Elder Clark G. Gilbert, living with his wife and young family in Boston, Massachusetts, heard a speaker at a church meeting talk about the New Testament story of Jesus Christ, which encouraged young people to leave behind their riches to follow the Savior and receive eternal life.
Elder Gilbert was considering the opportunity to move his family from Boston, a decision that weighed heavily on him and his wife, Sister Christine Gilbert.
Elder Gilbert said in a press interview on Friday, February 13, recalling a story from a church meeting in which a speaker taught that the Savior’s invitation is for young people to receive something better than all they already have.
“Every time we make a sacrifice for the kingdom of God, Christ always teaches us something better,” he said.
A call for “something better”
Elder Gilbert joined President Dallin H. Oaks on Tuesday, February 10, at Brigham Young University when he delivered a devotion at the Church’s flagship university. The next day, they attended a meeting with the Church Education Committee, and President Oaks invited Elder Gilbert to meet privately in his office in the Church Administration Building.
Elder Gilbert said that in his roles as a General Authority Seventy and Church Education Commissioner, he expected to hear about new projects and other similar types of work, but was surprised to find himself there for a different reason. President Oaks called on him to serve as a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to fill the vacancy created by the passing of President Jeffrey R. Holland on December 27, 2025.
Elder Gilbert said President Oaks taught him what this new calling would require of him.
“He talked about the responsibility of the calling, and of course the responsibility of being a witness of Jesus Christ to the whole world,” Elder Gilbert said.
divine surprise
After receiving his new calling, Elder Gilbert left his car and called Sister Gilbert from the quiet of the car.
“I was very surprised,” he said of the call. The surprise was also that he had a divine feeling at the trust shown. Elder Gilbert said he and Sister Gilbert stayed up late Wednesday night reflecting on what they had learned from each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“They are all different. They all have different talents and backgrounds. But they all have a special witness of the Savior Jesus Christ,” he said.
The Gilberts shared the news about the call with their eight children and their families shortly before the official announcement was made on Thursday, February 12th.
disruptive spiritual innovation
Elder Gilbert’s professional career also includes working with the late Elders Clayton M. Christensen and Kim B. Clark at Harvard Business School. He also worked at Deseret Management Corp., where he directed journalism organizations such as the Deseret News and KSL.
His work with young adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes serving as president of BYU-Idaho and BYU-Pathway Worldwide and serving as the church’s education commissioner, where he worked closely with all of the church’s higher education institutions and the church’s seminary and religious institute programs.
When Elder Gilbert first arrived at BYU, Idaho, he was excited to bring his experiences and ideas to the church’s college in Rexburg, Idaho. He had confidence and hope.
“I thought I knew a lot until I got to Rexburg,” he says. “Then I realized I was just a beginner.”
He recalled writing a talk there called “Innovation in the Lord’s Way.” At the time, his team was working on the precursor program that would become BYU-Pathway. In that talk, I explained the importance of partnering with the Lord in the work that individuals and teams are working to accomplish, because He is the only teammate who truly knows everything.
“He knows all this. He knows how technology evolves. He knows what policies will change. He knows what’s going on in the world. He knows when it’s coming back.”
Working with the Lord in His way also requires something from those who desire to cooperate with Him. Elder Gilbert said it can be difficult to develop the necessary traits on that side of the partnership.
“When we innovate in the Lord’s way, it requires more humility, frugality and respect for the Lord’s timing, a willingness to trust in the Lord, and a willingness to seek revelation than most of us, but the Lord can do more.”
Elder Gilbert said he has learned along this path that the Lord has much more to teach him about innovation than he ever learned from his academic or professional work. He said the Lord uses an individual’s education and experience to help them learn what God needs them to learn.
“Given the spiritual dimension of the revelatory insights that are yet to come, innovating in the Lord’s way becomes the right way to go.”
growing global church
Elder Gilbert quickly moved from talking about how to involve the Lord in personal revelation and innovation to talking about the fact that the world is in times foretold by prophets throughout history.
“The world is in turmoil and people are struggling. Good is called evil and evil is called good,” he said.
He said the anxiety, stress and polarization of life today presents unprecedented opportunities.
“In this situation, it is much more difficult to do things without the Lord, but when you involve Him and put Him first, everything falls into place.”
Elder Gilbert said that as challenges emerge in the world, the light of the gospel can shine even brighter and give clearer light to those who need it. He believes that more and more young people around the world are realizing this.
He cited scripture from the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 28), the New Testament (2 Timothy 3), and the Doctrine and Covenants (45) to show that prophets have seen this day and these challenges.
“Ancient and modern prophets have prophesied about the last days before the Savior’s return that there would be increasing darkness, but then the light would become more visible than ever, and people are flocking to it.”
testimony of the savior
Ready to step forward and serve in a new calling, Elder Gilbert shared his testimony and encouraged others to find peace in following the Savior’s ways.
“To those who are worried about their ability to hold fast to their faith and become devoted disciples of Jesus Christ, I say this: ‘Christ is always showing you something better.’ If you obey God, you will have greater joy and happiness. And if you obey what the Savior requires, it is never a sacrifice.”
Many moments in Elder Gilbert’s life that strengthened his testimony were tied to the Book of Mormon, he said.
“In each of those moments, that witness was connected to the Savior. I had a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and that its purpose is to testify that Jesus is the Christ,” he said.
Elder Gilbert said he knows that the Savior lives and provides forgiveness, strength, and a path to immortality.
“I know that God lives. I know that He loves us. I know that He can help us repent and forgive us when we fail. I know that because of Him we can live again. As Alma 7:12 teaches, He comforts us in our suffering, strengthens us in our weakness, and helps us when life is unfair.”
notable moments in life
The elder Gilbert, 55, was born in Oakland, California, and raised primarily in Phoenix, Arizona. He was sustained by the General Authority Seventy in April 2021 and has served as a member of the Church Education System since August of the same year.
He and Sister Gilbert were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1994.
Elder Gilbert received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brigham Young University in 1994, a master’s degree in East Asian studies from Stanford University in 1995, and a doctorate in business administration from Harvard University in 2001. He later joined the faculty at Harvard University.
Elder Gilbert is the second Apostle called by President Oaks since he was set apart as a prophet and 18th President of the Church on October 14, 2025. Elder Gerald Caussé, who previously served as presiding bishop of the Church, was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by President Oaks on November 6, 2025.
