The LDS Church had two vacant Apostle positions after the the recent deaths of Apostle Hales and President Monson:
Mormon Church Selects 2 Senior Leaders
"For the first time in its nearly 200-year history, the Mormon Church on Saturday appointed a person of color into the upper echelons of its leadership, a group that has previously been occupied by white men."
"Gerrit W. Gong, who is Chinese-American, will join the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...the Church also selected its first-ever Latin American apostle, Ulisses Soares, a Brazilian."
"Because the presidency is filled by the longest-serving member of the quorum, the two newest apostles could eventually gain enough seniority to occupy the highest position within the church"
"There are a few black men serving on the Quorums of the Seventy, the church’s second-tier group of leaders...until 1978, it did not ordain black men to its priesthood or allow black men or women to participate in important rituals. The rules changed, the church said, when top leaders prayed and received a revelation that everyone deserved inclusion."
Newly appointed Apostles Soares (Latin American) and Gong (Asian American):
Mormon Church Selects 2 Senior Leaders
"For the first time in its nearly 200-year history, the Mormon Church on Saturday appointed a person of color into the upper echelons of its leadership, a group that has previously been occupied by white men."
"Gerrit W. Gong, who is Chinese-American, will join the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...the Church also selected its first-ever Latin American apostle, Ulisses Soares, a Brazilian."
"Because the presidency is filled by the longest-serving member of the quorum, the two newest apostles could eventually gain enough seniority to occupy the highest position within the church"
"There are a few black men serving on the Quorums of the Seventy, the church’s second-tier group of leaders...until 1978, it did not ordain black men to its priesthood or allow black men or women to participate in important rituals. The rules changed, the church said, when top leaders prayed and received a revelation that everyone deserved inclusion."
Newly appointed Apostles Soares (Latin American) and Gong (Asian American):
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