Nathan Eldon Tanner - Life in The Church

Life in The Church

In 1960, Tanner was called to be an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a full-time general authority of the LDS church. In the church, he preferred to be referred to as "N. Eldon Tanner". In 1962, Apostle George Q. Morris's passing opened up a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which Tanner was called to fill. Named to the Quorum of the Twelve in October 1962, he was its second most junior member one year later when he was called into the First Presidency as second counselor to Church President David O. McKay. Tanner remained in this position for the presidency of Joseph Fielding Smith (1970–1972), and then became first counselor to Smith's successor Harold B. Lee, remaining first counselor to Lee and Spencer W. Kimball until his own death.

It was during Kimball's presidency that Tanner was called upon to read in church general conference the church's announcement that race was no longer to be a barrier to ordination to the priesthood.

Not long afterward, Tanner's health deteriorated and it became impossible for him to shoulder the burdens of his office. With Church President Kimball and second counselor Marion G. Romney also ailing, the decision was made to add Gordon B. Hinckley as an additional counselor to the First Presidency on July 23, 1981. Tanner remained first counselor until his death the following year at age 84.