D. Todd Christofferson

D. Todd Christofferson
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 5, 2008 (2008-04-05)
LDS Church Apostle
April 10, 2008 (2008-04-10)
Reason Death of Gordon B. Hinckley; reorganization of First Presidency
Presidency of the Seventy
August 15, 1998 (1998-08-15)  April 5, 2008 (2008-04-05)
End reason Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
First Quorum of the Seventy
April 3, 1993 (1993-04-03)  April 5, 2008 (2008-04-05)
End reason Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Personal details
Born David Todd Christofferson
(1945-01-24) January 24, 1945
American Fork, Utah, United States
Education Brigham Young University
Duke Law School (J.D.)
Spouse(s) Katherine Jacob
(1968–present)
Children 5

David Todd Christofferson (born January 24, 1945) is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He has been a general authority of the church since 1993. Currently, he is the eleventh most senior apostle in the church.[1]

Early life

Christofferson was born in American Fork, Utah, and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah; Lindon, Utah; and Somerset, New Jersey. As a young man, he served as a LDS Church missionary in Argentina. His mission president during his period of service was Richard G. Scott, who would already be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve when Christofferson was called to the same quorum. After his mission, he earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law.[2]

Christofferson began his law career as a law clerk to Judge John J. Sirica during the Watergate hearings.[3]

After his work as a judicial clerk, Christofferson was an active member of the US military and then in the reserves for eight years.[4]

Career and family

As a lawyer, Christofferson worked in Washington, D.C.; Nashville, Tennessee; Herndon, Virginia; and Charlotte, North Carolina.[5] Christofferson was the associate general counsel for NationsBank in Charlotte and was the volunteer chairman of Affordable Housing of Nashville, Tennessee.[6]

Christofferson married Katherine Jacob in the Salt Lake Temple on May 28, 1968.[2] They are the parents of five children.[5]

LDS Church service

Prior to becoming a general authority, Christofferson served in the LDS Church as a bishop, stake president, and regional representative.[5] At the church's April 1993 general conference, Christofferson was called as a general authority and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.[7] In August 1998, Christofferson became a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.[8]

As a seventy, Christofferson served as the executive director of the church's Family and Church History Department. While in this position he was involved in negotiations with Jewish leaders on policies on temple work for Holocaust victims, which concluded with the church stating that its members should only do such temple work for family members. He also was in charge of the department when the church completed the Freedman's Savings Bank Records project.[3]

On April 5, 2008, during the solemn assembly session of the church's general conference when Thomas S. Monson was sustained as church president, Christofferson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[9] As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Christofferson is regarded by church membership as a prophet, seer, and revelator.

Works

Articles

Notes

  1. Apostolic seniority is generally understood to include all 15 ordained apostles (including the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). Seniority is determined by date of ordination, not by age or other factors. If two apostles are ordained on the same day, the older of the two is typically ordained first. See Succession to the presidency and Heath, Steven H. (Summer 1987). "Notes on Apostolic Succession" (PDF). Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. 20 (2): 44–56..
  2. 1 2 Cook, Quentin L. (August 2008), "Elder D. Todd Christofferson: Prepared to Serve the Lord", Liahona: 8–13
  3. 1 2 Dethman, Leigh (2008-04-05), "Elder D. Todd Christofferson named new apostle; other leaders called", Deseret Morning News
  4. LDS bio of Christofferson
  5. 1 2 3 "Elder D. Todd Christofferson Of the Seventy", Ensign: 99, May 1993
  6. 2005 Deseret News Church Almanac (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News, 2004) p. 29
  7. Monson, Thomas S. (May 1993), "The Sustaining of Church Officers", Ensign: 21
  8. "Three called to the Presidency of Seventy", Church News, 1998-08-29
  9. "First Presidency Sustained, New Apostle and Other Leaders Named", Newsroom, LDS Church, 5 April 2008

References

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles
Preceded by
Quentin L. Cook
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 5, 2008 –
Succeeded by
Neil L. Andersen
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