genius. He helps us
all keep our computers working right. He has the talent of looking to the
future.

Elder Hales is our international businessman. He was in charge of the
international sales of all the men's shaving products and the like for a
large international area (I think in the orient). He has a great financial
talent. He sits on committees with our First Presidency.

Oh, I forgot Elder Oaks! Well, he's away! No wonder I should forget. He
is our judge. He is very detailed like an attorney. Nothing escapes his
mind. I send him a message and replies back correcting my voice-mail! He
understands the law and principles. He is our great public relations man.
He understands the needs of the Church.

Elder Holland is our great student. President of a university or two. He
is an excellent writer. Whenever there is a difficult assignment in that
way, he gets the assignment to do the writing for it.

Elder Eyring . . . I wish someone could explain him to me! He gives me a
headache with that brilliant mind of his! When we travel together he sits
up front next to the driver and pops questions, trying to understand
everyone and everything around him.

Each of us is wonderfully different but as a combination as a whole
we make a wonderful high council.

We are certain to follow the order of the Church in our meetings and
in all we do. This has been clearly established. For example, I would
never think of going through a door before Elder Packer. He is the
President of our Council. It is the President of the Council who selects
the President of the Church. Is there any other way the Lord controls who
he selects as a prophet? If He doesn't want an apostle to preside, He who
controls life and death calls him home.

Every week the Cummings Chocolate people send us a 3 lb. box
of chocolates. In our meeting, we follow our order and President Packer
picks first, then I choose, and so on. Poor Elder Eyring has never had a
light chocolate yet!

Perhaps if he lives long enough!!!

Now Years Apostles No

Gaucho, do you think that Email really is authentic? I feel as though I have seen something like this before. When Pres. Hinckley passes away we will see another Elder called to the Quorum.

No New Apostles For 9 Years Now Studies Doctrine Mormon

I doubt the letter is authentic but it is a nice description of the brethren, specially the one about who is the one that has to eat the chocolates first :-->

Now Years Apostles No

I really enjoyed reading that "e-mail." It really is a wonderful tribute to the top leadership of the Church. Yet, like JB and LDS, I doubt that it is authentic. There are a good many "internet" legends about the Church and miracles, etc., that circulate the internet. Still I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and think, even if not authentic, it makes a very real, true statement about each of these men.

Thank you for sharing it.

Now Years Apostles No

It's cool to hear their personalities, but I think that if that letter had been real, it would have been kept private. That's just my opinion, though.

No New Apostles For 9 Years Now

Since I posted the email above, I heard from someone that it was not authentic. He had seen a similar email a few years ago with the chocolates etc. Still, it is true this is the longest the same 12 Apostles have served together.