Changes in General Church Leadership April 2017

[james]

Each General Conference, I make a list of changes I feel we might see in the general church leadership of the Church. For the first time on this forum, I am sharing those predictions. Please let me know your thoughts, and also any feedback, corrections, or suggestions for improvement that you might have. T


Changes in General Church Leadership

General Authority Seventies: New General Authorities sustained from Area Seventies or Church at large.

NOTE: Since the Church has stopped differentiating between those of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy, any new General Authorities will simply be sustained under the general title of General Authority Seventies.

RESULT:

Relief Society General Presidency: Linda K. Burton, Carole M. Stephens, and Linda S. Reeves released as Relief Society General Presidency, new Relief Society General Presidency sustained.

NOTE: It has been customary of late for general presidencies to be changed every 5 years. Since the above-named individuals have served since 2012, it would make sense if they were released and a new presidency called. It is anyone’s guess, however, as to if any of the current presidency will be retained in a new presidency.

RESULT:

Area Seventies: Releases and sustainings.

NOTE: It has been customary for most changes in area seventies to take place in April, when President Uchtdorf leads out in the sustaining vote, and for only a few to take place in October, when President Eyring leads out in the sustaining. Since we are talking about an April General Conference, it would make sense if a lot of changes happened this go-round.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: The following Area Seventies have been called to serve as mission presidents and will be among the many releases: Pedro U. Adduru, Angel H. Alarcon, Winsor Balderrama (Sejas) and Abenir V. Pajaro.

RESULT:

[scotts]

My favorite prediction ever in regards to a leadership change was when Uchtdorf and Bednar were called as Apostles. (The first in 9 years) Many people were offering names of who they would love to see. (Former mission Presidents and Bishop Burton were a common thought in my ward) The best though was an online one I read was Sheri L. Dew. The guess wasn't the best part though, it was the response. "They won't call her, she isn't married"

[james]

Mar 16, 2017 19:36:01 GMT scotts said:

My favorite prediction ever in regards to a leadership change was when Uchtdorf and Bednar were called as Apostles. (The first in 9 years) Many people were offering names of who they would love to see. (Former mission Presidents and Bishop Burton were a common thought in my ward) The best though was an online one I read was Sheri L. Dew. The guess wasn't the best part though, it was the response. "They won't call her, she isn't married"

I know that whenever an apostle passes, the speculation starts instantly as to who might be called to fill the resulting vacancy. When we lost our three long-serving apostles one after the other so quickly in 2015, after each death, the speculation got ever-more widely spread. I know that I have been surprised by every new apostolic call since I started really paying attention to them, but I am never disappointed about my "picks" not coming to fruition for very long. With my predictions for changes in General Church leadership, particularly for new apostles, I have always involved the Lord in those things. When President Hinckley passed away, I felt that the individual who would be called to fill the resulting vacancy in the apostleship would be Elder Michael John U. Teh, who is our first Filipino called to the First Quorum of the Seventy (I believe that the first ever Filipino Seventy served in the Second Quorum, but can't remember his name) and was also for several years our youngest General Authority. But Elder Christofferson was called instead. And the Lord confirmed that choice to me personally.

Near the very end of that same year, we lost Elder Wirthlin. Again I prayed for inspiration to know who the new apostle would be but also to know that whoever was called was an inspired choice, and again, I felt Elder Teh would be called. But we had Elder Andersen come to the apostleship instead, and the Lord confirmed that choice to me as well.

As the 2015 deaths occurred and I read more of people's speculation about the identity of the new apostles, in praying about the subject, I couldn't get three names out of my head: Elder Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy; Bishop Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric; and Elder Teh of the Seventy. And all of those choices would have been very significant. They would have substantially lowered the average age of the apostles, and would have made Elder Soares the first Brazilian apostle, Bishop Causse the first French one in a long time (if we have ever had any at all), and Elder Teh the first Filipino.

But we all know that none of those selections happened. I had the right group from which each of the three apostles were drawn, and in the right order, but as to the rest, I was dead wrong. Both my wife and a good friend made a point of ribbing me for the fact that they had correctly predicted that Elder Rasband would be one of them, but it was all in good fun.

As to my overall ability to predict things that will happen during general conference, for the last 4 years or more, my predictions for each conference have ranked at between 60-80% overall accuracy. Which is not bad at all, all things considered. I have no way to configure the specific accuracy of my predictions for changes in general Church leadership, but the overall rate is not bad at all.

But getting back to my response to your comment, I find it hilarious to consider that Sheri Dew was a tongue-in-cheek contender. Other selections that some people said (I can only hope sarcastically) were Yoda, several popular media and other public figures, and even well-known apostates. But it is funny what was said about Sheri Dew.

Some people (particularly Ordain Women and several apostate groups of the Church) claim that it is only fair to grant the priesthood to women. But we all know and accept that it will never happen. And my wife has said more than once that she has enough on her plate with all she deals with as a woman without having to worry about retaining worthiness to exercise the priesthood, though she has also said she wishes she were able to give me a blessing when I need one without my having to call on anyone else.

All that aside, I hope that people will see some merit in the various predictions I make for each general conference. And I look forward to seeing what my accuracy rate will be for this conference particularly, as I have taken every opportunity to improve my predictions.

Thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate your comment.

[scotts]

I always jokingly thought Elder Rasband would be an apostle because he is Pres. Monson's fishing buddy. Obviously that is not why he was called, but it was a funny coincidence.

[james]

I didn't know that President Monson and Elder Rasband were fishing buddies. Thanks for that tidbit. I love learning new things about any of our apostles or prophets. That is funny.

And, logically enough, it reminds me of a statement President Monson made when he announced the Star Valley Wyoming temple in 2011. After he stated the location, he made the tongue-in-cheek statement: "I think I'll dedicate that one. There's good fishing up there." The congregation instantly broke into laughter. Obviously, President Monson was too ill to make that happen. But he sent Elder Bednar to do so, as his wife had grown up in that area. So it all worked out. But that is funny.

[scotts]

I noticed that the biographies for Elders Parella and Taylor did not have their birthdays listed, just their month and year. Does anyone have the means to get that information? I know James updates the wikipedia page so maybe he can get it.

[james]

Scott, as I mentioned on my blog in response to your query there, I have not been on Wikipedia for a while. I got tired of the constant drama there, and also of the fact that verifiability is favored and holds a higher priority than accuracy or what is true. I was pleased to see that the information about new General Authorities has been added to the appropriate page shortly after the sustaining vote.

That said, as I stated in response to your comment in that regard on my blog, it could be that with the two brethren mentioned above serving as mission presidents right now and not set to officially assume their new assignments (or perhaps to even be set apart in them) until their service as mission presidents concludes on July 1, it could be that the two were simply not able to get that information to Church headquarters, and won't until their service is completed. We do have the knowledge of their birth year and month, at least, and we also know that articles will appear in subsequent Church News editions about the new GA Seventies, and, at that time, the full birth dates will, no doubt, be disclosed. In the meantime, here's how my predictions panned out for those leadership changes:

Changes in General Church Leadership
General Authority Seventies: New General Authorities sustained from Area Seventies or Church at large.
NOTE: Since the Church has stopped differentiating between those of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy, any new General Authorities will simply be sustained under the general title of General Authority Seventies.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: President Uchtdorf paid tribute to Elder Bruce D. Porter.
RESULT: Six new General Authority Seventies were sustained; namely: Taylor G. Godoy, Joni L. Koch, Adilson de Paula Parrella, John C. Pingree Jr., Brian K. Taylor, and Taniela B. Wakolo.
Relief Society General Presidency: Linda K. Burton, Carole M. Stephens, and Linda S. Reeves released as Relief Society General Presidency, new Relief Society General Presidency sustained.
NOTE: It has been customary of late for general presidencies to be changed every 5 years. Since the above-named individuals have served since 2012, it would make sense if they were released and a new presidency called. It is anyone’s guess, however, as to if any of the current presidency will be retained in a new presidency.
RESULT: The sisters named above were released; Jean B. Bingham, Sharon Eubank, and Reyna I. Aburto are the new Relief Society General presidency.
NOT PREDICTED: In view of her call to be the new Relief Society General President, Jean B. Bingham was released as First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, Bonnie H. Cordon, formerly Second Counselor, is the new First Counselor, and Christina B. Franco will be the new Second Counselor.
Area Seventies: Releases and sustainings.
NOTE: It has been customary for most changes in area seventies to take place in April, when President Uchtdorf leads out in the sustaining vote, and for only a few to take place in October, when President Eyring leads out in the sustaining. Since we are talking about an April General Conference, it would make sense if a lot of changes happened this go-round.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: The following Area Seventies have been called to serve as mission presidents and will be among the many releases: Pedro U. Adduru, Angel H. Alarcon, Winsor Balderrama (Sejas) and Abenir V. Pajaro.
RESULT: Only two area seventies were released, and they were both called as General Authority Seventies. It is odd that they did not at least release the 4 above, but it may be that if they are mission presidents in their own lands, they might be able to continue their assignments as area seventies.
NOTE: The tribute offered by President Uchtdorf was the first of the two tributes to Elder Porter in that session. Elder Andersen, who served extensively with Elder Porter, also paid an inspiring tribute to Elder Porter during his remarks.