He will stick with the two already in place. Rarely, has that varied. Hugh B Brown was the last one passed over and sent back to the Quorum and that was almost 50 years ago. Neither Hal or Dieter have health issues that makes a change necessary.
Alvin R Dyer is probably turning over in his grave again!
I think they only switch it up if the new Prez was formerly one of the counselors, though then again that may be why the Prez usually doesn't pick the next two apostles in seniority to be his counselors ... maybe they'd be too close to the top or something.
xxMMMooo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think they only switch it up if the new Prez was > formerly one of the counselors, though then again > that may be why the Prez usually doesn't pick the > next two apostles in seniority to be his > counselors ... maybe they'd be too close to the > top or something.
I don't remember who, but there have been a recent times where a member of the 1st president was the president of 12, so there was an "acting president of the 12" or something like that.
I do think they pick who they have confidence in, are comfortable with, whatever.
There is not standing policy other than he gets to choose who he wants, and it doesn't even have to be a member of the 12.
Hinckley—President Monson—1st C Eyring—2nd C Packer—Acting President of 12
First Presidency during Monson
Monson—President Eyring—1st C Uchdorf—2nd C Packer—President of 12 then Nelson—President of 12
It is not necessary for a counselor to be an apostle as has been mentioned. The last time this happened was in McKay’s Presidency when he had 5 counselors. Brown and Tanner were 1st and 2nd respectively. They were apostles. Joseph Fielding Smith was an additional counselor and also President of the 12. Thorpe Isaacson was a high priest (in the presiding bishopric) and was made an additional counselor but had a stroke and could not function soon afterwards so Alvin Dyer (an assistant to the 12) was added as another counselor. Dyer’s case is interesting. He was ordained an apostle after joining the first Presidency but never sustained as a member of the 12 so after McKay died the quorum decided to send him right back to being an assistant to the 12. I guess they didn’t care much for him.
J. Reuben Clark was brought into the first Presidency in 1931 as a high priest (in fact, if I remember correctly he was a seventy and had to be ordained a high priest upon being made 2nd counselor). When he was advanced to 1st counselor in 1933 Heber Grant had him ordained an apostle and sustained as a member of the 12 but he never lived long enough to become president.
You are correct. Hinckley called Monson to the FP from his position as President of the Q12. Packer was then elevated to Acting President of the Q12 while Monson was out of the Quorum serving as Counselor. After Hinckley died and Monson became Prophet, Packer became official and was no longer in "Acting" status.