The Church

As all Mormons are taught from their primary days on up, prophets are called of God. When the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints passes away, the next member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is called and sustained. But do prophets ever resign, similar to the manner that Pope Benedict XVI has recently done?

The answer is no, they do not resign. But the last few years of President Spencer W. Kimball’s life and service as President of the Church do show us how a prophet has handled the circumstances surrounding his deteriorating mental and physical health so as to best serve the needs of the Church.

President Kimball served as the President of the Church from December 30, 1973- November 5, 1985. He had suffered from heart problems (including myocardial infarctions and a heart attack), throat cancer, breathing problems, and skin conditions. In the last few years of his life, he was quite ill and in constant pain.

When he became the president at age 78, he was in fairly good health. President Kimball’s biographer, his son, Edward L. Kimball, detailed his father’s health troubles in his book, “Lengthen Your Stride.” In 1979, President Kimball had subdural hematomas that required brain surgery. The operations temporarily altered his personality and left him confused. The surgery also had unfortunate lasting effects.

Edward Kimball writes, “In retrospect, the summer of 1981 was pivotal. Spencer’s condition declined rapidly despite his heroic efforts to get well. … He experienced increasing pain, discouragement, and disorientation and prayed for the Lord to take him.”

In the summer of 1981, President Kimball regained his mental faculties long enough to call apostle Gordon B. Hinckley to serve as a third counselor to the First Presidency. It was an unusual move, but a smart and practical one. The other two counselors, Presidents N. Eldon Tanner and Marion G. Romney, were also showing the signs of age and not as strong as they once were. President Hinckley shouldered much of the work of the First Presidency alone.

It was not long thereafter that President Kimball fell ill again, living in a fog, not mentally acute. He did not “resign” as prophet, seer, or revelator, nor did he resign as president. But he did make sure that there was a person in place to administer the responsibilities of the First Presidency.

It would be four more years before President Kimball passed away- nearly deaf and blind. In spite of the health problems that plagued him, he continued to make efforts to attend temple meetings, General Conference, and other church meetings. He must have been greatly comforted to know that in spite of his impairments, there was someone in place to assist in his duties.

President Kimball did not resign. Prophets do not resign. But in many ways his actions to bring on additional help to the First Presidency, is as close as a prophet may ever come to doing so. His actions call for sympathy for Pope Benedict XVI who is the first pope to ever “resign.” (Many reports claim that he is the first pope in 600 years to do so. This is not quite true. The “600 years ago” reference goes back to a time when the Catholic Church was divided and there was an argument over who was the Pope until one of them finally stepped down. Therefore, Pope Benedict’s abdication is actually a first.) Pope Benedict in his ill state does not have the assurances or assistances that the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has in the form of a Quorum of Twelve Apostles, or First Presidency. In the best interest of the church that he loves, knowing he cannot fulfill his duties anymore, he will step down. While the acts of resigning and calling a new counselor are very different, one cannot help but feel sympathy for both of these great men who devoted so much of their lives, even when in the worst of health, to their churches.

Tomorrow: A Comparative Look at the Papal Election and the Succession of a Prophet

Erin Ann McBride is the author of “,” and “,” both available on and Barnes and Noble. She has recently launched a new website to help self-published and commercially published LDS authors reach their audiences directly. Check out www.mormonbooksandauthors.com to find the latest books from your favorite writers!