Choosing a Prophet

In Mormonism, after a Mormon prophet's death the process of choosing who will be the next prophet is known as the Order of Succession. The Lord Himself chooses who will be the president of His church. He does so in a revealed, orderly fashion through the line of succession.

In the Lord's plan, the senior apostle, the one who has been in the quorum the longest, stands next in line to become president. In this way, the president will be a man who has served many years in the leading councils of the Church, knows the responsibilities associated with the office, and is thoroughly prepared to lead the Church when the Lord calls him. For example, current President Gordon B. Hinckley served in the First Presidency for 14 years and prior to that served as an Apostle for 20 years.

The Lord's Hand in the Order of Succession

It is truly the Lord who calls a man to be prophet and President of the Church. The Lord controls who His president will be in the following ways: