Boyd K. Packer

Boyd Kenneth Packer (born September 10, 1924) has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1970.

When Howard W. Hunter, who had been President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, succeeded to the Presidency of the Church in 1994, he retained as his counselors in the First Presidency both Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson, the only two Apostles senior to Elder Packer, and accordingly Packer was named Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When President Hunter died in 1995 and was succeeded by Hinckley, Monson was again retained in the First Presidency and Packer again sustained Acting President of the Twelve. Under the seniority-based succession rules, the death of either Hinckley or Monson would make Packer full President of the Twelve, while if he should survive both of them he will become President of the Church.

A General Authority of the Church since 1961, Packer is known for being particularly conservative among its hierarchs. He is punctilious about the authority of the leadership and stresses the divine inspiration of its organization. He has been a frequent advocate of streamlining the scheduling imposed by church-related activities in order to permit members more time with their families. His addresses often emphasize living the gospel in its simplicity.