October 14, 2025, 2:16 PM MDT
In his first public address as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Dallin H. Oaks spoke to members of the Church live from the Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Tuesday afternoon, October 14.
President Oaks said that after a long period of fasting and prayer, he called his counselors in the newly formed First Presidency. The president appointed President Henry B. Eyring as his first counselor and President D. Todd Christofferson as his second counselor.
“I humbly accept the responsibility that God has placed upon me, and I will devote myself wholeheartedly to the service to which I have been called,” President Oaks said of his appointment as prophet and President of the Church.
He also bore testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. “I testify of the Head of this Church, the Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray for His blessings on all of us.”
In addition to revealing the names of his counselors, President Oaks also announced that President Jeffrey R. Holland is president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“I am grateful that these men, whom I respect and know so well, have accepted such a divine calling,” President Oaks said.
President Henry B. Eyring
In his remarks, President Eyring expressed his gratitude for the Lord’s confidence in him and for President Oaks’ confidence in him. President Oaks said he knows he is leading the Church by inspiration right now.
“I saw the power of God come upon him,” President Eyring said. “I am heartened to know that people are going to recognize that it is the Lord’s servants leading the Lord’s church, just as Peter and others were leading the church in the past.”
President Eyring said he is grateful “for those of faith who sustain us in this great work of the Restoration and in the final preparation of the Lord’s Church for His coming.”
This is President Eyring’s fourth consecutive call to the First Presidency. He has served as second counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor to President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor to President Russell M. Nelson, and currently first counselor to President Oaks.
President D. Todd Christofferson
President Christofferson said that although this call was not what he expected, he is deeply honored by it and the confidence it brings.
“At the same time, I recognize that I am not called to be honored, but to serve,” he said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside Presidents Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring.”
He recalled slipping into a conference in Washington, D.C., many years ago, hoping to hear President Oaks speak. He said that he was impressed not only by President Oaks’ qualifications and intelligence, but most importantly by his spiritual depth.
“And I testify as someone who is part of the process by which he was called by God to this present position, this great responsibility,” President Christofferson said. “My wife and I wish him every success and the continued blessings of the Lord.”
President Jeffrey R. Holland
As president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Holland said he was excited to speak on behalf of the quorum, the Presidency of the Seventy, the presiding dioceses, and organizational leaders who attended the announcement, saying, “All of them unequivocally support and support President Oaks as the president, prophet, seer, and revelator who will lead this church into its next moment.”
Under President Nelson’s previous administration, President Holland served as acting quorum president, and President Oaks, President Nelson’s most senior Apostle, served as the first counselor in the First Presidency.
“We love him. We know him very well,” President Holland said. “We saw him getting ready and confirmed today that it was the Lord’s will. And to see that mantle fully and completely extended to President Oaks was a unanimous and very moving experience.”
President Oaks’ testimony
In his closing message, President Oaks said: “I know with confidence in my life that this is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, restored with the fulness of the gospel, which God has chosen to manifest in this dispensation of the fulness of times, and which is led by prophets to this day.”
He expressed his gratitude to Presidents Eyring and Christofferson and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for accepting his new calling.
“I testify that the Lord speaks to and through the Apostles of His Church according to the organization he has revealed to minister to us in these latter days.”
President Oaks said of President Nelson, “More recently we were led by a great prophet. … We have much work to do to accomplish the task he has given us, and much more to come.”
“The Lord still speaks through His servants,” President Oaks said, adding, “There is much work to do, because our ministry is the ministry of all of God’s children on earth. We pray for all people, we seek to serve all people, we invoke the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ on all who seek to serve the Lord, and we do so with worthiness, dedication, and optimism.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who made Tuesday’s announcement, said members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met early Tuesday morning to appoint President Oaks as President of the Church.
“This revelatory experience reaffirmed to each of us in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that Jesus Christ directs His Church,” Elder Stevenson said.
