OMG German Apostle

[pne]

Dieter F. Uchtdorf is one of the two Apostles called to fill the vacancies left by Elder Haight and Elder Maxwell.

Wow. I think this is the first time a German has been an Apostle. (At least, I think he's German—I believe he was born in what's now the Czech Republic.)

Comments

[robnorth.livejournal.com]

This Deseret News article (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595095656,00.html) says Elder Uchtdorf is the 11th apostle born outside the US. However, IIRC, most of those were really Americans born in Mexican Mormon 'colonies' (e.g. Elder Marion G. Romney was born in Colonia Juárez, Mexico, but you'd hardly call him a Mexican).

The only other 'real' not-American apostle I can think of is President John Taylor, who was born in Britain. Even Pres. N. Eldon Tanner and Elder Hugh B. Brown, both thought of as Canadian, were born in the US.

Of course, I stand to be corrected by anyone who has lots of time on their hands.

[robnorth.livejournal.com]

Of course, I stand to be corrected by anyone who has lots of time on their hands.

...namely, the good folks at Meridian Magazine (http://www.meridianmagazine.com), who give us this little tidbit:

John Taylor was born in Milnthorpe, England; George Q. Cannon in Liverpool, England; George Teasdale in London, England; Anthon H. Lund in Aalborg, Denmark; Mariner W. Merrill in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada; Charles W. Penrose in London, England; James E. Talmage in Hungerford, Berkshire, England; John A. Widstoe in Daloe Island of Froyen, Trondhjem, Norway; Charles A. Callis in Dublin, Ireland; and Marion G. Romney in Colonia Juarez, Mexico.

I'd never known about Elder Merrill, and of course I'd forgotten about Elders Lund and Widtsoe. But the rest were all Brits (stretching the definition a tad for Elder Callis).

Spencer W. Kimball

[pne.livejournal.com]

ISTR that President Kimball was from the Mexican colonies as well - perhaps he only grew up there but was born in the US?

Re: Spencer W. Kimball

[robnorth.livejournal.com]

I think your second thought is right.

I'm still waiting for the first Latin American apostle. There's gotta be one from Mexico or Brazil sometime real soon now; I thought it would be now, but then that wouldn't be the first time I guessed wrong on the Lord's plans. %-)