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LDS apostle L. Tom Perry — who, at 92, is the oldest Mormon apostle and second in line for the faith's presidency — was hospitalized briefly Wednesday after having trouble breathing.
Perry, an apostle for 41 years, was taken in "for tests and observation following some breathing difficulties," LDS Church spokesman Eric Hawkins confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
By 8:30 p.m., Hawkins said Perry had been released and was resting at home.
After earning a degree in business from Utah State University, Perry climbed the business ladder, eventually becoming a top executive in several department stores.
The Logan native was tapped as an LDS apostle in 1974 at age 51.
Earlier this month, Perry spoke at the LDS Church's 185th Annual General Conference.
He warned about the need to defend "traditional families" — a legally married mother and father, who rear their children together — and about the dangers of "counterfeit and alternative lifestyles."
"Strong traditional families are not only the basic units of a stable society, a stable economy and a stable culture of values," Perry said, "but ... they are also the basic units of eternity, and of the kingdom and government of God."
The 6-foot-4 church leader, the tallest current Mormon apostle, took some heat for that sermon from national and Utah LGBT activists, who accused him of "disparaging" their families.
In March, Perry stood shoulder to shoulder with gay-rights advocates when the Legislature passed — and Gov. Gary Herbert signed — a landmark measure protecting LGBT individuals from housing and employment discrimination while also providing some religious-freedom safeguards.
The three members of the governing First Presidency along with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — of which Perry is the second-ranking member behind 90-year-old Boyd K. Packer — make up the top two ruling councils of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The average age of the 15 men in those bodies is 80, the oldest it has ever been in the 185-year-old Utah-based faith.