Gordon Monson: The next Latter-day Saint apostle? Here are a few suggested candidates.

One of the most significant — and long-lasting — things a Latter-day Saint prophet can do is name a new apostle.

Jeffrey Holland, who recently died at age 85, was called to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1994, when he was 53, by then-church President Howard Hunter.

Think about that for a minute. Hunter was the faith’s prophet for all of nine months before moving on to the great beyond early in 1995. And the man he called to help lead the church as one of its most important and influential voices filled that role for more than three decades, long after Hunter was gone.

Already, Dallin Oaks, since ascending to the church’s top spot in October, has called one apostle — 62-year-old Gérald Caussé, a native of Bordeaux, France — and now, he’ll call another. Whom will it be? Beats me. Whom should it be? Ah, that’s where we can have a little fun.

First, some ground rules. Oaks can call whomever he wants. Still, you can presume a handful of things — the new leader will have to be a baptized and devout follower of the faith, and he’ll be recognized as somebody who has a track record of church service. A Latter-day Saint prophet, to my knowledge, has never simply plucked a dude off the street and ordained him to the second-most powerful body of church leadership, behind only the First Presidency. One other thing: The new apostle has to be a man, not a woman.

Pity. What gender has to do with hearing and fulfilling a call as a prominent messenger of God, a witness of Christ, a decision-maker, is a question with no satisfying answer, not one that I’ve found, anyway. After all, the Bible refers to a number of prophetesses.

Not sure how that requirement came to be or why. Many of the most spiritual and selfless and charitable and Christlike humans I’ve ever come across were and are women. But that’s a topic for another day.

Back to business. Who would be a good pick here?

Outsiders vs. insiders

Of late, apostles often have been selected from among the seven men in the Presidency of the Seventy.

Oaks, himself, and his presidential predecessor, Russell Nelson, were brought into apostleship from other walks of life. Oaks was a judge and Nelson a heart surgeon. I kind of favor that idea, although those two individuals were contributing in a huge way to the betterment of society in their other realms.

So, who would make a suitable apostle now? Man, oh man, there are so many decent people in the world from whom to choose. Among Latter-day Saints, how about Andy Reid? If he’s good enough to win Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s qualified to guide the faith forward. Big Red is so respected around the NFL, by players and fans alike, he could positively influence a whole new group of potential members. A brief aside here — a prominent pastor of a major Christian church in the Los Angeles area once said these exact words to me: “As a pastor, I hate to say this, but … sports is the God or our age.” OK, then, Andy, step right up.

Or how about Dale Murphy? There’s nobody in the world of sports who is more highly thought of as a “good guy” than the former Braves slugger, a two-time National League MVP. His credentials haven’t been enough so far to get him into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but he’s already been a mission president in and around Boston, so maybe he could get good wood among the brethren.

Or maybe BYU coach Kalani Sitake. You heard the man after the Cougars won the Pop-Tarts Bowl. He praised Jesus and mentioned faith. His beliefs are important to him, and he doesn’t mind saying that.

Maybe Kyle Whittingham can enter the transfer portal again and trade The Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for an even bigger (though much lower-paying) job in the church’s Administration Building in Salt Lake City.

OK, let’s get more serious here. I like a guy such as Mike Dunn, who already is a general authority Seventy. He’s a straight-talking man of faith who understands and is committed to his religion, and is more than familiar with the way the world works. He’s made an impact on and among women and men and families who have been greatly blessed by his profound and practical leadership. On top of that, he survived a vicious grizzly bear attack while running through the mountains near Jackson Hole. God preserved him for something. Maybe this is it.

Since more recently called apostles have come from varied countries and/or ethnicities, and the quorum now includes a German, a Frenchman, an Englishman, a man of Asian descent, and a Brazilian, how about we get a Black apostle? It’s past time.

Chance to make history

What a statement and step forward that would be for a worldwide religion that for more than a century did not offer priesthood and temple blessings to Black members, and that since then has declared again and again that it is here for the benefit of all of God’s children, gathered into the tent and under the auspices of Jesus himself.

Can’t say for sure, but it seems as though Christ would be eager to have a Black believer as one of his special witnesses. Especially with the way the church is growing not just in the United States, but also in countries and communities an ocean away in Africa. It’s appropriate to have all the faithful represented and for young church members of color to see a face like theirs among the chosen few.

How about, say, Peter Johnson, a general authority Seventy who recently gave a candid and powerful talk at General Conference. He has a doctorate in accounting, and accountants rule the world, don’t they? Why not a church? He’s a man of great testimony, of great conviction, who is beyond articulate, wholly sincere, and completely devoted to his faith. He seems like an effective and compelling witness God could really get behind.

Who’s with me? All in favor, manifest it.

Look, Oaks will choose whom he chooses. It is said he’ll look to the heavens to make his decision and go from there. But whatever he decides, whatever he is prompted to decide, whomever he selects, it’s more than a good bet that the choice will live long after Oaks departs. For the good of saints of all kinds and all colors for years to come, with any luck, the Latter-day Saint prophet will pick with a perspective as expansive as the heavens to which he looks.

Note to readers • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.