Seventy

Seventy is an office in the Melchizedek priesthood with responsibilities as especial witnesses of Christ in all the world. Members of the Seventy serve in one of eight quorums, with members of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy being designated as General Authorities. Members of the Third through the Eighth Quorums of the Seventy are designated Area Seventies.

History

In 1835 seven men were called as members of the Presidency of the Seventy. They were General Authorities. In addition to Elder and High Priest an office of the Melchezedik Priesthood was seventy in between Elder and High Priest.

In teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, he allegedly said it is contrary to the order of heaven for a seventy to be a high priest. However historical records show that that was probably a clerical error. At the time, there were seventies and high priest were bickering about which was higher and it is likely Joseph Smith had said it was contrary to the order of heaven to bicker about it.

Another problem was that General Authorities were called to be Seventies that had no leadership experience in bishoprics, high councils, or stake presidencies since High Priests had to fill those offices. Some were mission presidents and District Presidents which are callings that can be held be Elders and Seventies. Brigham Young was aware of that problem and tried to change it before he died. There is evidence John Taylor did too.

However, members of the Council of the Seventy never were high priests and thus could not ordain Stake Presidents or other High Priests.

They primarily presided over Stake Seventies quorums that were in turn guided by stake seventy quorum's presidents. They also accompanied Apostles to Stake Conferences and trained and taught gospel principles.

In 1960 David O. McKay announced that members of the Seventies quorum would be high priests. Someone asked is it contrary to the order of the heaven for seventies to be high priests. Harold B. Lee said what was contrary to the order in heaven in 1840 may not be contrary in 1960. That change was made in order for them to ordain stake leaders and high priests.

Still, only people from seventies quorums were called to the seventy and occasionally elders were. In 1975 President [[Spencer W. Kimball] announced the creation of the first Quorum of the seventy with 4 additional members in addition to the current counsel. Since 1941, assistants to the Twelve, which aided the Quorum of the Twelve, were high priests. The next year President Kimball said Assistants to the Twelve would be members of the First Quorum of the seventy since their duties were pretty much the same. Particularly since Seventies were ordained High Priests.

In 1978 some were given Emeritus Status in order for more brethren to serve and for health reasons. Since succession and seniority is not important in that quorum nothing was effected there.

In 1984 Several were called for a period of years usually 3 to 5 and not for life. In 1989 a Second Quorum of the Seventy was created of those called for a period of years. They are presided over now by the Presidency of the Seventy whose membership rotates as it is not a lifelong calling. In fact, many return to the first Quorum of the seventy.

For many years Regional Representatives assisted General Authorities in training and conducting stake meetings. In 1995 they were released and replaced with area authorities and two years later President Hinckley named them area authority seventies and put them in quorums based on geography. They still keep their employment, live at home and serve for a period of years (usually five).

The Stake Seventies office between Elder and High Priest was discontinued by President Ezra Taft Benson in 1986 as studying the scriptures it was not a local calling but church-wide.

Individual Quorums

Members of the First Quorum now typically serve until the year they turn 70 though recently there has been flexibility and many serve a few years beyond there 70th birthday. Many emeritus Seventies become temple presidents too. Particularly in their native countries or area's where they have lived much of there life.

Members of the Second Quorum serve average of 5 or 6 years as well though many have served longer recently as well. While the Quorum of the twelve apostles is fixed in numbers barring revelation the number of Quorum of seventies can expand as needed easing the work of the first presidency and twelve.

First Quorum of the Seventy

Surname	Given Names	Sustained	Age Sust.	Born	City Born	State/Country	Children
Aidukaitis	Marcos A.	200804055 Apr 2008	48		Porto Alegre	Brazil	5
Amado	Carlos Humberto	199210033 Oct 1992	48	19440925 Sep 1944	Guatemala City	Guatemala	5
Baxter	David S.	200604011 Apr 2006	51	195502077 Feb 1955	Stirling	Scotland	4
Bowen	Shayne M.	200604011 Apr 2006	51	1954080729 Aug 1954	Rigby	Idaho	7
Causse	Gerald	200804055 Apr 2008	44		Bordeaux	France	5
Child	Sheldon Fay	200604066 Apr 2006	67	193805088 May 1938	Ogden	Utah	6
Coleman	Gary Jerome	199704055 Apr 1997	55	1941090818 Sep 1941	Wenatchee	Washington	6
Condie	Spencer Joel	199210033 Oct 1992	52	1940080827 Aug 1940	Preston	Idaho	5
Corbridge	Lawrence E.	200804055 Apr 2008	58		Moscow	Idaho	5
De Hoyos	Benjamin	200504022 Apr 2005	52	1953020820 Feb 1953	Monterrey	Mexico	6
Dickson	John Baird	199504011 Apr 1995	51	1943070812 Jul 1943	Tacoma	Washington	8
Didier	Charles Armand Andre	197910033 Oct 1979	43	193510055 Oct 1935	Ixelles	Belgium	2
Evans	David F.	200504022 Apr 2005	53	1951080511 Aug 1951	Salt Lake City	Utah	8
Falabella	Enrique R.	2007030231 Mar 2007	56	195005099 May 1950	Guatemala City	Guatemala	5
Gavarret	Eduardo	200804055 Apr 2008	51		Minas	Uruguay	3
Godoy	Carlos A.	200804055 Apr 2008	47		Porto Alegre	Brazil	4
Golden	Christoffel, Jr.	2001030531 Mar 2001	48	195206011 Jun 1952	Johannesburg	South Africa	4
Grow	Cecil Scott	200504022 Apr 2005	55	194905055 May 1949	Moscow	Idaho	8
Hafen	Bruce Clark	199604066 Apr 1996	55	1940100530 Oct 1940	St. George	Utah	7
Hallstron	Donald L.	200004011 Apr 2000	50	1949070527 Jul 1949	Honolulu	Hawaii	4
Hamula	James J.	200804055 Apr 2008	50		Long Beach	California	6
Hilbig	Kieth K.	200604011 Apr 2006	64	1942030513 Mar 1942	Milwaukee	Wisconsin	6
Hinckley	Richard G.	200504022 Apr 2005	63	194105022 May 1941	Salt Lake City	Utah	4
Jensen	Marlin Keith	198904011 Apr 1989	46	1942050218 May 1942	Ogden	Utah	8
Jensen	Jay Edwin	199504011 Apr 1995	53	194202055 Feb 1942	Payson	Utah	6
Johnson	Kenneth	199004033 Apr 1990	49	194007055 Jul 1940	Norwich	England	1
Johnson	Paul Vere	200504022 Apr 2005	50	1954060524 Jun 1954	Gainesville	Florida	9
Johnson	Daniel L.	200604011 Apr 2006	59	1946120515 Dec 1946	Colonia Juarex	Mexico	6
Kikuchi	Yoshihiko	197710011 Oct 1977	36	1941070525 Jul 1941	Hokkaido	Japan	4
Koelliker	Paul E.	200504022 Apr 2005	62	1943030512 Mar 1943	Pittsburg	California	7
Kopischke	Erich W.	2007030231 Mar 2007	50	1956100520 Oct 1956	Elmshom	Germany	7
Madsen	John Max	199704055 Apr 1997	57	1939040524 Apr 1939	Washington D.C.		6
Maynes	Richard J.	2001030531 Mar 2001	50	1950100529 Oct 1950	Berkeley	California	4
Mickelson	Lynn Alvin	199304033 Apr 1993	57	1935070521 Jul 1935	Idaho Falls	Idaho	9
Nash	Marcus B.	200604011 Apr 2006	49	1957030526 Mar 1957	Seattle	Washington	5
Neuenschwander	Dennis Bramwell	199410011 Oct 1994	54	193910066 Oct 1939	Salt Lake City	Utah	4
Pace	Glenn LeRoy	199210033 Oct 1992	52	1940030621 Mar 1940	Provo	Utah	6
Packer	Allan F.	200804055 Apr 2008	59		Brigham City	Utah	8
Pearson	Kevin W.	200804055 Apr 2008	50		Salt Lake City	Utah	6
Perkins	Anthony D.	200604011 Apr 2006	45	1960070622 Jul 1960	Cortez	Colorado	6
Pieper	Paul B.	200504022 Apr 2005	47	195710077 Oct 1957	Pocatello	Idaho	6
Pino	Rafael E.	200804055 Apr 2008	52		Valencia	Venezuela	3
Porter	Bruce D.	200304055 Apr 2003	50	1952070718 Jul 1952	Albuquerque	New Mexico	4
Pratt	Carl Barton	199704055 Apr 1997	55	1941100730 Oct 1941	Monterrey	Mexico	8
Robbins	Lynn G.	200004011 Apr 2000	47	1952100727 Oct 1952	Cortez	Colorado	6
Samuelson	Cecil Osborn, Jr.	199410011 Oct 1994	53	194108011 Aug 1941	Salt Lake City	Utah	5
Soares	Ulisses	200504022 Apr 2005	46	195810022 Oct 1958	Sao Paulo	Brazil	3
Stevenson	Gary E.	200804055 Apr 2008	52		Ogden	Utah	4
Teh	Michael J.	2007030531 Mar 2007	41	1965060225 Jun 1965	Davao City	Philippines	3
Teixeira	Jose A.	200804055 Apr 2008	47		Vila Real	Portugal	3
Tenorio	Octaviano	2007030531 Mar 2007	64	1942100231 Oct 1942	Tilapan	Mexico	5
Viñas	Francisco Jose	199804055 Apr 1998	51	1946120228 Dec 1946	Montevideo	Uruguay	3
Watson	F. Michael	200804055 Apr 2008	65		Spring City	Utah	12
Wickman	Lance B.	200004011 Apr 2000	59	1940110211 Nov 1940	Seattle	Washington	5
Zeballos	Jorge F.	200804055 Apr 2008	52		Ovalle	Chile	5
Zivic	Claudio D.	2007030531 Mar 2007	58	1948120219 Dec 1948	Buenos Aires	Argentina	5
Zwick	William Craig	199504011 Apr 1995	47	1947060230 Jun 1947	Salt Lake City	Utah	4

Source: Deseret Morning News 2008 Church Almanac, 42-59 and Deseret Morning News, "Brief biographies of new leaders called to LDS Church hierarchy", Saturday, April 5, 2008

Other References

• "Area Authority Seventies: 'To Bear Record of My Name in All the World'" (lds.org)