While it's not on record, I have to say that I called it! What did I call? The new First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Forro and I play a little game that I like to call General Authority Keno. I call it this because we call the leaders of our church General Authorities and because, like keno, you place bets on individual slots, in this case, the pictures of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and first and second Quorums of the Seventy. Because that would be downright semi-sacreligious as our church specifically says not to gamble, we play for bragging rights and perhaps the occasional meal. Anyway, before they are called, we place bets on who will be called to the next open position (upon the death of one of the other Apostles). I have a pretty good record on this, I'm at around .500, with both of my good calls Elder (now President) Uchdorf. He just made sense. At any rate, I do declare that I am placing bets on Elder Yoshi Kikuchi and Elder Carlos Arroyo, both members of the First Quorum of the Seventy on the new vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. Of course, those of you who aren't Mormons who read the blog may not care about this. I guess it would be the equivalent of Pope Keno if you were Catholic and placing bets on the cardinals who would become pope.
13 comments:
So how does the new president get chosen?
Good call. I never would have guessed Elder Uchdorf. And I have no idea why you say "he made sense." How does one apostle make sense over another? Wingspan? Ability to post up? Showing tremendous upside potential?
I am also pulling for Elder Kikuchi. Other than representing Japan, it would be great to have an apostle who has once accused me of holding a beer.
While the right to be chosen is always reserved for revelation, tradition has been since the beginning of the LDS Church that the senior apostle of the 12 (i.e. who has been an apostle the longest) is the next President of the church. Members of the First Presidency are chosen at random and can be anybody, although they are typically chosen from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Anybody can be an Apostle, but they usually have had some other position as a general authority of the church.
He made sense because the Church is getting more and more international, they needed someone who isn't from the US as a member of the First Presidency. That's why I chose him to become an Apostle in the first place. It's also why I've got my chips on Kikuchi (in addition to the heresay-heavy semi-prophecy (say that 5 times fast) that I heard in Japan that Pres. Hinckley would be around as "their Apostle" until they got their own) and a Hispanic Apostle (that is one that I am really surprised I haven't seen yet.
I remember hearing something like that too, but didn't know how much was fact and how much was Tokyo Minami dendo lore.
Did you know Steve Martin is a Mormon?
It was the same for me. It could be bunk all together, but I do know that President Hinckley was considered the Asian Apostle by everybody in the Far East.
And Steve Martin is a Mormon...it's just a different Steve Martin
I think Kikuchi's too old. He's gotta be well over 70. Arroyo maybe. I think it will be someone who is from Africa. I bet my birthright. Wait, I mean themickel's birthright, which I traded mine for with him. It's in my missionary journal.
Another reason Dieter "The Dorf" Uchtdorf (sorry, that was a reference to Fletch that I couldn't pass up) made sense was that Monson worked for so long with "Zee Germans", including in the Eastern Bloc, where Uchtdorf was born.
That right there is the biggest problem with Kikuchi. They went older with Cook last time, so he still has a chance and he's not emeritus status yet. If we go Asian, Won Kong Ko might have a chance. Heck, since Bednar set the bar for entries, let's dig down into the Area Authorities for one...how about old Niiyama kyodai or Yamashita or Kikuchi II (Bin)?
And Kikuchi I is only 66, so he's younger than Cook was. Even though I'd like to see Niiyama just because it'd be absolutely bizarre to say that you were given strange trainings by a future Apostle, I've still got my chips on Yoshi.
Wow, I guess Yoshi just seems really old.
Out of the other Seventies, I have to say Yamashita is the strongest candidate, but a very long shot in my reckoning. As for Niiyama, I'll just say that I would be very, very surprised.
I think the Lord has a person of African ancestry picked. this would be a watershed moment for the Church. But I think a South American is a very strong possibility (including a South American of African ancestry, of course).
Either a Hispanic or African member of the Quorum of the Twelve would be a watershed moment indeed. I would love to see a bit more diversity as the church gets bigger and more established outside of the US. I think language is a bit of a barrier, but we've started to build up a good stable of leaders in those countries, and there is of course the gift of tongues that comes into play as well with them.
I'm thinking Kikuchi or McCain, possibly Obama. Though Huckabee definitely has the support of the evangelicals.
Who is Carlos Arroyo? Do you mean Carlos H. Amado?
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