Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 20:38

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 20:38
" The duty of the elders, priests, teachers, deacons, and members of the church of Christ—An apostle is an elder, and it is his calling to baptize;"

I love it while reading the scriptures that little things I had questions on will stand out. I had wondered why we called the twelve apostles Elders. Why didn't we call them Apostle Bednar or Apostle Soares? This was such a little question that I just never stopped to find out why. Here it is in the scriptures. An apostle is an Elder and that is why we say Elder Uchtdorf and not Apostle Uchtdorf.

"Years ago, President Boyd K. Packer observed that “the priesthood is greater than any of its offices. … The priesthood is not divisible. An elder holds as much priesthood as an Apostle. (See  D&C 20:38 When a man [has the priesthood conferred upon him], he receives all of it. However, there are offices within the priesthood—divisions of authority and responsibility. … Sometimes one office is spoken of as being ‘higher than’ or ‘lower than’ another office. Rather than ‘higher’ or ‘lower,’ offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood represent different areas of service.” [Boyd K. Packer, “What Every Elder Should Know—and Every Sister as Well: A Primer on Principles of Priesthood Government,” Ensign, Feb. 1993] Brethren, I devoutly hope that we will no longer speak in terms of being “advanced” to another office in the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Elders will continue to be ordained high priests when they are called to a stake presidency, high council, or bishopric—or at other times as determined by the stake president through prayerful consideration and inspiration. When their terms of service in a stake presidency, high council, or bishopric are completed, high priests will rejoin the elders quorum in their ward."
(Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Elders Quorum", April 2018 General Conference)

Day 3609