The Sustaining of Church Officers - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf sat pm

Although they may not be doctrinal, I think there are things that we can notice and think significant even in the sustaining of church officers. For instance:

• Elder Neil L. Anderson - the newest member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles
• Some Area Seventies were released, effective May 1, 2009. So they get some time to tie up loose ends and complete assignments.
• The release of the Sunday School general presidency and the calling of a new presidency.
• The release of the Young Men general presidency and the calling of a new presidency.
• The sustaining of Elder Donald L Hallstrom as a member of the Presidency of the Quorums of the Seventy. Note the plural 'quorums' of the Seventy. Elder Hallstrom replaced Elder Anderson who was sustained as an apostle.
• Six new members of the First Quorum of the Seventy were sustained. These men will serve as General Authorities for the rest of their lives.
• Seven new members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy were sustained. These men will serve as General Authorities for five years.

At the end of the sustaining, President Uchtdorf noted:

Elder Anderson became this morning the 97th Apostle to serve in this dispensation. The calling of an Apostle, as you know, goes back to the Lord Jesus Christ. And those Seventies you just see walking up there are the ones the scriptures call for that the Twelve should call on before any other (see D&C 107:38.)

That was a nice reminder of the order of the church.