Mormon church selects British man who converted to the faith as an adult for top governing body

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the newest member of the faith’s top governing body to fill a vacancy when a member died last month. Patrick Kearon becomes the first new member since 2018 named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Kearon had been serving as the senior president of a lower-tier church leadership council called the Presidency of the Seventy. He converted to the faith as an adult and is well known for his 2016 speech urging compassion for refugees. Quorum members serve lifetime appointments helping to oversee global development of the faith known widely as the Mormon church.